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As a new semester starts, it is vital to remember what tools are available for pedagogues at the university and how they can help in addition to teaching also with other work activities.
Online Examinations at MUNI
The MU Crisis Board recommends holding traditional in-person examinations or other presence forms of teaching for the entire spring semester 2020 only in cases of absolute necessity. Even in situations where legal regulations allow examination or teaching in-person, but the examination or teaching can also be carried out remotely, the MU Crisis Board recommends choosing a distance solution for the entire spring semester, including the examination period.
The transition to remote forms of exams brings a lot of new challenges to teachers. On the one hand, they often have to change the content of the exams from factual to the so-called "open book" or, for the first time, they have to get acquainted with a new tool, such as MS Teams. On the other hand, there is a concern that by switching to distance exams, students may easily share test assignments and answers or commit fraud.
If the teacher wants to find out whether the student has met the objectives of the course and gained the experience and skills, he must involve wit, improvise and partially resign from the ways he was used to so far.
Oral Exams
Oral exams can be conducted using video conference software. The university recommends using MS Teams for this purpose. In addition to MS Teams, it is possible to use several other technologies, such as Zoom or Skype. MU does not provide technical support for these applications.
The basic form is an interview with one or more students. For the need of drawing questions (when it is not possible to examine in an open dialogue), it is possible to use MS Forms for this purpose or let the student select the question number via any random number generator.
Detailed instructions for the procedure of the distance oral exam can be found in the IS MU.
Written Exams
The written test can be taken remotely using ropots in the IS MU in combination with a suitable reformulation of questions in the form of the so-called "open book exam". Several ropots settings can be used to reduce the risk of cheating (e.g., mixing questions in combination with a gradual pass and so the inability to return to the previous question).
For the correct setting of ropots and help with setting up and preparing the test, it is advisable to contact the faculty e-technicians.
MS Teams can be used for communication with students (for their questions, solving technical problems) during the test. .
“Technically, there is nothing to fear. Moreover, it looks that even primary school teachers have dealt with examinations through technologies, so there is no reason to think that it would be something too demanding or inaccessible at the university level. And if you don't know what to do, you can ask. I consider this as an intense moment in the current situation.”
RNDr. Michal Černý
Pedagog z KISK FF MU
An Interview with Michal Černý about Online Examinations
Philosophy
Wrong Question: What is the division of chapters in the book Being and Time by Martin Heidegger, when it was published, and what are the basic terms in it? You can easily find answers to all these questions on Wikipedia, if not in scripts or books.
Correct Question: Try to describe how Heidegger argues? Can you say why in his book he stands against Kant and his conception of time? In your opinion, what is the strength, and on the contrary, what is the weakness of his argument?
Wrong Question: Name five pre-Socratics.
Correct Question: Try to choose one pre-Socratic and characterize his style according to what has been preserved from him.
Physics
Wrong Question: Write Maxwell's equations in integral and differential form.
Correct Question: Calculate the charge that will be charged on the sphere by a unit density with a unit volume.
Wrong Question: Describe the scheme describing the Michelson – Morley experiment and say what it proves.
Correct Question: Choose one crucial experiment in the history of modern physics, briefly describe it and say why you consider it essential. What did he help clarify? How was he received?
History
Wrong Question: Name all prime ministers of the Czechoslovak government in the years 1948–1989 with terms of office.
Correct Question: Choose any prime minister and describe his relationship with other bodies of power, especially with party bodies. Analyze the scope of its powers and compare it with the situation during the First Republic.
Wrong Question: Name the warring parties in the battle of Kresčak, state the date and result of the battle.
Correct Question: Describe the impact of the Battle of Kresčak on knightly culture. Can it be said that John of Luxembourg committed suicide in battle? Argue for the chosen option.
Information Science and Librarianship
Wrong Question: When was MDT created? How does it work?
Correct Question: What method of categorization would you choose when creating an academic library? Why? What would you take into account?
Wrong Question: Describe what a Capurro's Trilemma is?
Correct Question: Try to say what the information is. What limits does your definition take into account? On the contrary, what is it suitable for?
