2.1 Definitions and Distinctions between Digital and E-Exams

Contents: Definition of digital examinations, definition of e-examinations.

Please note that the specific definitions and requirements may vary depending on the country and higher education institution. Check with the relevant authorities in good time to find out about any existing guidelines. When planning and conducting e-exams, ensure you follow the legal provisions applicable at your higher education institution.

Differences between Digital and E-Exams

There are various ways of conducting examinations digitally. Digital examinations and e-examinations have many similarities, but differ in their definition and application. Although there are no standardised definitions or criteria for the two terms, certain trends can be identified.

Digital Exams

Exams are generally referred to as digital exams when not only the preparation, marking, review or archiving of the exam takes place digitally, but also when the exam is (partially) taken digitally by the students (Bandtel et al., 2021, p. 25). This may include remote digital examinations, computer-based tests or hybrid formats (paper-based examinations with digital components). They can be conducted offline (e.g. using software on a USB stick) or online (via a platform or cloud services). The results can be marked either digitally or manually. A selection of different digital examination formats can be found on the following pages.

E-Exams 

So-called ‘e-exams’ constitute a more specific special case of a term defined under examination regulations. For this to qualify as such under examination law, the ‘distribution, administration and processing of the examination/assessment must take place within the same information technology system’ (Bandtel et al., 2021, p. 25).

Such an e-examination system is included in many common learning management systems (LMS), such as Moodle and ILIAS, or may stand alone. The examination can take place remotely via the World Wide Web, or on-site, for example in a computer lab. Although the term ‘e-exam’ (electronic examination) is often used synonymously with ‘online exams’ (which, in a broader sense, refers to exams conducted with the aid of computers; here, ‘digital exams’), it has a more formalised character.