Focus on Students

Hi Pat,

I would reiterate the request above regarding use for invigilated online exams via zoom.

There is great *potential* of "focus mode" for 'kinder' online invigilated exams. In our case at Macquarie University we run in house online exams becasue we have control the whole workflow for students and staff. For us at Macquarie University, there are two things that are stopping us from using focus mode in our exams - plus I have a 'wish list' item too.

If Zoom can please add some options in meeting preferences next to focus mode  - this is essentially creating what amounts to an 'exam mode' as an extension of focus mode. IMHO a large un-met demand!

1) an option "record the host's view to *the cloud*".

Why?: At the present focus mode only records an audience view (i.e all student videos in gallery are frozen in the recording). The use cloud recording to serve as an official invigilator record, that is secure in the cloud. We enable galley recording and keep under to the max number of viewable people in a zoom meeting as ensure all students and activity that is observed is captured. There is an ability to record locally the view of the invigilator (host/co-hosts), but this does not meet our security requirements and it is not just practical to have staff downloading and re-uploading huge, sensitive files. These recordings are managed under our university data privacy/management policy. Note: we are not requesting that the ability of focus mode recording is to capture the audience view, but we would like an extra option to add recording of the host's view to the cloud.

2) an option for "focus mode to extend to audio". (as per John B's request).

Why?: This is to eliminate distractions and increase privacy for students during the exam. it will allow students to still use audio to call invigilators (the host/co-hosts) for help while not disturbing other students. It allows the invigilators to call/alert a student using voice (rather than being only limited to text chat that is often missed when students are focused on their exam!). Being able to maintain monitoring of background sounds etc in the student's space is important in maintain academic integrity in the exam. i.e the invigilator must hear the student's audio stream (and see via webcam), but it is best that the students cannot hear each other's audio.

3) a 'wish list' item - add an option that provides the ability for 'dual views' of each student - webcam and screen. e.g. all students also do 'share screen' at the same time, in addition to having web cams turned on, while still in focus mode (i.e all those screen shares/webcams are only visible to hosts/co-hosts).  Why?: This provides an added layer to what invigilators (hosts) will be able to monitor during the session. At present it requires invigilators who have suspicions to get students one by one to share their screen in a breakout room (often requiring another staff member to be present as well becasue the host can't see both at once!). This process of checking disturbs the student mid exam and disturbs other students in asking a student to move the to breakout room. The aim of this feature is to allow the invigilator (host) to view student's screens without disturbing them during the exam, without needing to move to breakout rooms to view screen shares. This feature is likely less mature and probably harder to implement so can appreciate it may never happen or take a long time. The aim will be to have a dual view (webcam and screen share) of each student in the zoom meeting. Possibilities may include a) if each student's thumbnail video could have a 'swap view' icon/option to swap that student's to screen share view (instead of web cam view) - like a two sided flip card. b) If there is the ability to 'enlarge' a selected that student's video while keeping it private (i.e because using spotlight current causes it to be broadcast). c) We would still want the ability to cloud record what the invigilator sees or the ability for a cloud recording to capture both webcams and screen shares from each student - probably in a dual gallery style view. Overall a dual view or 'swappable views' on each student's thumbnail for the invigilators (hosts) to access would greatly enhance the ability for invigilators to do their job while maintaining more optimal exam conditions, privacy etc.

I am happy to chat and partner with zoom folks to pilot/test/feedback any of these features in our upcoming exam period(s). We have approx 56,000 exam sittings in each exam period across a wide range of disciplines. We started using zoom on a smaller scale last year. We found zoom a much more reliable method compared to outsourced 'proctoring' options we tried. Zoom allowed us to conduct a 'students first' 'kinder' approach to online exams - also thanks to our in house invigilators, training and integrated in-house support with IT, wellbeing, student services, exams office etc. We have the desire to greatly expand our capacity in what we call 'Zoom exams' and it would be fantastic to work with Zoom to refine it. I am sure it will also be of great interest to many universities around the world too. 🙂

best regards,

mathew

(Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.)

For proctoring multiple courses' exams, it is not time- or cost-effective to offer one-on-one proctoring.  We also do not have enough staff to proctor only one student in each breakout room at a time.  Each proctor currently monitors 3-4 students at a time in each breakout room, with each student screen-sharing.  Focus mode would be really helpful, to ensure that students who stop screen-sharing aren't able to see other students' screens.

Yes, thank you so much!