University of Bradford >> LSS >> Teaching Quality Enhancement Group >> Projects >> Its4sea >> IT4SEA - JISC Institutional Exemplar
ITS4SEA:
Integrating thin-client systems for secure e-Assessment
JISC Institutional Exemplar Project
Integrating thin client systems and smart card technology to provide
integrated, flexible, accessible and secure E-assessment.
Link to JISC project webpage.
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Aims of the project
The project will replace the technology currently being used by the
University of Bradford for all its formal summative e-assessment (Question Mark
Perception v4 running on standard PC clusters) with thin client technology
offering the potential to run a much broader range of software for assessment
purposes and with increased integration with other University systems. We will
employ Sun Ray technology from Sun Microsystems but the lessons learned (and
particular outcomes such as protocols and interfaces) will be relevant and
important to all Universities who are seeking to overcome some of the inherent
limitations of conventional pc-based systems and to any Universities who wish to
employ thin client systems from whatever source.
This project addresses several key issues that affect all HEIs, namely:
- The need for secure and reliable systems to deliver computer aided
assessments to large classes in a manageable and sustainable environment
- The need for flexible systems which can deliver a wide range of
assessment types and which support automated delivery of anonymised scripts
(as recommended in current QAA guidance) for marking and for checking (e.g.
testing for plagiarism through Turnitin etc.)
- Full integration of Computer Aided Assessment (CAA) processes and marks
with the student record system
- Streamlining of examinations management by integrating exam scheduling
software with student record systems
- The need for effective strategies to manage and improve the learning and
assessment process for inclusion, widening participation and accessibility.
- Systems to allow use of IT facilities as part of the teaching process
which are up to date, easily managed and responsive to academic staff needs.
- The development of sustainable and environmentally responsible
approaches to our development in learning, teaching and assessment,
particularly in the deployment of educational technologies.
Key project deliverables
This project will deliver the following:
- An exemplar system for University-wide summative e-assessment with
additional flexibility for more general use and for formative assessment
which maps onto the assessment specifications developed by the FREMA
project.
- Automated links between Computer-Aided Assessments using Questionmark
Perception and the student record system, SITS.
- Automated links between the examination timetabling system Syllabus Plus
and student record system, SITS, to split large classes for online IT based
(and other) examinations and produce invigilation lists of candidates.
- Automated links for submission of written work to Blackboard and
Turnitin plagiarism detection service with anonymous delivery to academics
for marking. This includes the use of IT by students with disabilities who
require use of a PC for all their examinations.
- Replacement of remaining OMR examination papers used across the
University with online assessment by introducing a large facility to handle
the class sizes required within a manageable timeframe.
- Comprehensive documentation on all aspects of the new system which will
allow other universities to explore similar applications, e.g. full
documentations on how to develop different server images for delivery to Sun
Ray terminals for computer based assessments.
- Evaluation of the new e-assessment system against a range of criteria,
including educational (e.g. effectiveness in delivery of a wide range of
assessment types with improved feedback to students and staff),
administrative (e.g. effectiveness and efficiency of procedures) and
sustainability (e.g. comparison of the power consumption and management
issues relating to use of a large cluster of thin client terminals against
comparable PC clusters.
- Use cases documenting user and stakeholder needs, perspectives and
evaluation feedback.
- Integration of SMART Sympodium tablets with Sun Ray terminal technology.
- Evaluation of issues of using thin client technology in teaching rooms
instead of networked PCs.
Associated project documents
Latest project news – updated 26 August 2009
Forthcoming dissemination events
Listen to a new Questionmark podcast about the ITS4SEA project.
