Digital Examination – Open Internet & Open Book Format
Digital examinations were initially introduced in the two-semester course Energy and Climate Design to reduce the correction workload associated with assessing over 250 students. However, as the digital format was implemented, its potential became increasingly evident and the exam evolved far beyond its original multiple-choice format.
For the past four years, a case study has served as the foundation for the exam. During the exam, the Bachelor's students in Architecture are allowed to use various online tools - such as solar data analysis platforms - to solve application-oriented tasks. To simulate a realistic working environment, students also have access to all digital course materials, their personal notes, and from two years ago, the entire Internet.
The digital exam contributes 50% to the final course grade. The remaining 50% is detailed in the Assessment View entry "Group Assessment and Individual Moodle Quizzes".
For the past four years, a case study has served as the foundation for the exam. During the exam, the Bachelor's students in Architecture are allowed to use various online tools - such as solar data analysis platforms - to solve application-oriented tasks. To simulate a realistic working environment, students also have access to all digital course materials, their personal notes, and from two years ago, the entire Internet.
The digital exam contributes 50% to the final course grade. The remaining 50% is detailed in the Assessment View entry "Group Assessment and Individual Moodle Quizzes".
All Course Assessments
Overview of the Course
What is the subject context of the course?
This annual course investigates the potential of integrated design as a strategy for sustainable architecture. Beginning with human needs and the specific potentials of the local environment, it examines how buildings can be passively and actively supplied with heat, cooling, air, and electricity.
The course aims to build a deep understanding of the interplay between architectural design and energy supply systems. Students learn to develop design solutions that minimize the environmental impact of buildings and to actively contribute to addressing the climate crisis.
What should students learn and be able to do at the end of the course?
At the end of this one-year course, students will be able to estimate the impact of energy and climate on a building. They will be able to independently apply the steps of an integrated design process to their own project and master selected tools from the Integrated Design Atlas platform (IDA). Future own designs can be supplemented and enriched with potentials from energy and climate analyses.
Why was the specific assessment format chosen?
Digital examinations were introduced primarily because automated grading allows for the efficient assessment of large student cohorts. Beyond efficiency, the digital format also provides a solid framework for presenting case studies. During the exam, students are tasked with conducting an initial analysis of a specific case. To answer related questions, they use digital tools and various resources. This approach supports a realistic working environment – enabled by access to the open internet – which mirrors professional practice.
How are students prepared for the assessment?
Students are gradually introduced to the digital tools throughout the semester by using them in group tasks. This hands-on experience ensures that they become confident in applying the tools before the final exam.
In addition, students complete six short Moodle quizzes focusing on key theoretical concepts. Each quiz provides instant feedback with model answers and can be repeated multiple times to reinforce learning. To further support exam readiness, sample digital exams are made available.
Course Fact Sheet
Competencies Fact Sheet
Concepts and Theories (assessed)
Techniques and Technologies (assessed)
Analytical Competencies (assessed)
Decision-making (assessed)
Media and Digital Technologies (assessed)
Problem-solving (assessed)
Communication (assessed)
Cooperation and Teamwork (assessed)
Self-presentation and Social Influence (fostered)
Sensitivity to Diversity (assessed)
Negotiation (fostered)
Adaptability and Flexibility (assessed)
Creative Thinking (assessed)
Critical Thinking (assessed)
Integrity and Work Ethics (assessed)
Self-awareness and Self-reflection (fostered)
Self-direction and Self-management (assessed)
Assessment Fact Sheet
(Feasible for 50 - 500)
The reason for the feasibility for 50 – 500 candidates:
- For smaller student numbers, it is not worth the effort to set up a Moodle quiz.
- The upper limit is determined by the fact that we ask one open-ended question that cannot be graded automatically. The staff must be able to handle the effort involved in manual correction.
Resources
ETH computer rooms
Moodle
The following Moodle question types are used:
- Essay
- Drag and Drop onto image
- Multiple Choice
- Numerical
- Single Choice (ETH)
Safe Exam Browser
SEB Screen Proctoring
- 7-Zip for Windows
- Calculator
- Excel
- Word
- Adobe Reader
- Chrome
- Open Internet (without blacklisting)
- Second tab with the link to the Moodle course of the lecture
- Open Internet Access: Students have unrestricted access to the internet, with the exception that any form of communication is prohibited (e.g. email, chat, forums, shared cloud storage). Links to relevant tools are provided directly within the exam environment.
