Oral exams in Moodle

This Wiki page contains all relevant technical information that you need to hold digital oral exams in the Moodle learning platform of the University of Vienna.

You can carry out oral exams as video conferences provided that the students have given their consent.
If the exam is part of a course that already uses a Moodle course, BigBlueButton or Blackboard Collaborate may be used for oral online exams. Another alternative is Jitsi in Moodle.

Regardless of the tool you use, test the software with your colleagues before holding the first exam. Ideally, you would also set up a mock exam and test it with your students (audio and video settings).

The prerequisite for carrying out digital oral exams in Moodle is that the participants are correctly registered via u:space for the relevant exam date (separate Moodle course).

You can find further information about carrying out digital exams on the CTL website. Information about study law and specifications (German only) are available on the Studienpräses website.

Inhalt

Variants of holding oral digital exams in Moodle

In Moodle, the following types of exams can be implemented as digital oral exams:

• Digital oral exams (individual and group exams)
  
• Digital last examination attempts before an examination committee
• Final examinations (public defence) for diploma, master’s or doctoral programmes

The preparation for these exam types in Moodle is very similar:

1. First, you have to select a suitable web conferencing tool to be used based on how you are planning to hold the exam.
2. If an examination date is intended for several students, you have to plan sufficient slots for individual or group exams.

Detailed information about the implementation and follow-up activities is available in the following sections or on the CTL website and the Studienpräses website (German only).

Overview of web conferencing tools

The University of Vienna recommends several tools listed below for holding oral digital exams that are provided to all teachers for this purpose.

If you would like to use another tool, make sure that it meets the following criteria:

• • Creating an account is not mandatory for teachers or students
  • No software needs to be installed
  • The connection is end-to-end encrypted
  • Data are not stored

Web conferencing tool	Description	Notes on use	User guides	FAQs	Recommendation
Collaborate	Collaborate is a tool for real-time video conferences. You can add files (e.g. presentations), share applications (e.g. audio and video files directly from your computer) and interact with students via a virtual whiteboard. Students can communicate with you via audio and video or also in the chat.	Several video connections can be active simultaneously. You have to give students the audio and video permissions manually. Access via Moodle is necessary (externals examiners have to be enrolled with an external u:account). For both students and teachers, it is recommended to use the Google Chrome browser.	Teachers DE | EN Students DE | EN	Teachers DE | EN Students DE | EN
BigBlueButton	You can hold real-time video conferences with BigBlueButton. You can, for example, share presentations or interact with your students via a virtual whiteboard. Students can contact you via audio and video or also in the chat.	Several video connections can be active simultaneously. You have to give students the audio and video permissions manually. Access via Moodle is necessary (external examiners have to be enrolled with an external u:account).	Teachers DE | EN Students DE | EN	Teachers DE | EN Students DE | EN
Jitsi	Jitsi is particularly useful for communicating with small groups of students via audio and video. Therefore, it can be used for video exams, but it does not offer special functions such as sharing files or a whiteboard to increase the interaction with students.	Limited number of users: no more than 10 persons. For both students and teachers, it is recommended to use the Google Chrome browser. External access without Moodle access is possible if URL is known. The room can be password-protected, to grant access to authorised persons only.	DE | EN	DE	(The quality of the video conferences strongly depends on the device used)

Before the exam

Before the exam checklist

• Create a separate exam course in Moodle (recommended) or connect the exam date to an already existing Moodle course.

• After the end of the registration period, check if the registered participants are also registered in the Moodle course.

• Synchronise the Moodle registrations in u:space, if needed.

• Create the required contents for the exam (web conferencing tools, organizer) in the exam course or import the contents from the template course and adapt them to your needs. For the moment, hide these contents from the students.

• Plan slots for the exam and consider enough buffer time.

• Make the exam course visible for students or check if the course is visible.

• Inform the participants in good time, preferably by e-mail via u:space, where and how the exam will take place (ideally with a link to the relevant exam course and detailed information about the course of action) and ask the students to check if they can access the course.

• Carry out a mock exam!

Activating an exam date for Moodle

To carry out oral digital exams in Moodle you need a Moodle course. You can connect an exam date to Moodle if you are registered as an examiner (Prüfer*in) or employee in charge (Sachbearbeiter*in) in u:space (or i3v).

To activate an exam course, take the following steps:

• In u:space select from the top Teaching menu the Exams (grading) option.
• Click the m icon in the line of the relevant exam date.

• Select the Create new Moodle course option and click the Create course in the learning platform button.

Checking registrations in Moodle

Through the connection between the exam date and Moodle a Group is created in the Moodle course to which all participants with the status registered in u:space are automatically assigned. Participants who deregister in u:space are also no longer enrolled on the Moodle course.

After the end of the registration period, check if the students registered for the exam have been correctly transferred to the Moodle course:

• Click Participants in the left navigation bar of the exam course in Moodle.
• From the gear menu on the right-hand side above the list of participants select the Groups option.

The name of the exam group consists of the semester, the course number or teaching content, the exam date and a random number, for example SS2020-123456-1-20200630-2. The adjacent brackets contain the number of the participants enrolled on this group. This number has to match the number of registrations in u:space.

