LeBow Exam Delivery Options

Low Stakes Assessments

Assessments are broken up into two categories: Low Stakes and everything above Low Stakes. Low Stakes assessments are those worth up to 4% each and, when combined, are worth up to 40% of the overall term grade. For example, 10 weekly quizzes that count as 4% each (40% combined) are considered Low Stakes. The following options apply to all Low Stakes assessments:

• Can be given on paper or on student computers
• Can be given in Drexel’s LMS (Canvas) or via a publisher website such as McGraw-Hill, Pearson, Cengage, etc.
• Can be given during class time or can be assigned for completion asynchronously, where each student takes it on their own time
• No integrity mitigations or technology restrictions are required (e.g., use of Lockdown Browser). Keep in mind that this means that students will be able to use internet search and generative Ai as they take the assessment.
• Note: Publisher website homeworks are usually included under this provision provided that their grading weight falls into the low stakes range (up to 4% each and up to 40% total). This means that low stakes homeworks can be completed on a publisher website with no integrity mitigations or technology restrictions.

Higher Stakes Assessments

LeBow no longer differentiates medium and high stakes assessments. Anything above Low Stakes falls under this higher category and should adhere to the following:

• The guidelines listed here apply to midterm exams, final exams, or any unit exams that are above Low Stakes. Any exceptions to this guidance must be pre-approved by the Department Head prior to the start of the term.
• In-person classes should give higher stakes assessments on paper and in class (with the instructor or a proctor present). See the note at the bottom of this page about the Remark system for scoring paper exams.
• Hybrid classes that meet in-person should give higher stakes assessments during the in-person meetings, and these assessments should also be given on paper.
• Instructors of Online Asynchronous classes (for which there is no in-person meeting) should reach out to the LeBow Instructional Tech team prior to the start of the term to discuss the logistics for online exams. Typcially these include a requirement for students to use Lockdown Browser and webcam recording. These exams must be given in Drexel’s LMS (Canvas) and not via a publisher’s website.
• Instructors of Online Synchronous classes (aka Zoom or Remote Sync classes) – for which there is also no in-person meeting – should reach out to the LeBow Instructional Tech team prior to the start of the term to discuss the logistics for online exams.
• Notes: Publisher websites are not permitted to be used for assessments higher than Low Stakes – unless the Department Head has given approval prior to the start of the term. Also, no publisher proctoring software (Proctorio, etc.) has been approved for use at Drexel. Use of any third-party proctoring systems, other than Drexel’s instance of Respondus Monitor webcam recording, is not permitted under Drexel University’s privacy and compliance policies.

All Assessments Combined

Best practices in higher education suggest that a course should have a balance beween objective assessments and subjective/formative assignments. In keeping with this and accreditation standards:

• No single, on-paper exam should count for more than 30% of a student’s grade
• No single, computer-based assessment should count for more than 20% of a student’s grade (or at maximum, 25% for the final exam only) and should have full webcam proctoring and technology restrictions using Lockdown Browser.
• All assessments combined (quizzes, tests, exams) should count for no more than 60% of a student’s overall term grade. 40% or more of a student’s grade should come from other assignments, projects, and activities.
• Note: Exceptions to these percentages can be granted by the academic Department Head if discussed prior to the start of the term.