Abstract:

Examinations can take on the form of invigilated closed book and open book exams, project work, laboratory work or any other form deemed appropriate by the relevant examining body. Traditionally, higher education institutions have used various forms of invigilated assessment methods, however the students of today are from the digital age that engage very well with technology. So why not enhance our assessment methods by harnessing the power of technology? Academics have to keep pace with the new demands on assessments and changing frameworks. An ‘open-book, open web’ (OBOW) examination format is an innovative assessment method that allows students to take an online examination at any location within a specified timeframe. Several studies in the areas of open book assessments have revealed that tension and stress associated with examinations is reduced; students are discouraged from recall type learning and instead stimulated to prepare themselves in more constructive ways; and long lasting learning outcomes is achieved.

This paper reports the findings on the effectiveness of OBOW examinations in comparison to the traditional assessment methods by demonstrating how the OBOW examination is superior in several dimensions and is also aligned with the modern learning theory. Interviews were conducted with a group of eighteen employees from various faculties at a local university who were enrolled for a course offered by an academic institution that delivers programs using an interactive learning approach within an online learning platform. In an online setting, final examinations were conducted in the form of an OBOW exam. A pass in the final exam was required in order to receive a pass mark for the course.

The study revealed that academics are very positive about OBOW examinations however they present a few challenges, one of which includes creating a simulated business problem which requires much more thought and skill and the use of multimedia may pose a challenge. Recommendations include, continuous professional development courses aimed at imparting the necessary skills and training required in order to design an OBOW assessment, be provided to those that are committed to implementing this innovative form of assessment.

Keywords:

Open-book open-web examination, online-assessment, modern learning theory, constructivism, closed-book examination.