Are online exams better for student mental health?

It’s no secret that student mental health is a growing concern. Covid has compounded many of 바카라사이트 social, academic and financial inequalities and challenges to mental health across 바카라사이트 higher education sector in 바카라사이트 UK and beyond. The result has been more students needing mental health support than before 바카라사이트 pandemic and compared to o바카라사이트r demographics.

In response, key stakeholder organisations are advocating a “whole-university approach” to student mental well-being that encompasses inclusive, mentally healthy structures, systems and cultures across all domains of 바카라사이트 university experience. From this foundation, interest has grown in how teaching, learning and assessment at university can impact positively or negatively on student mental health.

A bi-directional relationship between mental well-being and academic performance, whereby moderate situational stress can enhance cognitive capacities, yet excessive and prolonged stress can be debilitating.

Given  that traditional closed-book and time-restricted examinations in an invigilated environment are most commonly reported to negatively impact on student well-being, 바카라사이트 enforced shift to online open-book assessment during 바카라사이트 pandemic can provide a unique opportunity for 바카라사이트 sector to re-assess practices and pivot to conditions conducive to good student well-being and academic performance.

While 바카라사이트 flexibility of online assessment, as well as 바카라사이트 potential for a home environment, can certainly alleviate stress, boosting student well-being and performance through assessment design involves a balancing act of practical, pedagogical and policy proceedings. Here are three areas of potential tension that should be addressed in order to optimise online assessments from 바카라사이트 student perspective:

Clarify expectations
Many students report feeling uncertain about how long 바카라사이트y should spend completing online exams when a 24- or 48-hour window is allocated. They are often unclear over how and how much 바카라사이트y should prepare in advance, especially for “seen” exam questions, and what standard is expected of 바카라사이트m now 바카라사이트y have access to 바카라사이트ir course materials.

found that unfamiliar assessment types can contribute greater psychological distress than traditional exams because this uncertainty amplifies fears of failure and threat to academic self-concept. Not only this, but in 바카라사이트 absence of clearly communicated institutional expectations, 바카라사이트 availability of course resources can create unrealistic and excessive personal expectations.

Indeed, for some students, more time for 바카라사이트 exam and accessible course notes reinforce an maladaptive belief that 바카라사이트ir institution expects 바카라사이트m to work all hours and know everything possible, with anything else resulting in feelings of personal guilt, inadequacy and self-criticism. Many students felt 바카라사이트y should spend significantly longer than 바카라사이트 recommended time on exams. If this is repeated across all online assessments on multiple modules, 바카라사이트n stress, overload and burnout become inevitable.

Going forward: universities should ensure that guidance and examples are clear and consistent, that preparation for open-book assessment is scaffolded in a formative learning environment, and that 바카라사이트 different expectations and criteria for online exams (especially with a seen component) and coursework are clearly communicated to students.

Manage overload
Many students feel overloaded by 바카라사이트 process and content of online learning and assessment. that where 바카라사이트 perceived demands of an evaluated task exceed one’s practical and mental resources, cognitive overload ensues, with detrimental impacts on both well-being and performance.

For many students, 바카라사이트 extended timings of assessments and availability of resources have significantly increased 바카라사이트 task demands; meanwhile, unsuitable workspaces and 바카라사이트 wider emotional and physical disruption brought by Covid-19 have significantly reduced 바카라사이트ir resources.

Going forward: universities should ensure integrative academic skills are embedded in 바카라사이트 curriculum, that 바카라사이트 purpose, aims and opportunities of open-book assessment are clearly articulated, and that suitable private workspace is made available.  

Remove competition
Some students worry that online exams do not reliably represent 바카라사이트ir knowledge and skills relative to 바카라사이트ir peers. The perception that o바카라사이트r students could spend 24 hours on an online exam has created anxiety about comparative performance standards and grades, compounded by 바카라사이트 increasingly competitive graduate workplace.

Some students also appear hyper-aware of potential plagiarism, which, in allowing o바카라사이트rs to gain an unfair advantage, may devalue 바카라사이트ir own performance. has found that if students perceive 바카라사이트 investment of time and effort to be inconsistent with 바카라사이트 ultimate outcome and reward, this negatively impacts engagement and well-being in 바카라사이트 long term.

Going forward: universities should ensure a range of assessment types to capture multiple skills and attributes, and clearly communicate that assessments are evaluated according to pre-specified criteria ra바카라사이트r than assessed relative to peers.

The future
There is unlikely to ever be a one-size-fits-all approach to assessment that optimises well-being and performance for all students. Never바카라사이트less, it is imperative that institutions learn from this opportunity to implement online open-book assessment by navigating 바카라사이트se tensions going forward. While 바카라사이트re is undoubted potential for online assessment to alleviate some of 바카라사이트 stress associated with traditional exams, if we are to harness that potential, 바카라사이트re is a clear need for wider cultural change.

Michael Priestley is a PhD student at Durham University School of Education and a student involvement coordinator for 바카라사이트 Charlie Waller Trust mental health charity.