The UK’s European university

Managing Examinations in the 21st Century

AUA Annual Conference (21-23 March 2016, Royal Armouries, Leeds)

Kathryn Goldfinch, Registry Office Manager (Student Records &

Examinations), Canterbury Christ Church University

Kate Stokes, Systems and Data Quality Officer (Student Records &

Examinations), University of Kent

Welcome

Structure of this session:

• Part 1: Overview of CCCU and UoK institutions and

examinations practice

• Part 2: Group discussions

• 18,164 FTE (90% FT)

• 3 Faculties comprising 18 academic

schools and 3 academic centres

• Students from 148 nationalities: 71.6%

(UK), 11.0% (Europe) 16.5% (overseas)

• Primarily standard UG and PGT

programmes (3-4 year BA/BSc)

• 3,773 members of staff, of which 1,872

are academic, teaching and research

staff

• 7 Campus across Kent and Europe.

About us

• 12,000 FTE, c.17,000 students (70% FT)

• 4 Faculties comprising 13 academic

schools

• 94% (UK) 6% (International); 52% of total

students from Kent

• Mix of vocational and standard UG and

PGT programmes

• 2000 members of staff, of which 1,600

are academic, teaching and research

staff

• 4 Campus across Kent: UK and

International Partnerships.

• 56,000 sittings in Main exam period

• Central Student Records &

Examinations Office manages exams

for whole university

• 6 weeks May/June, 2 weeks resits in

August (Mon-Sat)

• Over 800 modules

• 2 sittings per day

(09.30 / 14.00)

• 10 exam venues (not including SRAA)

• Recruit approx. 230 invigilators

About our Exams

• 9,500 sittings in Main exam period

• Three Student Records &

Examinations Office: one manages

standard UG degrees

• 4 weeks May, 1 week resits in

September for standard UG degrees

(Mon-Fri)

• Approx. 200 modules

• Up to 3 sittings per day

(09.00 / 13:00 / 16:00)

• 2 exam venues (not including SRAA)

• Recruit approx. 25 invigilators as well

as academic invigilators

Two Approaches to:

• Invigilation

• Managing the Exam venue

• Bags

• Mobile phones and other technology

• ID checks

• Toilet breaks

• Paperwork Management

Good Practice:

• Student Communications

Trends and Future Direction:

• Adapted arrangements / special arrangement

• Technological aspects

Key Areas

• RECRUITMENT: • Recruited externally

• Advertised via the webpage

• Recruit to the role of senior invigilator

• TRAINING: • Tailored training provided to all

invigilators types

• Tailored handbooks

• 1 invigilator:40 candidates in main

venues (50% m/f)

• SI will manage the exam venue

• £12.85 for senior, £9.81 regular

• Budget sits with SRE

• RECRUITMENT • External and academic staff

invigilate

• Recruited via Unitemps

• TRAINING: • Two training sessions are provided

as well as

• Guidance notes

• 1 invigilator:50 candidates in

main venue

• SRE manage the exam venue

• £10.50 for all (inc holiday pay)

SRE Budget

Invigilation: two approaches

• Bags: allocated 'bag rooms‘

• Mobile phones: go in bag room (inc

smart watches). If a student arrives

with a mobile phone we ask that they

hand it in at the back.

• ID: Student ID. Can request a print out

of their main details page from SDS

from the Exams office. Checked by

invigilator (on desk).

• Toilet breaks: allocated invigilator,

informally record on student exam

card, go as close as they can (outside

cubicle); check toilets before

• Headscarves / Hoods

Managing the Exam Venue:

• Bags: back of the room

• Mobile phones: told not to take to

their desks, when seated they are

told that if they still have them to

put them under their desk

• ID: Student ID or any photo ID;

checked by invigilator (on desk). If

no ID then use a tablet PC at the

start of the exam to check.

• Toilet breaks: record how many

students go, per half hour, wait

outside toilet block

• Headscarves / Hoods

• Incident reporting • Nature of incident

• Reporting mechanisms

• Script management • Coloured answer booklets

• Absence reporting • Manual process

• Session reports

• Invigilator performance reports

Paperwork Management

• All information displayed on website

• student’s receive notification of exam conventions

• Student Guide (FAQs)

• monthly e-newsletter

• twitter

• blog post

• personalised online exam timetable

• formal instructions at start of exam

Good Practice: Communication with students

Trend: Students Requiring Adapted Arrangements

0.00%

1.00%

2.00%

3.00%

4.00%

5.00%

6.00%

7.00%

8.00%

9.00%

2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

Proportion of examined students requiring AA

CCCU Kent

• Rooms • Availability

• Suitability

• More varied arrangements lead to more rooms

• Scheduling • Restrictions per day / back to back

• Invigilation • More needed

• Different skills required (PCs, Scribes, difficult situations training)

• Student Expectations

Students Requiring Adapted Arrangements:

Implications for Managing Examinations

• CCCU: Electronic attendance monitoring system pilot for Jan 2017 • Reduce resources – staffing and paperwork

• CCCU: Managing Toilet breaks • Active monitoring

• CCCU: Moving resit exams to July (from September) • Progression security

• UoK: 3 sessions a day • How would this look?

• UoK: Electronic attendance monitoring system • The way forward?

Where next?

Breakout

Contact Details

Kathryn Goldfinch

Registry Office Manager (ABS and Collab)

Tel: 01227 782767

E-mail: kathryn.goldfinch@canterbury.ac.uk

Kate Stokes

Student Records and Examinations

Tel: +44 01227 (8)16287

Email: k.e.stokes@kent.ac.uk

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