When should you give an online exam?

Now that you are teaching your course online, when should you give an online exam? Every class is different, but here’s a system that I have found to be useful.

Give an online exam on Sunday and Monday.

During “normal” conditions, I like to make the exam available over Sunday and Monday. This usually allows working students and/or religious students pick the best time for themselves.

Working Students

This allows students who are working in retail or the food industry the opportunity to avoid their busiest work days of Friday and Saturday. Many restaurants close earlier on Sunday and may not even open on Monday. Many retail outlets also cut back their Sunday and Monday hours.

It also allows students who have other traditional jobs to take the exam before they go back to work on Monday. For example, if you have a returning adult student taking your class, their job might start back up on Monday. They can use Sunday to take the exam.

What about Religion?

For folks of the Jewish persuasion, Sundays and Mondays are generally just regular days. Many of the Catholic persuasion have the option of attending mass on Saturday or Sunday. Other Catholics and folks of the Protestant Christian persuasion may attend church on Sunday morning, but have no other injunctions against activity the rest of the day. Sundays and Mondays for Muslim students are generally not considered particularly holy days.

Giving the option of Sunday or Monday will allow most students to take the exam on a non-holy day. Of course, special holidays for any group can fall on any day. Be flexible and allow students to shift a day or two if you happened to schedule an exam on a holy day you weren’t aware of.