exam contingency plans and possible practical questions: 2020-04-04

Some practical questions …

  1. How do I provide students with the exam?
  2. How will my students write their exam and hand it in to me?
  3. What if I prefer not to use Canvas?
  4. What if I can’t log on to Canvas?
  5. What if I can’t log on to the FSC?
  6. What if I can’t log in to UBC email, or if I have internet connection issues?
  7. What if a student can’t log on to Canvas?
  8. What if a student has problems attaching a file, a problem emailing, or has internet connection problems … and they hand in their exam late?
  9. What if a student can’t hand in their exam electronically, but they’re able to communicate with you or me to say that?
  10. What if a student doesn’t hand in their exam?

And some answers …

(1) HOW DO I PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE EXAM?

IN INCREASING ORDER OF TECHNOLOGICAL SIMPLICITY …

1. Canvas quiz

2. Canvas assignment: editable PDF to complete and upload

3. Canvas assignment: editable .docx to complete, convert to PDF (ideally; if not, see further down in (2) “HOW WILL MY STUDENTS WRITE THEIR EXAM AND HAND IT IN TO ME?”), and upload

4. (This is what I (JÓB) am doing) Canvas assignment: questions and listening comprehension audio on Canvas assignment page, downloadable electronic exam booklet to complete (just space for questions, so the completed paper is shorter; .docx), convert to PDF (ideally), and upload

5. Exam by email: instructor uses Faculty Service Centre to send 2 files, exam questions (inc. embedded or linked audio track; PDF) + electronic exam booklet (space for answers, .docx); student writes in electronic exam booklet, converts it to PDF (ideally), and emails that to instructor

6. I will also write posts here on the UBC Blogs site, password-protected, containing the (FREN 101 and 102) exams as set up in (4) above. These posts will be timed to be published at the time that each exam starts (2020-04-22 12:00 FREN 102, 2020-04-24 12:00 FREN 101).

(2) HOW WILL MY STUDENTS WRITE THEIR EXAM AND HAND IT IN TO ME?

IN INCREASING ORDER OF TECHNOLOGICAL SIMPLICITY …

1. Electronic exam booklet, converted to PDF

2. Electronic exam booklet, saved as .docx or .pages or plain text file (or … whatever … ), and you (the student’s instructor) or I (JÓB) can help them to convert it to PDF

3. The same, just have the student send you what they’ve done in whatever format, email it to me, I’ll convert it for you and email it back to you

4. Write by hand on paper, scan or photograph the pages, convert that to a single PDF

5.The same, just have the student send you what they’ve done in whatever format, email it to me, I’ll convert it for you and email it back to you

6. The same, then the student makes a copy of their exam script and sends the copy to the FHIS department by mail. Retaining the original in case the copy gets lost. (Worst case scenario, we do some kind of retake alternative exam later on once the student is able to do so—online or in person—then mark it and apply a change of grade.)

(3) WHAT IF I PREFER NOT TO USE CANVAS?

Then use (1) “HOW DO I PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE EXAM?” option 5 above, via the FSC.

(4) WHAT IF I CAN’T LOG ON TO CANVAS?

Then use (1) “HOW DO I PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE EXAM?” option 5 above, via the FSC.

(5) WHAT IF I CAN’T LOG ON TO THE FSC?

1. Email me (JÓB).

2. TAs: the coordinator can communicate directly with your students via the FSC. If an instructor is a faculty member, then the coordinator can liaise with Michael Ferrazzi as he has the requisite admin access to communicate with faculty members’ classes.

3. We will then use (1) “HOW DO I PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE EXAM?” option 6 above, with your students, and ask them to email their completed exam to me.

4. We will then figure out, together, a secure way to get your exams to you. If we can’t use electronic methods, I’ll have Xerox print out your exams. If you’re in Vancouver at that time, I’ll emeet you outside the FHIS department and hand over your printed exams, by physically-distanced rules. If you’re not in Vancouver at that time, I’ll courier the printed exams to you.

(6) WHAT IF I CAN’T LOG IN TO UBC EMAIL, OR IF I HAVE INTERNET CONNECTION ISSUES?

1. Send a text message to me (JÓB).

2. TAs: the coordinator can communicate directly with your students via the FSC. If an instructor is a faculty member, then the coordinator can liaise with Michael Ferrazzi as he has the requisite admin access to communicate with faculty members’ classes.

