Ending the Semester

Submitting Midterm and Final Grades

Faculty are required to submit midterm and final grades for each student registered in their class. Grades are submitted by the instructor electronically using MyHumber

A job aid on how to view and enter grades using MyHumber can be found here: Entering Grades Job Aid

Changing a Grade

Under extenuating circumstances, faculty will have 42 days after the end of the semester to reassess a student’s final grade and submit any changes to their Program Support Officers. PCs should be notified of a grade change. Changes beyond the 42 day mark need authorization from their Associate Dean.

Information required to submit a grade change is as follows:

Changing a Grade Form

Online Student Feedback Questionnaires (SFQs)

Each semester, all classes are involved in the Student Feedback Questionnaires (SFQ) process during which students are asked to provide feedback on their courses and professors. SFQs are scheduled to take place after midterms. You will receive an email with instructions as to how to administer and submit SFQs online through Blackboard. It is essential to monitor your email throughout the SFQ procedure for important dates and information.

Academic Misconduct

https://humber.ca/academic-integrity

If you have a suspected case of Academic Misconduct, please email your ProgramSupport Officers for a copy of the ‘Report on Possible Case of Academic Misconduct’ form.

Exams and Tests

All tests and course work, as described in the course outline, will have their due date announced on Blackboard prior to the actual date. Students who arrive late to a test/exam will not be given extra time, unless there are extenuating circumstances. Once a student has left the test/exam no other students will be allowed to enter the test/exam room. If a student misses an evaluation, the student must contact the course instructor as soon as possible, and preferably prior to the due date or scheduled test/exam time. Instructors are encouraged to connect with their Program Coordinator to discuss such requests to ensure consistency in decision making.

Best Practices for Achieving Student Success and Academic Integrity during in‐class Tests and Exams

There is a lot at stake for students when writing tests and exams. Some students may experience test anxiety and others may be tempted to cheat given the pressure they are under for good grades. So how do we create a supportive environment that ensures academic integrity? The suggestions below are techniques used by instructors in the Faculty of Social & Community Services to help students succeed while at the same time ensuring academic rigor. We hope that by sharing these suggestions you will find ideas for achieving student success and academic integrity during in-class tests and exams.

Test/Exam Guidelines:

Establish clear guidelines ahead of time so students are aware of expectations

Review expectations of academic integrity in advance of the exam, including no talking, no phones, belongings at front of room (coats, hats, backpacks), and valuables in academic integrity plastic bag under seat etc., before beginning the test/exam
Provide students information on the format and mark breakdown for exam, date, test/exam room number, and seating arrangements ahead of time. This can help prepare students and reduce their test‐taking anxiety.

Inform students in advance if they are required to bring their student ID to the exam.

Test/Exam Content and Layout Considerations:

Consider testing on applied knowledge/open book, allowing “notes or memory joggers”, open resources
Look at other models of grading; is an exam necessary?
Consider having more than one version of the test

Printing different versions of tests/exams on different colours of paper helps make this obvious and reduces temptation to try to copy.
If the test/exam contains several sections, organize the sections in a different order. For example:
i. Exam A = multiple choice, short answer, match terms with definition
ii. Exam B = short answer, match terms with definition, multiple choice
If there is more than one section of the course ensure that tests/exams are significantly different from each other.

Suggestions for Multiple choice questions:

Put questions in a different order
Put answer choices in a different order
Use different multiple choice questions

Suggestions for Short answers/Case Studies/Exam questions:

Provide several options for students to choose from (e.g., answer 2 of the following 3 questions)
Have different short answer questions on different versions of exam (this also reduces repetitiveness when marking)
Use different case studies

Test/Exam Logistical Considerations:

When possible, have students sit far apart from each other:
- If you have a small classroom submit a request for an alternative classroom for the exam/test to the Faculty Scheduler within the first 2 weeks of the semester to see if a larger classroom is available at the time of your class and book it for the day of the test/exam. Given our space constraints not all requests will be feasible.
  - If you do book a new room, make sure students know the room number prior to the exam. Also be sure to post a notification on the door of the regular classroom the day of the exam, and on Blackboard.
- Consider dividing your class in half and only have half the class write the test/exam at the same time (this option requires more than one version of the test/exam).
  - Do not let anyone leave the exam room early to reduce exchange of information between those who completed exam and those who are about to complete.

Test/Exam Invigilators:

Email the Operations Support Officer at least three weeks in advance to request help with exam/test supervision
As a general rule, tests/exams for 50 students or more should be supervised by 2 invigilators.
Consider invigilating from the back of the classroom for a good view.

Test/Exam Seating:

Instructors/invigilators have the authority to assign and change seating plans
Consider creating a seating plan ahead of the test/exam day if possible and posting on Blackboard prior to test/exam day. Post on the test/exam room door.
Consider arranging students alphabetically, by student number, or random # assignment.

