Support for all aspects of assessments
The Office for Academic and Student Affairs (ASA) offers support for assessment building, course evaluations, grading and technical assistance during exam sessions. In Spring 2016, the college centralized testing for the professional DVM program, requiring all exams be administered at the College of Veterinary Medicine campus.
Student Resources
Assessment Delivery
The College of Veterinary Medicine proctors approximately 50 course assessments per semester, which are scheduled by ASA. The majority of these assessments are administered electronically via ExamSoft or Canvas. The coordination of written assessments and assignment of proctors is managed by the Assessment Coordinator – Alexis Jenkins alexisjenkins@ufl.edu.
ExamSoft (Examplify)
ExamSoft is a secure testing solution that is used for high stakes exams. This software enables secure testing on student computers by blocking access to programs, files and Internet usage during the test. ExamSoft is not dependent on an internet connection while testing, which allows it to be used almost anywhere a device can be used. The client (vendor) used for testing students is Examplify.
Canvas (e-Learning)
Canvas (e-Learning) is the learning management system used by the University of Florida. Exams or Quizzes in Canvas will be housed within their respective courses, and organized beneath the ‘Quizzes’ tab within the course.
Device Requirements
The College of Veterinary Medicine requires access to a laptop with webcam and microphone for assessments.
Laptop Requirements
- Operating System: 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- Alternate versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11, such as Windows RT and Windows 10 and 11 S, are NOT supported at this time.
- The versions of Windows 10 certified for use are 20H2, 21H1, 21H2, and Windows 11 21H2.
- MacOS Catalina (10.15.7), MacOS Big Sur (11.0), MacOS Monterey (12.0)
- Devices using Apple’s M1 processor and Apple Rosetta 2 are supported
- CPU Processor: Non-ARM based processor supported by your operating system
- Hard drive: 4GB or higher available space (Highest hard drive recommended for the operating system)
- RAM: 8GB or higher recommended; 4GB required
- Webcam and microphone: integrated or external, virtual camera or audio software not supported
- Screen resolution should be at least 1280 x 768. Scaling should be set to 100%.
- 2.5 Mpbs upload Internet speed; 10/100 Ethernet Adapter and WiFi 802.11 b or g, USB port(s)
- Administrator level account permissions
- Exam programs cannot be run within virtualized environments or environments that require persistent network (local or otherwise) connections during secure exams. This includes, but is not limited to, VMWare, Parallels, Citrix workspace, Virtual Disks, Streamed images, etc.
- It is highly recommended to purchase a privacy screen appropriate for your laptop when you take examinations.
- Tablet style laptops may not be compatible with assessment programs. Only Microsoft Surface or iPad tablets are supported with assessment software at this time. If you are using a Microsoft Surface device, please read this article for important instructions on Windows 10 and 11 “S mode” versus the standard Windows 10 or 11. S mode is not compatible with Examplify. iPad instructions below
iPads (Optional – Not Required)
- Hardware Recommendations = iPad 5+, iPad Air 2+, iPad Mini 4+, and iPad Pro
- Operating System = iOS 14 and iOS 15
- 500 MB of free space required to commence an exam
- iPad must not be Jailbroken
- Internet connection for Download, Registration, Exam Download and Upload
- In order to take an exam using an iPad, your institution must first enable iPad support
Assessment Policies
Students must bring the following to on-campus exams:
- Student ID
- Laptop/iPad and Power Cord
- Pencil or Pen
- Headphones/ Noise Cancelling Headphones (Non-Bluetooth)
- Face Mask (optional)
The following policies are in place to ensure assessment security, and consistency with all other UF Assessment Facilities. The proctors have the right to verify the identity of any student, communicate absences to the Assessment Coordinator and to enforce testing protocols and housekeeping rules. If a student refuses to comply with the rules, the proctor will record the student’s name, and notify the Assessment Coordinator. The incident will be brought to the Associate Dean in ASA and course faculty.
- All personal belongings must be put away during assessment sessions.
- All unauthorized electronic devices must be turned off and put away when entering the assessment room (this includes, but is not limited to, ALL cellphones, watches, and calculators).
- Non-transmitting or wired noise-cancelling headphones are permitted during assessment sessions. Bluetooth enabled headphones are not permitted. Students must show headphones to proctors prior to each assessment session. Earplugs will also be provided.
- No food or open cups in in the assessment rooms without prior approval.
- Students may not be permitted to enter the room 15 minutes after the assessment start time, or if another student has already completed the assessment.
- Students may not re-enter the assessment room without permission from the instructor or proctor if they leave after the assessment has begun.
- No hats or hoods are permitted to be worn in the assessment room.
- Seats may be assigned, or students asked to relocate when necessary.
- Communication between assessment takers is not permitted during assessment sessions. If the student has a question they should raise their hand or approach the proctor for assistance.
- The proctor will be present 15 minutes before the start of each assessment session. All absences (whether excused or unexcused) will be noted and reported to the course coordinator and other appropriate staff. Under normal circumstances, there is NO provision to give extra time to students who arrive late. Extensions or alternate assessment times are possible for special situations, contact the Assessment Coordinator and your faculty member.
- The proctor will check the student’s identification and upload confirmation screen before the student leaves the assessment room. All scrap paper will be collected at that time as well.
- From time to time a testing session may be disrupted by unforeseen events such as fire alarms and power failures. When this occurs, students are to turn off their testing device. This stops the clock and locks their testing station until the exam can resume. The Proctor will provide the students with a resume code to restart the exam.
Honor Code
Assessment takers are bound by the University of Florida Honor Code summarized by the following statement:
“On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid during this examination.”
Electronic devices, including “databank” watches, etc. are not allowed at any time. Calculators may be allowed at the discretion of the course director. Use of ANY other electronic devices during an assessment will be considered academic dishonesty.
The assessment staff use an electronic system to track anomalies of all types, including suspected academic dishonesty and violations of the procedures outlined in this document. This information is periodically shared with the Office for Academic and Student Affairs (ASA) and corrective action will be taken as needed.
Make-up Assessments
Students who are unable to attend class the day of the assessment for reasons consistent with an excused absence should not download the assessment file prior to the scheduled assessment date. Students should try to schedule an assessment make-up date in advance of the assessment date. Students who download the assessment file prior to the assessment day and then do not attend the assessment due to illness or emergency, may be required to remove the download until their scheduled make-up assessment. Students must fill out an Absence Request Form to request a make-up assessment.
The final scores for an assessment will be posted to e-Learning (Canvas) by the course coordinator.
Students with Assessment Accommodations
The college can provide additional time and a separate assessment space, within CVM, for students with special assessment accommodations. The coordination of these assessments are managed by both the Curriculum Coordinator – Sabrina Barot (sbarot@ufl.edu) and Assessment Coordinator – Alexis Jenkins (alexisjenkins@ufl.edu ) in ASA. It is the responsibility of students who require assessment accommodations to meet with a learning specialist from Disability Resource Center (DRC). After the student has obtained a letter from the DRC specialist, the student must submit the accommodation letter to the course coordinator and to the Curriculum Coordinator in ASA. Students with accommodations may still opt to test at the Disability Resource Center (DRC).