MD Program - UNC School of Medicine
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Online Testing
Information for UNC Students and Faculty
The Office of Educational Development (OED) is in the process of designing and testing an online component for the AIMS system that will deliver secured and non-secured exams on students' personal laptops. Some of the features of the AIMS Online Testing System are:
- layout similar to National Board exams
- secure student login and verification
- honor code acknowledgment prior to taking exams
- 15 and 5 minute warnings prior to exam conclusion, for secured exams
- quality resolution of graphics and images
- ability to mark questions for further review
- prompt to review marked & unanswered questions before exiting the exam
Types of Computer-based Exams
The AIMS Online Testing System will have 3 components:
The non-secured exam component is used for tests (such as take-home exams), that allow students unlimited access to test questions and study resources. This type of exam is delivered via a commercial browser, such as Internet Explorer™ or Netscape™, and may be taken anywhere on- or off-campus.
Both secured and non-secured exams are scored by the AIMS Coordinator using the AIMS test development system (see section on Administering Tests: Scoring & Grading), and course directors will receive the usual performance reports (see Using Performance Data to Improve Tests).
The self assessment component is used as a study tool to provide students with immediate feedback on their performance, including their score and justifications for correct answers (see section on Tests: Using Self-Assessments). This type of exam is delivered via a commercial browser, such as Internet Explorer™ or Netscape™, and may be taken anywhere on- or off-campus.
Exam Security
Student Responsibilities
Students will take computer-based exams on their individual laptops. It will be the students' responsibility to make sure that their laptops are working properly, and that they bring the necessary equipment to each exam. Loaners from OIS cannot be guaranteed. Students who have problems with their laptops should contact OIS Client Services in 63 MacNider between the hours of 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.
Access to Secured Exams
At the start of each semester students will be required to download and install software from the school's intranet before they can take any secured exam. This software is called the AIMS Browser©, which prohibits the use of external resources during an exam. Any attempt to open or use applications or files residing on an individual laptop will result in the closure of the exam application. If this happens students will not be able to log back into the exam without the assistance of a proctor. Any attempt to access other resources during the exam will be logged, and will be considered a violation of the school's honor code.
Secured exams will be given in one of the large lecture halls on the medical school campus. Students taking computer-based exams may be asked to swipe their UNC One Cards before entering the lecture hall. Video cameras will be in operation during the exam. The testing software blocks the ability to access exams from any other site.
Access to each exam is restricted to students enrolled for a specific course. Students must enter and verify their PID and testing ID number at the beginning of each exam. They must also read and "accept" the honor code before starting the exam.
Exam Format
The AIMS Online Testing System was designed to deliver electronic exams that are similar in format to those used by the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). The questions and tests are developed by the medical school faculty using the AIMS test development system.
The image below represents a question screen from the AIMS Online Testing System. Questions are displayed one at a time with their corresponding narratives and images.
Moving Around in the Exam
The 'Previous' and 'Next' buttons at the top and bottom of each question screen provide a way to navigate through the exam. The scroll bar at the right of the window can be used to view longer questions with images or narratives.
Narratives appear at the top of the question page, and may include clinical cases, clinical scenarios, lab values, tables, etc. If a narrative is linked to several questions, it will be repeated at the top of each page.
Images appear after the narrative and before the question text. There may be one or more images for a particular question.
Types of Questions Used
The online component of AIMS supports single best answer, matching/extended matching, and true/false questions.
Answers for multiple choice or true/false questions can be selected by clicking the corresponding radial button.
Answers for matching & extended questions can be selected from the drop-down box.
Timing of Tests
Secured exams are timed, and the time relegated to each exam is established by the course director. Once students 'accept' the Honor Code and enter the exam, the clock will begin ticking. The 'Time Remaining' in the exam can be noted in the upper right hand corner of the question screen. Students will receive a flashing 15 and 5 minute warning before the test expires. Once the test expires students will be prompted to exit the exam. Non-secured exams are not timed, but are available for a period of time determined by the course director.
Marking Questions for Review
Students can mark questions for review by placing a check mark in the 'Mark Question for Review' box in the upper left hand corner of the screen (see image above).
By clicking the 'Review Answers' button at the top of the question screen (see image above) students can review their marked questions on the 'Review' page (see image below). The marked questions will be highlighted with a red 'M'. Questions for which no answer has been selected will appear blank. Students can return to their last question by clicking the 'Return to Question #" button, or by clicking on any question in the list.
Completing Secured Exams
If students complete a secured exam before the allotted time, they can go the 'Review' page and click on the 'End Test' button. If the test time expires before they complete all of their answers, they will be prompted to exit the exam, and will not be able to return to any part of that exam.
Students who close the AIMS Browser© at any time before completing the exam, will not be able to log back in. If this happens they must find a proctor who will sign them back into the exam and determine the time remaining.
Completing Non-secured Exams
Students may open and close non-secured exams as many times as they wish, during the time that the exam is available. Because non-secured exams are available for longer periods of time, students must indicate their desire to end the test by 'submitting' their answers. They can do so by going to the 'Review' page and clicking on the 'Submit' button.
Getting Scores and Feedback After Exams
After the exam, the course directors will receive the standard AIMS Performance Reports (see Using Performance Data to Improve Tests), and AIMS performance profiles will be sent electronically to each student following the exam (see section on Giving Feedback to Students). The students' scores will reported to the Assistant Registrar (see Administering Tests: Scoring & Grading).
updated December 2007