OOV

Research

Publications

Talks & Posters

Lectures

Students projects

Public outreach

Codes

Links

Electronic oral exams

To limit the pandemic expansion of the SARS-CoV-2 disease, oral exams are currently only offered remotely through a video conference system. This is a challenge for both sides. Students who do not want to take a remote exam can cancel the exam any time until the day of the exam through a message to the examination office and take it in the normal form when contacts are allowed again. A recording of the exam is not allowed.

Technical prerequisites

The exams will be taken through the Zoom video conference system. Next to the software you need a camera with sufficient resolution and a microphone, e.g. in a headset. All recent notebook computers should be well equipped with camera, microphone and speakers so that this is the best solution. If you want to use a tablet computer or smartphone instead, you need some adjustment that keeps the camera stable while you have free hands and points the camera towards your hands. The camera should face you from the front to avoid blockage of drawings by your hands. You can test that the vidoe conference software recognises all your hardware components by connecting to a test meeting.

Please, test in advance that the resolution of the camera is sufficient for the requirements of the exam. By taking some test photos you need to check that the details of your ID are well resolved so that you can be identified for the exam and that drawings and formulae that you write on a paper in front of the notebook are well readable. The lid of the notebook can be tilted so that the paper is well covered by the camera. Your face does not need to be simultaneously in the field of view. Make sure that the tilt is reproducible so that the test configuration is the same as in the exam. Think of enough illumination. Please, chose a pen and paper combination with high contrast and have enough paper at hand for 30 minutes of explanations.

Please, take care that you are alone in the room where you do the exam and without any undisturbance for the duration of the exam. Without these prerequisites the online exam is not possible.

Fraud prevention

Because the remote setup could open various possibilities for fraud during the exam you have to agree to two measures that are designed to prevent this.

Before the beginning of the exam you have to move the camera around to show the environment of the place for the exam so that you prove that no notes, books or other means of information are located around the place. Please, take into account that this inspection may affect your privacy. Hence, you may want to remove itmes that should not be visible to the examiner. If this is not possible you should find another location for the exam.

During the exam both hands always have to be in the field of view of the camera. The easiest way is to leave them next to the paper that you need anyway to illustrate your explanations through drawings or formulae. Removing one hand from the field of view may be considered a fraud attempt. In contrast, your face can leave the field of view if the focus is needed on the paper. Showing the face is only mandatory for the identification at the start and end of the exam.