Frequently Asked Questions from faculty

If you have questions about the Testing Center not answered here, please contact us at etest.psu.edu.

What will the schedule and procedures be for the e-Testing / ITS Lab?

• The center is open for testing from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The center will serve as an ITS computing lab from 10:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. daily and throughout the weekends.
• Faculty will have the option to schedule the lab by assigned scheduling (an entire class at a time) or by block scheduling (students schedule tests individually within a period of time blocked out by the instructor, such as three days).
• When students arrive, they will swipe their ID cards, which will bring up their photo on a computer screen. This will aid the receptionist in verifying their identity.
• Students will place all belongings into their backpack, or a large bag, somewhat like a laundry bag, which will be provided by the Testing Center. Students may be able to keep certain items (e.g., books) that the faculty member has designated as allowed during the exam.
• Students will be assigned to a computer where they will place their bag of belongings under their chair. Each student will receive a ticket that tells them which computer to log in and what materials they are allowed to use during the test.

What are the advantages of the e-Testing Lab and computer-based testing?
The e-Testing Lab will allow faculty to take advantage of computer-based testing for their classroom tests in a secure environment. It will also provide a location for students in online or hybrid courses to take proctored exams.

Graphical displays, animations, and acoustic files can be utilized in the test item, which may allow for the test to be more closely aligned with course objectives.

Computer-based testing also has the capability of providing immediate feedback to students on their understanding of the course material. Instructors can manipulate the amount of feedback that students receive and provide detailed rationales for why a certain response may be incorrect. Providing immediate feedback enhances student’s ability to learn from tests.

Research has shown that computer-based testing tends to take less time for students than does traditional pencil-and-paper testing. In addition, because the instructor has the option of scheduling the tests outside of the scheduled course time, valuable instructional time can be saved.

To learn about other advantages of computer-based testing, please contact Suzanne Weinstein at 863-0689 at the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence.

My class size exceeds the capacity of the lab. Can I still use the lab?
Class sizes greater than the 161-seat capacity will require special consideration. Faculty who teach large classes will need to schedule more than a single session. The disadvantage of this type of scheduling is the possibility that students who take the test early will share information with students who are taking the test later. To reduce the possibility of cheating, either different test forms or sampling techniques should be used. If the instructor uses different test forms, care must be taken to demonstrate that different test forms are equivalent in terms of difficulty and other psychometric indices in order to ensure fairness for all students. Sampling techniques, in which parallel versions of items are randomly assigned to students, can help aid in ensuring fairness. This technique requires the use of a test question database. Testing specialists at the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence can help with the writing of parallel items and test forms as well as provide tips for the creation and maintenance of an item database.

Can I use e-Testing if I am a faculty member at another campus?
The e-Testing / ITS Lab will be located on the University Park campus. However, computer-based testing software is available to any faculty member at any campus location. Without the availability of a proctored facility, the issues of cheating are more pronounced and thus we recommend that each test delivered in this way not count for a large percentage of a student’s score. To learn more about incorporating computer-based testing into your course, please contact Suzanne Weinstein at 863-0689 at the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence.

What software will be used in the e-Testing Lab?
ANGEL offers a quizzing tool that will be available for faculty use. TestPilot will also be available. If you are interested in exploring these, please contact Will Kerr.

How will cheating be prevented at the e-Testing / ITS Lab?
Students will not have access to any of their belongings, other than those items designated by the faculty member. Also, a proctor will always be available to monitor for any cheating activities. In addition, security cameras are used in the center. All software applications available in the lab will use secure browsers that do not allow students to use the computer for any purpose other than taking the test for which they are assigned.

How will the inevitable congestions during peak exam periods be handled?
The lab will be busier at certain times during the semester and we plan to adjust staffing to accommodate those periods. The design of the facility allows flexibility for students from a variety of courses to test at the same time. For example, a block test may be scheduled for three classes of fifty students each, leaving the remaining seats for students to fill by individual appointment. To maximize the lab's use, staff will regularly monitor the number of seats available for any given time. Additionally, they will work closely with faculty to develop a plan that will meet their secure testing needs. We hope the availability of the lab and the flexible scheduling options will encourage faculty to test more frequently, a strategy which research suggests helps students learn. Spreading testing schedules out through the semester should reduce congestion at any given time.

Can the instructor be available for questions from students during a test?
Although it is not required, it may be beneficial for the instructor or teaching assistant to serve as a proctor for those tests that are block scheduled. However, it may prove difficult for the instructor to meet the student demand for tests where the students schedule their test over a period of time.

Will the e-Testing / ITS Lab be used for high-stakes standardized testing?
The e-Testing / ITS Lab will not administer high-stakes, standardized tests such as the GRE or PRAXIS. There are complex issues involved in offering that kind of testing, many of which do not fit with the objectives of the lab.

I want to get started with computer-based testing. Where can I get support?
The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence has testing specialists to help faculty get started in the use of computer-based testing. They will help you determine what types of strategies to use in computer-based testing, choose and learn appropriate software, and enhance your testing practices. If interested, please contact the Institute for an individual consultation or to request a department-wide workshop.

How can I find out which students have or have not schedule a time for my exam?
Visit https://clc.its.psu.edu/eTesting/Faculty/ and click on the 'Lookup' link.