Test/Exam Personal Belongings:

Bags and books should be deposited in areas designated by the instructor/invigilator and are not to be taken to the student’s examination table. Students may leave their valuables, closed, on the floor underneath their chairs, or in a clear Ziploc bag underneath their chairs
Remind students to turn all cell phones etc. off (not to vibrate as this may be disruptive).
- If a student indicates they must leave their cell phone on due to a family emergency, have them put their phone on the instructor’s desk. If it rings, have the instructor answer it and, if an emergency, pass to student to answer outside class, supervised by invigilator.
Instructors should provide Kleenex, erasers, scrap paper, test/exam booklet (collect before student leaves)

Test/Exam Late Arrivals:

Have a clear policy and enforce it…if you don’t allow anyone to enter once test/exam started, it is best to start test/exam 10 to 15 minutes after class is scheduled to start, given there are sometimes legitimate reasons for lateness.
It is important that students are made aware of the procedure to follow if they are late for their test/exam due to legitimate reasons and that they are aware they will be given an opportunity to write the test/exam at an alternative time.
If there are poor weather conditions or known serious traffic/transit issues on the day of the test/exam consider asking students who have completed their test/exam quickly to remain in the room to give others the opportunity to arrive and write their exam/test.
If you do allow late arrivals, you might consider the following:

leave a few seats at the front of class empty, so late arrivers do not disturb others;
do not let late arriver(s) start exam/test once any other student has submitted their exam and has left the room; instead arrange to meet with the late arriver after the test/exam to discuss the reason for lateness and possible alternatives.

Test/Exam Leaving the Room:

Always begin the test/exam a few minutes into class, and remind students to use the washroom before test/exam starts.

If a student asks to use the washroom during an exam/test and there are two invigilators, one invigilator should escort the student to the washroom to ensure academic integrity.
If there is only one invigilator then ask the student if they can wait until the end of the exam. If the student indicates that they are unable to wait faculty must allow the student to leave but can decide if they continue the exam or would be required to write an alternative.

For students who wish to leave the exam early, either due to illness or for other reasons, and have no intention of returning the examiner/invigilator is required to:

ensure the student has signed the examination booklets;
collect the student’s exam paper and note the time of departure on it;
in cases where the student is leaving due to illness, instructors/invigilators should report the matter on an Exam Incident Report form, clearly noting any symptoms the student displays, and advise the student to visit either the Health Centre, Building H, Room 206, or another practitioner to have a Verification of Student Illness or Injury form completed. This form is required as supporting documentation for a petition to request a deferred examination. Procedures for petitioning for deferred privileges can be found in the Admission Requirements and Academic Regulations.

Note: any student asking to leave an exam for a moment due to illness, but expressing a desire to return, should be attended by an instructor/invigilator for the entirety of the time they are absent from the exam room whenever feasible.

Test/Exam Academic Misconduct:

Remind students of the expectations around academic integrity before the test/exam begins
Establish a no talking rule during tests/exams. Students are expected to raise their hands if they have any questions, or need a pen, pencil, extra paper and the invigilator will come around to speak with them.
All suspected cases of academic misconduct should be recorded on the Exam Incident Report form, which is to be submitted along with the exam and other materials to the appropriate Associate Dean.
Any student found talking or suspected of academic misconduct/assisting others to commit academic misconduct may be asked by the instructor or invigilator to move to an alternative location in the exam room.
Anyone found in possession of prohibited materials will have those materials confiscated. Unauthorized devices will be placed in an integrity bag and placed under the student’s chair or if an integrity bag is unavailable, will be placed on the podium in the classroom and returned at the end of the exam. A mark should be made on the test/exam indicating which question or sections the student completed while in possession of the prohibited materials/devices.
Suspected cases of academic misconduct will be reviewed according to the guidelines set forth in section 17.5, Detecting and Responding to Suspected Academic Misconduct, of the Admission Requirements and Academic Regulations. Directions provided by the regulations include:

In the case of suspected impersonation, the invigilator will require the student concerned to remain after the examination until the student is satisfactorily identified.
In the case of suspected copying of another person's answer(s) to the examination question, the invigilator may request that the student complete the exam in another location or setting if it is deemed that such action will cause the least disruption to those taking the examination.
In the case of suspected copying from or using prohibited material in an examination, the invigilator may confiscate the suspect material. Unauthorized devices will be placed on the podium in the classroom and returned at the end of the exam. Instruct the student to make contact with the faculty member responsible for the course once the examination period is over.
Students suspected of academic misconduct are to be informed at the end of the exam that there is a concern about their conduct during the exam and that they will have an opportunity to discuss the situation with their Associate Dean prior to any decisions being made.

Test/Exam Investigation and Sanctions:

As per the Academic Regulations, students suspected of Academic Misconduct should be made aware at the end of the exam that the case is being reported to the Associate Dean. While a grade of zero is temporarily placed on the test/exam, the Associate Dean must conduct an investigation before issuing a sanction. The outcome of the investigation and subsequent sanction will be communicated to both the student and faculty at the conclusion of the investigation.

Test/Exam Resources:

The pages below can be found in the Appendix and are resources for you to use during testing/exam period. They include:

FSCS Test/test/exam Cover Sheet Statement
Humber Front Cover Booklet
Request for Alternative Room for Test or Exam
Request for Invigilator
Test/Exam Incident Report