Exams - Email from Duncan, ADA (20 Nov 2020)

It has become obvious that there is confusion among students about the difference between the “due” time and the “available until” time in the setup of online exams. Exams submitted after the “due” time are labelled as “late” by canvas, and this is causing some students anxiety. Andrew and I have discussed with other Associate Deans across the University and the approach we are suggesting for Science is as follows:

For submissions with reasonable description of technical difficulty in submission: No reduction. Course judgement as to what is reasonable justification, lean towards leniency.

For submissions 0-5 minutes late: No reduction
>5 to 10 minutes late: Final mark = raw mark *0.95
>10 minutes to 20 minutes lates: Final mark = raw mark * 0.9
>20 minutes to 30 minutes late: Final mark = raw mark * 0.85

These reductions will need to be made manually by the course director when uploading the marks to Canvas grade book. Final mark = the mark put into the Canvas gradebook.

> 30 minutes late: Only accepted with evidence of technical difficulties sent to Exam office. Exams office will make this decision, students should be referred to Exams office if they approach lecturers directly. If approved exams will send the course director the script which should marked without reduction. If not approved, students will need to apply for compassionate consideration.

The mark reductions above are not penalties - they are simply proportionally scaling the mark down to account for the increased time. A comment should be made to the whole class explaining the approach made for late submissions if adjustments have to be made.

Please circulate this to your Course Directors to take into account when submitting marks for final exams. Any questions please let either Andrew or myself know.

Ngā mihi

Duncan