"Innovative concepts for knowledge verification"
On November 30 and December 1, the 2023 e-Exam Symposium took place at RWTH Aachen University.
Following its launch in 2014, the e-Exam Symposium (ePS) took place for the tenth time this year. From November 30 to December 1, 2023, RWTH Aachen University hosted this prestigious conference to facilitate an exchange of ideas with colleagues on the topic of digital assessment.
The symposium, which has since established itself as the most important platform for e-learning experts, practitioners, and university administrators to discuss all aspects of e-assessment, was dedicated to the theme “Innovative e-Exam Concepts – New Ideas and Customized Solutions” and featured a diverse program of expert presentations, posters, and other formats for sharing experiences.
The e-Exam Symposium addressed the current challenges in the digitization of higher education teaching and assessment, as well as strategies for overcoming them. The focus was on advancements in exam software, new approaches to creating online in-person exam rooms, as well as the innovative digital implementation of traditional exam formats and the administration of in-semester knowledge tests to support the learning process. The 2023 e-Exam Symposium presented a variety of valuable examples and concepts for the future of digital teaching and e-assessment.
Ronny Freudenreich, M.A. (Center for Knowledge Transfer and Education) and Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Herrmann (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering) from Zittau University of Applied Sciences/Görlitz presented the LernSMART concept—an e-assessment approach designed to promote self-directed learning processes in engineering, with a focus on teaching theoretical fundamentals in STEM subjects—via a poster. The LernSMART Digital Fellowship project (funded by the Saxon State Ministry of Art and Tourism as part of the “Digital Higher Education in Saxony” consortium) at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Meinert) and the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, and Energy Technology, Dr.-Ing. Rhena Wulf) addresses the challenge of applying theoretical knowledge to specific use cases by developing supplementary e-learning resources designed to help students identify the correct approach to a problem. The goal is to make better use of existing formats (e.g., more complex self-assessment tasks) to better support self-directed learning processes, to promote the transfer of knowledge into independent cognitive achievement, and to foster learning and discussion throughout the entire seminar group based on a shared understanding.
LernSMART involves the use of e-learning to supplement regular instruction, enabling targeted preparation for and follow-up on in-person classes, exam preparation, and self-directed learning. Key components include problem analyses that are not designed to be solved numerically but rather focus on relevant preliminary considerations. At the core are electronic test exercises that allow students to receive feedback on their level of knowledge, including information on further learning steps. The results of the self-tests serve as an indicator for instructors to tailor course content to specific target groups. LernSMART has been in use since the summer semester of 2022 at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and at the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg.
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