Online examinations: Factors that impact student experience and perceptions of academic performance

Abstract

Online examinations are an increasingly common feature of higher education. Research in this area often focuses on academic integrity without exploring student experience in online examinations more broadly. With increasing use of online examinations and associated security measures, there is a plausible risk that the platform, examination conditions and measures to achieve assessment security may have a negative impact on student experience, well-being and performance. This paper reports on a large-scale survey conducted in 2021 and 2022 at a large metropolitan university in Australia. Analysis of 13,751 completed surveys revealed that the majority of students perceived their overall online exam experience positively. However, a thematic analysis of 5,213 optional open-ended responses provided a more detailed understanding of the range of positive and negative influencing factors and their consequences. Many of the issues negatively impacting student experience were related to the assessment design, rather than the assessment platform or exam security. The findings also revealed implications relating to platform functionality, personal technology and exam conditions, including location of exam, and preparation and support.

Implications for practice or policy:

• Academics need to consider the quality and appropriateness of assessment design, as these affect the extent to which students experience online exams positively and are largely independent of the exam and security systems.
• Institutions can reduce the wide range of negative impacts through improved communication and in-exam support.
• System developers can iteratively ameliorate negative impacts through investigating student experience and involvement of students in the co-design of assessment platforms.