- Course Materials: All documents and tools from the lecture are accessible via the course’s Moodle page, which students can reach through a standard browser.
- Personal Notes and Writing Materials: Students may use their own handwritten or digital notes.
Grading and Feedback
Doctoral teaching assistant
Most exam questions are relatively detailed and structured in a way that allows individual calculation steps to be automatically graded by Moodle. In addition, there is one open-ended question worth 10 points, which requires manual grading within the Moodle environment.
The final grade for the course is calculated from the grade obtained in the performance assessments during the semester (group work and individual Moodle quizzes, 50%) and the grade obtained in this digital session exam (50%).
Staff Workload (252 Candidates)
| Time | Staff | |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Preparation | 4 h | 1 Lecturer (Professor) |
| 2 d | 1 Lecturer (Senior Researcher) | |
| 2 d | 1 Doctoral Teaching Assistant | |
| Exam Process | 4 h | 1 Lecturer (Senior Researcher) |
| 4 h | 7 - 9 Team Members (Doctoral Students, Postdoctoral Researcher, Research Assistants) | |
| Grading | 2 h | 1 Lecturer (Professor) |
| 2 - 3 d | 1 Lecturer (Senior Researcher) | |
| 2 d | 1 Doctoral Teaching Assistant |
Exam Preparation
Exam Process
Grading
Extra Information
- Exam Preparation
The values given refer to examiners who are experienced with digital examinations and can build on existing Moodle quizzes. If the exam is prepared entirely from scratch the process takes approximately two weeks.The preparation of the digital exam begins with the selection of a suitable case study that fits the examination framework. This step typically takes about half a day. The quiz structure is based on the previous year’s version and can be copied within Moodle. However, the questions are reviewed and adapted annually according to the following pattern:- One third of the questions remain unchanged,
- one third are slightly modified,
- and one third are newly created each year.
- Grading
To support the compilation of grades from performance assessments and the final exam, we have developed an Excel spreadsheet. While the file is not entirely self-explanatory, it may still be useful for other lecturers who wish to adopt or adapt a similar approach. The file is available under Shared Materials.
Shared Experience
How many times has the assessment been conducted in this format?
The exam has been conducted digitally for several years. However, the full potential of digital assessment was only realized four years ago when the format was restructured around group work and a case study approach was introduced.
Two years ago, open internet access was permitted for the first time. Prior to that, access was restricted to a limited set of websites through a white-listing approach.
What contributed to the success?
- Relevance and engagement: Students greatly appreciate the use of real-life case studies. In fact, some have mentioned that they enjoyed the exam – an encouraging kind of feedback.
- Team coordination: The teaching team works in a well-coordinated way and is also supported by the Service Digital Examinations.
- Visual quality: Digital examinations enable the inclusion of high-quality images, which is particularly important in our D-ARCH department. This contributes to a more engaging and aesthetically pleasing exam experience.
What were the challenges and how were they overcome?
- Clarity of questions: Ambiguity must be avoided at all costs. Each exam is test-run in advance by at least two people to identify and eliminate unclear wording or technical issues.
- Academic integrity: Students are strictly prohibited from communicating with anyone other than the supervisors during the exam. Any form of digital communication and exchange is prohibited. At the start of the exam, students are required to confirm their compliance and are reminded that dishonest behaviour has consequences and that their screens will be recorded.
- Preparation discipline: Since students have access to all necessary resources during the exam (including the internet), there is a risk they might rely on searching instead of preparing. To counteract this, the exam duration is set in a way that only well-prepared students can complete all tasks in time.
Are there any further developments planned?
For the time being, we will continue with the current digital examination format. Due to increasing AI capability, we will be returning to a «closed internet» exam starting next summer, i.e., with whitelisting of approximately 10 online tools/websites.
No additional changes are planned, as the future of the lecture itself is still uncertain.
What tips would you give lecturers who are planning a similar assessment?
If possible, start with existing materials. It’s very helpful to have access to past exams or quiz templates. Using an existing Moodle quiz as a starting point can save a great deal of time.
Equally important is learning from colleagues who have already used this assessment format. Their experiences and practical insights can inspire and help avoid common pitfalls.
Digital exams, combined with open internet access, enable us to offer students a highly realistic exam environment. Within this setting, they are tasked with conducting an initial analysis of a case study - mirroring the kind of problem-solving they may encounter in professional practice.
Examiners
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Dr. Illias Hischier
