Alternative Assessments to Remote Proctoring

The page below provides step-by-step guidance for planning and selecting an alternative assessment to your remote proctored assessment. 

As a starting point, we suggest reviewing the Fostering an Environment of Academic Integrity in Assessment: Best Practices resource and the Principles of Effective and Inclusive Assessment resource before proceeding with the step-by-step guidance below.   

If you would like to explore different types of alternative assessments before diving in to your assessment redesign we recommend you start with the Exploring Alternative Assessment Types  resource. 

The guidance below is divided into the following sections: 

  • Outlining Plans to Replace your Remote Proctored Assessments with Alternative Assessments
  • Selecting a New Assessment and Identifying Implications
  • New Assessment Details
  • Planning my Next Steps 

Each section has multiple steps. The sections are intended to be completed in the order they appear.  

Please note, a fillable Word Document of this webpage is available for download at the bottom of this page. This provides you the option to enter your ideas and decisions as you work through the sections and steps. 

Outlining Plans to Replace your Remote Proctored Assessments with Alternative Assessments

GOAL: To consider alternative types of assessment that do not require remote proctoring, identify any challenges with your current assessment, and how the new assessment will align with your course learning outcomes.

STEP 1: Considering challenges, concerns or issues with your assessment

Are there challenges, concerns or issues with your assessment, beyond moving away from a remote proctored assessment, that you would like to address with your new assessment? Add ideas to the box below. We suggest reviewing Principles of Effective and Inclusive Assessment as a starting point.

  • What challenges, concerns, or issues with your assessment are you hoping to address or solve? 
  • What goals or aspirations do you have for a new assessment (e.g., additional skills you’d like students to practice or learn, alleviating stress, workload, or anxiety, redistributing the weighting of assessments, balancing the distribution of assessments across the semester, etc.)?

Blank white box with a black outline to add any challenges, concerns or issues.

STEP 2: Current assessment details

Outline the details for the assessment you would like to replace. Add a column for each assessment you are replacing. For example, if you are replacing a final exam, add details in the “Exam/Test 1” column. If you are replacing a final exam and an essay, use one column for each assessment.

A table that is used to add the current assessment details that are being replaced by alternative assignments to help organize the transition. The left column states what should be written in the blank box beside it. It includes, due date, time given to complete the assessment, weighting for final grade, and course learning outcomes assessed (assessment pay assess multiple outcomes). The two columns beside that one is where the information would be filled out for each assessment.

STEP 3: Identifying the course learning outcomes to be assessed by the new assessment

Select which of your course learning outcomes need to, or should, be assessed by the new assessment. For each of the “course learning outcomes assessed” in the above table, ask yourself the following questions: 

A diagram helping the viewer decide if a learning outcome is assessed by other course assessments, or if it should be incorporated to the new assessment. It initially asks, "Is this learning outcome assessed by other course assessment(s) that I plan to keep?" If the response to this question is no, the outcome should be added to the table below (explained at the end). If the answer to the question is yes, it takes you to the next question, "is the outcome fully assessed by other assessments in the course? (e.g., if the outcome states that students should be able to "synthesize," do other assessments allow students to demonstrate this level of understanding?)" If the answer to the question is no, add the outcome to the below table. If the answer to the question is yes, the next question asked is, "would adding a new assessment assess the outcome in a more effective or holistic way or offer a better way for students to demonstrate their learning?" If the answer to the question is yes, add the outcome to the table. If the answer to the question is no, answer, "do you need an additional assessment for this outcome? If no, do not add outcome to the table below." The table below is used to identify how the new assessment(s) will address the learning outcomes. The course learning outcomes are listed in the left column. The column beside it is to be filled out with information on if the assessment will assess the entire, or part of the learning outcome. The next column is to be filled out with information on the level of understanding of the learning outcome. The last column asks where else the learning outcome will be assessed.

Links in the table above:

Note: your new assessment can assess one learning outcome or multiple learning outcomes

Add to the table:

  • Looking at all your other course learning outcomes, are there any other outcomes that you’d like this new assessment to assess? 
  • Are you considering adding new course learning outcomes, or revising existing course learning outcomes, that would be aligned with this new assessment? 
  • Do you want to assess any other knowledge, skills, or attitudes through this assessment that are not part of your course learning outcomes (e.g., writing skills, oral communication, creativity, use of technology, collaboration or teamwork)? Do you want to add any of these skills to your course learning outcomes?

Selecting a New Assessment and Identifying Implications 

GOAL: Explore potential assessment types and the implications of a new assessment on your course.

STEP 1: What general approach will you take to replacing your current assessment?

Based on the course learning outcome(s) for the new assessment (Outlining plans to replace your remote proctored assessment with alternative assessments) and your review of the Principles of Effective and Inclusive Assessment Design document, what approach will you take to replacing your current assessment? 

