Tryst with the unknown: navigating an unplanned transition to online examinations

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the major challenges faced and lessons learned during the unplanned transition to online examinations (OE) at a traditional university following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study involved two distinct samples (110 students and 30 instructors) drawn from a large public university and triangulated the qualitative and quantitative data to analyze how the university navigated the unplanned transition to OE.

Findings

The university faced several challenges related to a lack of proper institutional infrastructure, non-familiarity of the stakeholders with OE, lack of effective communication, limited student access to technology resources because of socio-economic impediments and academic integrity issues.

Practical implications

Short- and medium-term recommendations are proposed to enable continuity of teaching and learning in future emergency situations, including the establishment of technology-enabled exam centers, as well as strategies to assure instructor readiness for OE, academic integrity among students and the validity of the evaluation procedure for future OE.

Originality/value

This study shows how the unplanned transition to OE in a public university exposed new challenges for conducting OE, particularly in resource challenged emerging countries, where full integration of OE was a new experience and prior knowledge of potential issues was lacking.

Citation

Mumtaz, S., Parahoo, S.K., Gupta, N. and Harvey, H.L. (2023), "Tryst with the unknown: navigating an unplanned transition to online examinations", Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 4-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-12-2021-0197