Synchronisation u:space - Moodle

If the number of participants in the Moodle exam group (see above) does not match the number of participants registered in u:space, you can start the comparison of the registrations manually in u:space. Click the m icon in the line of the relevant exam date as described above. The box next to Update students must be ticked. Click the Update learning platform button.

Creating exam documents and activities in Moodle

Depending on the web conferencing tools and/or the scheduling via Moodle you chose, you can now add these activities to your exam course in Moodle and/or upload and make available additional information and documents in the Moodle course. For example, you might want to include detailed information about the exam procedure, course of action and contact details in case of an emergency, etc.

General instructions on how to add learning materials and activities in Moodle can be found in the "Einführungsskriptum" (Notes on getting started with Moodle) on page 34 (German only).

Using content templates

To help with the preparation, the CTL and ZID have jointly created a template course which you can import into your own course.

This contains the following elements:

• • • Forum for announcements by the lecturer (Please note: Students cannot contact you via this forum but only via the student forum).

    • Student forum (i.e. a forum students can use to communicate with you)

    • Organizer to register for the oral exam date
    • Trial room to check audio and video
    • Exam room

    • Backup exam room

    • Section to discuss the grades for last examination attempts before an examination committee and diploma, Magister or master’s examinations
      
      

      
      

    • User guide for importing the template course into your exam course

    • User guide for the configuration of individual Moodle activities

• The first step is to enrol on the template course under https://moodle.univie.ac.at/course/view.php?id=144220 to obtain the permission to transfer its contents to your own course.
  
  
• To import contents, change to your own exam course in Moodle and from the top right gear menu, select the Import option. You can already decide in this step which contents you would like to transfer from the template course. Untick the boxes of the contents that you do not need.
  
  
• Subsequently, adjust the transferred contents accordingly through changing the availability periods, adding your documents/questions (a step-by-step user guide is available from the relevant activity) and deleting unnecessary contents such as descriptions that are not relevant for students.
  
  

Web conferencing tools

To add one of these activities manually to your Moodle course, change to your exam course and click the Turn editing on button (on the top right).

Then you can embed Collaborate/BigBlueButton/Jitsi in your Moodle course by adding them in the desired section under Add an activity or resource. In the displayed window, select the desired activity and click Add.

Now an editing window opens in which you can define all basic settings. To make this configuration and additional configurations please follow the user guides:

Setting up schedules via Moodle (optional)

If you have an exam date with several participants, you have to define slots in advance for when students should enter the digital exam room.
You can create these slots also in Moodle by using the recommended Organizer activity. The relevant user guides can be found below.
At first, prepare the registration for individual and group appointments. Ask the participants to register for individual slots immediately after you have made the course visible.

Detailed information about scheduling can be found in one of the following sections.

Making the Moodle course visible for students

In order for the registered students to be able to take the exam in Moodle the exam course has to be made visible for them. The relevant activities and documents also have to be displayed in the course.

We recommend taking the necessary steps in this order:

• Activate a Moodle course for your exam as early as possible in u:space, but do not make it immediately visible for the participants (see above).
  
  You can see at a glance if your Moodle course is hidden from the participants by looking at the Course not visible for students link displayed on the main page of your exam course directly below the title.

• Ideally, you would use the upper section of the exam course for a welcome text or general information about the exam (see "Moodle-Einführungsskritptum" - Notes on getting started, starting - on page 25) (in German). Do not hide this message from students. Otherwise, students who enter the course before the exam may see a (supposedly) empty course and may be confused. You can also use this space to already announce any organisational and legal framework conditions.
  
  
• If you have checked the visibility settings and they are correct, make the course visible for the participants in the Course settings. To see the Course settings, click the Course not visible for students link displayed below the course title or select the Edit settings option from the gear menu on the top right in the course. To make the course visible for students, in the General section under Course visibility, select the Show option and save the settings by clicking the Save and display button.
  

• After making your course visible, change to the students’ view by clicking your name on the top right and selecting the Switch role to... option from the menu. In the next window select Studierende/r (student) and check if the exam is being displayed correctly for students. Then return to your normal role.

Scheduling via Moodle (optional)

If you prepare schedules directly in the Moodle course (or anywhere else), notify the students in good time of this.
In the settings of the Organizer activity, set a registration start and end date for the available slots. Inform your students of the dates and what will happen if they do not register for a slot.

Next steps:

• Immediately after the registration period starts, check if students can register for free slots. If not, please check the settings again or contact the ZID.
• After the end of the deregistration period, check the participant lists (see Organizer: Manage time slots (cheat sheet), German only) and check if students are not yet assigned to a slot.
  If this is the case, contact them and assign them to one of the remaining slots.

• As a last step, print a version of the list (see Organizer: Manage time slots (cheat sheet), German only) to attach to your examination record or to use during the exam.

Giving information to students in advance

Inform your students via a forum post in Moodle or via e-mail (or if needed via u:space) in good time before the exam about the planned course of action and the procedure in specific situations.