3. We will then use (1) “HOW DO I PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE EXAM?” option 6 above with your students and ask them to email their completed exam to me.

4. We will then figure out, together, a secure way to get your exams to you. If we can’t use electronic methods, I’ll have Xerox print out your exams. If you’re in Vancouver at that time, I’ll meet you outside the FHIS department and hand over your printed exams, by physically-distanced rules. If you’re not in Vancouver at that time, I’ll courier the printed exams to you.

(7) WHAT IF A STUDENT CAN’T LOG ON TO CANVAS?

1. They should email you, their instructor

2. You then send them the exam by email: (1) “HOW DO I PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE EXAM?” option 5 above

(8) WHAT IF A STUDENT HAS PROBLEMS ATTACHING A FILE, A PROBLEM EMAILING, OR HAS INTERNET CONNECTION PROBLEMS … AND THEY HAND IN THEIR EXAM LATE?

1. They should write (on their exam script) the time that this happened.

2. If they can email, they should email you (their instructor) or me to explain what’s happening.

3. They should take a break, wait, and try again: if the exam arrives slightly late, that’s OK.

4. Problems converting .docx or .pages to PDF: email me, I can help.

5. If email attachment doesn’t work: they should save a copy of the exam in a shareable format (ex. cloud storage, Google Drive, Dropbox), create a sharable link to it, and email that link to you their instructor. (Or me, if they’ve been dealing with me, and I’ll email it to you. Basically use me as IT help as well as French support.)

6. I am willing to mark any late scripts arriving the next working day after the exam closes or later (FREN 102: from the morning of Friday 24 April onwards; FREN 101: from the morning of Monday 27 April onwards). If you (the instructor) have already marked your exams and submitted your final grades: I will submit a change of grade form. This is manageable up to exams arriving and my marking them on Monday 4 May.

(9) WHAT IF A STUDENT CAN’T HAND IN THEIR EXAM ELECTRONICALLY, BUT THEY’RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU OR ME TO SAY THAT?

1. If a student can’t email or otherwise submit their email electronically: they can print (or hand-write) a copy of the exam—keeping the original—and post that, by the most secure postal service at their disposal, to the department.

2. If money is an issue, I (JÓB) will make arrangements and pay for couriering this myself.

3. Telephone can be an option.

4. I will mark any such very late scripts. If you (the instructor) have already marked your exams and submitted your final grades: I will submit a change of grade form. This is manageable up to exams arriving and my marking them on Monday 4 May. After that it gets more complicated, I’d also be working with Arts Academic Advising.

(10) WHAT IF A STUDENT DOESN’T HAND IN THEIR EXAM?

1. If a student has not submitted an exam to you or communicated with you by the time that you’ve marked your exams and you’re completing your final grades: they have a 0 for the exam, calculate their final grade accordingly. This will be quite a low grade, as the exam is worth 40% of the final grade and even if a student had 100% on all the rest of their work, that would be a final grade of only 60%.

2. (Along with all your other grades for your class) enter that final grade on the FSC. You’ll see a box there called “Standing”: leave it blank. You’ll see one called “Standing Reason”: write DNW there = “did not write (the final exam).” If in doubt, contact me and I’ll help.

3. Once final grades have been submitted and published, if a student hands in their exam late, contact me. We may also need to work with Arts Academic Advising, especially if this is a final-year graduating student. For other students, the exam can be marked later and a Change of Grade made (if you haven’t done this before, I’ll help).

4. For some students in some situations, deferred standing (SD) and an exam later can be an option. Students would apply for that through Academic Advising. They would either sit the exam in the Standing Deferred and Supplemental Exams Period (July, with an exam timetable  and a date set and the whole thing administered by Enrolment Services); or they would work that out, and timing, directly with you and me. Mostly and usually me, and I compose a fresh exam. Either way Arts Academic Advising can help: refer a student to them (and, as ever, if in doubt or apprehensive about bothering them—they’re very lovely—or worried that you’re giving bad advice or the wrong answer or sending a student to the wrong person, or, or, or … just ask me. It’s always possible that I might not know either, but together, and with others’ help, we’ll figure things out.)