Bret Devereaux

To be clear, the correct response to testing in the all-online semester is to design tests that are open-book or where internet access is less useful. So focus on analysis/synthesis (read: essays) over fact-recall...rather than using invasive distance-proctoring methods.

At least, for history. But I have to imagine there are ways to reorient students from fact-recall to solving unique problems that are similarly resistant to quick google searches...I mean, except for programming, where quick StackOverflow searches *are* the skill being taught

Now, I'll admit, from a pedagogical standpoint, there are drawbacks. I like to include fact-recall in tests to give students who struggle with analysis a chance to earn credit for studying - that's harder to do in an online-test environment.

But going all-online midstream last semester actually let me 'test' my shift to online testing without invasive proctoring, because I had the same group of students. With an analysis-focused (read: essay) exam, I saw no big cheating score-jump last semester.

My first-test to second-test score rise was well within my normal expectations for an entirely in-person semester (because the second exam *should* have a higher average than the first, since students should be learning)...