• This includes aspects concerning study law (see Office of the Studienpräses website, German only), as well as

• organisational aspects (see Exam room checklist and the CTL website).

• In addition, students should be informed in advance about the contingency plan in the event of technical problems (see Handling technical problems).

• Provide students with ways to contact you (e-mail, telephone, etc.) if they experience any issues.

• Also share tips for oral exams (German only) prepared by the CTL with your students before the exam.
  These are aimed at preparing students for the unfamiliar situation.
  
  

Trial room to check the audio and video connection

Announce a date for testing the audio and video connection. This ensures that students and teachers can test these settings in advance to decrease the likelihood of technical problems during the exam itself.

Use the same activity that you are going to use later for the actual exam. This way, students are already familiar with using the web conferencing tool and can solve any technical problems in advance or contact the ZID if needed. Therefore, the settings should be the same as for the actual exam.

Please note that students do not have permissions to participate with audio and video by default and that you may have to give them these permissions beforehand (related information can be found below and in the user guides for the individual web conferencing tool).

Please also read the general information about technical problems and the FAQs about the individual web conferencing tool.

Editing user permissions

Collaborate

You can edit the participant permissions in the Collaborate panel by clicking the gear icon and changing the Session Settings.

By default, participants can only post chat messages and cannot share their audio or webcam or draw on the whiteboard. You can change this setting in the Collaborate panel at any time.

If you need additional functions, you can activate them manually for individual participants by making them presenters. You can make them participants again later.

BigBlueButton

You can edit the participant permissions on the left side of the screen. Next to the heading Users you can click the gear icon and select Lock viewers:

Details

Jitsi

In Jitsi all participants have permissions to share their audio and video.
As host/moderator in the room (note: by default, this is the first person in the room who declares themselves “Host”) you have only limited options to control this and the changes are only temporary and restricted:

To adjust the audio connection change to the settings of the relevant user (displayed after clicking the symbol at the bottom left): deactivate the audio by clicking Mute. Only the participant themselves can re-activate the audio.
You can neither activate nor deactivate the video connection as moderator. Only the individual user can change this setting.

During the exam/in the exam room

Checklist

• Obtain consent to hold the exam via video chat from teachers/students in advance. This has to be noted in the examination record at the beginning of the exam.
  
  

• As teacher, you should enter the digital exam room in good time before the beginning of the exam.

• Students enter the exam room at the set time.
  
  

• Check if the audio and video connections work properly.

• Make the start of the exam as pleasant as possible, welcome your students and briefly explain the course of action.

• Announce that the teacher(s) will discontinue the exam if they suspect that students are using unauthorised aids. Note that students have taken note of this.

• Check the identity of all participants at the beginning via video chat: Ask them to show you their student ID card (compare the person to their ID card and personal information).

• In individual cases or in suspicious cases, you can ask students to pan their camera across the room. Students’ persons of trust present should sit behind the candidate in view of the camera and examiners. Note this in the examination record.

• The examiner should also have another person present. This person can observe the students’ behaviour during the exam and check if there are grounds for suspicion regarding the use of unauthorised aids. This person can also confirm that the exam was carried out in accordance with legislation.
  
  

• Inform the students about the planned course of action in the event of technical problems.

• Carry out the exam and keep an examination record. You can find the templates on the Studienpräses website (German only).
  
  

• Grade announcements take place immediately following the exam via e-mail or in the exam room (see Recommendations for last examination attempts before an examination committee and diploma, Magister or master's examinations).

Handling technical problems during the digital exam

Students have to be informed in advance about the planned course of action in the event of technical problems.

To be prepared for almost any eventuality, use the trial room to test the audio and video with the students in advance.

If any difficulties arise during the exam, you should take the following steps to find a quick solution:

After the exam

General course of action

The entire exam must be documented in the examination record (see During the exam checklist and Information about technical problems). This is the same as for oral exams with student attendance. Making a video recording of the exam is not enough.

You can find the templates on the Office of the Studienpräses website (German only).

Assessment

Following the digital oral exam, you can either enter the grades directly in u:space or enter them in Moodle and transfer them to u:space.
In both cases, you have to approve the grades in u:space.

Entering grades directly in u:space

Entering grades directly in u:space as usual: TEACHING > Exams (grading)

Valid and regularly entered examination performances must be finally confirmed at the bottom of the entry page by clicking the Approve button. Afterwards the grades are displayed in the transcript of records and students can see them in u:space. From that moment onwards, changing grades is only permitted in exceptional and duly justified cases by the SSC after consultation with the directorate of studies (SPL)/Studienpräses.

You can find related information in the Teaching Manual, which is available for employees on the intranet.

Transferring grades from Moodle to u:space

In the Moodle Grades section, you cannot enter grades directly because Moodle uses points in the background that are transferred to grades by using filters.
If you would like to enter a grade directly, please enter the grades in u:space.

If you have generated grades in Moodle, you can transfer them to u:space.

Important prerequisites:

• • The registration for the exam was carried out in u:space.

  • The exam date in u:space is connected to the Moodle course in which the grades were generated.

  • The Grade display type of the grade column in Moodle from which the grades are to be transferred is Letter.