Practical Considerations for Online Open Book Examinations in Remote Settings.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Educational Technology
• Pandemic Response in Higher Education

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional face-to-face education globally.
• Academic institutions transitioned to online delivery and assessments to maintain continuity.
• Online open book examinations emerged as a strategy to prevent delays in student progression and graduation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To share practical implementation strategies for remote online open book examinations.
• To ensure the validity, reliability, and fairness of online assessments during the pandemic.
• To provide insights into the practice and effectiveness of remote online open book examinations in health professional programs.

Main Methods:

• The study draws on practical experiences and insights from implementing online open book examinations.
• Focuses on providing actionable tips for remote administration.
• Addresses challenges related to validity, reliability, and fairness in a remote setting.

Main Results:

• Successful progress has been made in implementing online open book examinations.
• Identified areas requiring further exploration for detailed insights into remote practices.
• Practical tips are provided to address the unique challenges of remote online assessments.

Conclusions:

• Online open book examinations are a viable tool for educational continuity during crises.
• Effective implementation requires careful planning to maintain assessment integrity.
• Further exploration is needed to optimize remote online examination practices in health professions education.