  • Single assessment (e.g., portfolio, presentation, performance, case study, podcast)
  • Multiple assessments of the same type (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly quizzes, discussion board contributions, reaction or reflection papers)
  • Multiple assessments of different types (e.g., quizzes + case study, presentation + self-assessment)
  • Alternative type of exam (e.g., take home or open book exam, oral exam or interview, collaborative exams, two-stage exams)

 

STEP 2: Identify the implications of a new assessment on your course

Consult the Exploring Alternative Assessment Types document. Select an assessment or assessments that align with the level of understanding of the learning outcomes (Bloom’s Level) you will assess with your new assessment. Select a new assessment option for consideration and use this checklist to identify the implications. Answer "YES", "NO", or "?" for each question. Repeat for each alternative you are considering. 

A table that helps identify the implications of the new course assessment. The left column (1 of 3) asks 7 questions about the assessment. The column on the right (3 of 3) asks additional considerations about the assessment. These additional considerations are directly related to the left column questions. The middle column (2 of 3) is where these questions will be answered. The middle column (2 of 3) has spaces for the “will this assessment…” and “additional considerations” to be answered. The first blank space should answer, “will this assessment effectively assess relevant course learning outcomes?” and “If NO, can other assessments assess the outcomes? Do outcomes need modification?”. The second blank space should answer, “will this assessment introduce new skills, knowledge, or values that are not currently taught or assessed in the course? (e.g., technology skills, teamwork, creativity, oral communication, applying content to global events)” and “If YES, how will these be supported and scaffolded? Will these skills be graded? Should these skills be part of the course learning outcomes?” The third blank space should answer, “will this assessment increase student workload compared to the current assessment? (use student workload calculator and time on task to estimate)” and “If YES, and overall workload is an issue, what will you remove?” The fourth blank space should answer, “will this assessment increase grading/feedback workload compared to the current assessment?” and “If YES, how will workload be rebalanced or managed? Can other forms of feedback be used?” The fifth blank space should answer, “will this assessment be weighted similarly to the current assessment?” and “If NO, how will weightings be redistributed?” The sixth blank space should answer, “will this assessment mpact the distribution or timing of other assessments? (e.g., if the assessment has multiple components, will the timing conflict with other course assessments and activities?)” and “If YES, how will you change the assessment distribution or offer flexibility with timing or deadlines?” The last blank should answer, “will this assessment impact synchronous in-person or online class time? (e.g., is synchronous time needed for students to complete or share the assessment, receive feedback, collaborate with peers)." and “If YES, how will you change your synchronous time to support students with this assessment? See Exploring Alternative Assessment Types for Remote Proctored Assessments.”

Links in the table above:

 

STEP 3: List potential challenges with the new assessment type

Select an assessment type to use in your course. Based on your answers in Step 2, list the potential challenges with that assessment type for each general area and your thoughts about potential solutions.

A table that outlines a list of potential challenges that there might be with the new assessment type. There are four columns and 8 rows. The first column outlines the different general areas where issues might be. These issue areas are "assessment of course learning outcomes, introduction of new skills, knowledge, or values that are not currently taught or assessed, student workload, instructor/TA grading and feedback workload, assessment weighting, assessment distribution or timing, use of synchronous time." The next column is where any specific challenges or issues can be identified. The next column is where any potential solutions can be identified. The last column includes helpful resources.

Links in the table above:

New Assessment Details

GOAL: Plan the details and logistics for each new assessment and identify what support and resources you need to finalize your assessment plans.

A table that outlines the details and logistics for the new assessment. There are two columns and the first column (left) outlines what to write in the second column (right). The items are, "assessment name, course learning outcomes assessed, weighting for final grade, individual or collaborative, In what mode will students complete or submit the assessment?* (e.g., synchronous in-person, synchronous virtual, asynchronous, or combination), timing and deadlines (deadlines for each component), expected student workload** (estimating time to complete), inclusivity and accessibility, required resources or technology for students and instructors, Evaluation and feedback method(s) How (e.g., written, video, audio, rubric) and from whom (peers, instructor, self)?, Additional Notes (e.g., logistics, opportunities for student choice, flexibility, potential challenges based on Worksheet 2, academic integrity considerations)."

Links in the table above:

*Refer to our Delivery and Engagement Modes for Each Course Element handout
**For estimates of workload, see the Student Workload Calculator and Time on Task

Use the Assessment Checklist as a reference as you finalize your assessment and the Transparent Assignment Template and Checklist to share details of your assessment with students. 
 

Planning my Next Steps

Consider the following questions as you move forward with your assessment planning.

A table that can be used to plan the next steps in the assessment planning. It asks, "What questions do I still have? What do I still need to learn? (e.g., about your course, your teaching space, your students)," "What decisions do I still need to make to finalize my assessment plans?," "What would I like more feedback on?," and "What resources do I need to implement the assessment type I’ve chosen? Consider your physical space, technology, TAs or course support, etc."

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E-mail the Office of Teaching and Learning (otl@uoguelph.ca) with any questions related to your teaching and learning needs.

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