Message-ID: <1503126.1182489824220.JavaMail.joeescobar@joe-escobars-computer.local>
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:41:08 -0800 (PST)
From: gmiles
Reply-To: Online.MC_PO3.LCC-Mail@lanecc.edu
Subject: moodle testing security concerns
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Hi, Dan and Meredith.  I am using Moodle for the first time this term (Ocea=
nography telecourse), and students will be taking their first midterm exam =
next week (it run from January 31 through February 3).  The exam consists o=
f 50 multiple-choice questions, is closed-book, and must be taken at a secu=
re computer.   Here are some things I have done to get the exam underway.

1.  I have input the questions, created and proofed the exam, and have hidd=
en the exam.  Before the exam starts, I will un-hide it.

2.  I have had the staff in the Science Resources Center (where nearly all =
students in the class will take their midterm exams) go through the procedu=
re the students use to take the exam:  log into their own Moodle site, clic=
k on the exam link, and complete and submit the exam.

3.  I am allowing the students to access the exam only once and submit it o=
nly once.

=20

I think that hiding the exam, putting a clock on it, restricting it to cert=
ain testing computers, and allowing only one submission are helpful securit=
y measures.  However, I am really concerned about another aspect of securit=
y.  What would prohibit a student from clicking on the "Save without submit=
ting" button at the bottom of the exam, going back into the Moodle site, ac=
cessing the Oceanography Glossary (I know, I can hide the glossary for the =
duration of the exam), accessing the quizzes (some quiz questions are on th=
e exam), or even go out on the Internet and look for answers, then return t=
o the exam?  I can't hide the quizzes, because those students who take the =
exam later in the week will want to refer to them.  I notice that in the ed=
iting function for each exam there is a section called "Show quiz in a secu=
re window".  If I answer "yes" to this, does it really help?  The best way =
to steer around this problem, it seems to me, is to disable the "Save witho=
ut submitting" button.  Can this be done?  Thanks for any advice you can gi=
ve.

Greg Miles.

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