Summary

The software LPLUS TestStudio is a software that has been especially developed for computer-aided exams or e-examinations. It was originally developed by the Bremen company LPLUS for the training of pilots and air traffic controllers. It is exclusively implemented in the E-Examination Center (EEC) of the Freie Universität. In the LPLUS TestStudio manifold task formats from MC tasks via multimedia tasks all the way to free text tasks can be realized. The students access the e-examination from an examination platform. After the completion the lecturers can assess the exam directly on the platform. For closed questions the TestStudio as a rule suggests a certain grading. Open questions must be assessed by the lecturers themselves. Between February 2013 and December 2014 more than 19,000 students of the Freie Universität were already tested in the TestStudio.

E-Learning at Freie Universität Berlin: Use Scenarios and Tools > Exam software: LPLUS TestStudio > EEC_LPLUS_1.jpg

Illustration 1: Example task

Implementation forms

Migration: The existing paper-pencil exams were migrated to computer-aided exams respective e-examinations with the help of TestStudios
Extension of possibilities: The integration of numerous task formats such as multiple choice, drag&drop, long menu, marking, cloze text and free text questions including the possibility of integrating, for example, audio, videos or graphics and images
Repositories: Creating and setting up question pools or repositories from the exams of semesters past for the easier compilation of exams in the future
Fraud proofing: Randomization of the question sequence order and the answer sequence order in order to minimize the risk of students trying to copy each other
Safeguarding for errors and shutdowns: immediate saving and storage of all of the exam data entered by the students on the examination server in the university-own data center of ZEDAT
Saving time: Automatic evaluation of closed task formats and a quick manual evaluation of open question formats as no time is lost due to unreadable handwriting
Quality assurance: Through statistic modules (selectivity etc.), through the students' feedback that the TestStudio registers

Implementation tips

For e-examinations the same requirements with regard to content are valid from an examination-didactic viewpoint as with the traditional paper-pencil exams.
The numerous possible task formats offers possibilities that surpass the traditional paper-pencil exams. Electronic exams can, for example, be enriched with multimedia and interactive elements.
Within the frame of the migration of traditional to computer-aided examinations the e-examination team of CeDiS can gladly help and offer its services.
In the first step there is a joint consideration which computer-aided task format is the optimal solution for each and every question posed.
Hereby it is taken into account that the very clear formulation of a question - for closed tasks also the clear-cut formulation of answer possibilities - is also essential for e-examinations. Technically seen the TestStudio can be operated quite intuitively,
- especially when the right didactic realization is chosen and
- in addition, possibilities for the minimization of the time requirement is used up in the evaluation phase.
Within the frame of the migration process, the e-examination team demonstrates to lecturers - based on their previous exam questions - how the migration from a paper-pencil exam to an e-examination can be undertaken on a step-to-step basis.
Most of the e-examinations at the Freie Universität are undertaken in the E-Examination Center in which 151 places are available on an exclusive basis for computer-aided exams.

E-Learning at Freie Universität Berlin: Use Scenarios and Tools > Exam software: LPLUS TestStudio > EEC_LPLUS_2.jpg

Illustration 2: The E-Examination Center (EEC) of the Freie Universität Berlin (image source: CeDiS, Gerald Haese)

Usage

Extensive information on how to operate the software LPLUS

Data protection and terms of use

Terms of use from 21.10.2011
If you have any legal questions on data protection, data safety, protection of intellectual property rights etc. that crop up during the design phase of a course supported by e-learning, the usage of existing material or the implementation of tools then please contact the Office of the General Counsel of the Freie Universität Berlin. Written information on these topics can be found here and here.

Further information

E-examinations at the Freie Universität Berlin
The E-Examination Center of the Freie Universität Berlin
If you have any additional questions about the execution of computer-aided examinations then you can contact the CeDiS consulting services.

Support offered by CeDiS

Consulting services for the implementation of digital solutions in teaching: The Center for Digital Systems (CeDiS) has extensive experience of many years when it comes to the implementation of digital media and systems within the fields of teaching, learning and research. We offer a wide variety of consulting services on the implementation of these tools and systems within the entire academic scope and especially at Freie Universität Berlin.
Training courses and workshops: For lecturers at Freie Universität Berlin (professors, employees, tutors) as well as lecturers of other universities CeDiS offers training courses and workshops on the topic of teaching and learning with digital media. These course enable participants to implement online elements within their own sphere of teaching.
The Executive Board of the Freie Universität supports e-learning initiatives: With the e-learning funding program financial resources are provided to lecturers that enrich and improve their courses quality-wise by implementing technological and media-related support. All of the academic staff teaching, the lecturers or even the institutions of the Freie Universität - without the Charité-Universitätsmedizin - can be supported within this program.