Use of a computer for external assessment (exams)

Using a computer in an assessment or exam

When using a computer for an exam or assessment:

• Spell check and grammar check are allowed except for any standard that requires the student to demonstrate their use of writing conventions.
• Students and typists should set up headers on their pages before they start. They need to add the standard number and standard name. For external exams they need their NSN, for internal assessments or practise exams they need their name.
• A margin of at least 7mm must be set on the left and right of each page which is clear of any typing or writing.
• Schools must set up a printer in the exam room or a networked printer at a central location for students to print their work. If the print is not in the exam room, the school must arrange for someone to deliver the printed pages to the exam room. 
• USB flash drives or other portable storage devices are not to be used in timed assessments.
• When there is more than one student using a computer they may be seated in one room unless approved for isolation. A student whose Writer has chosen to type still needs separate accommodation as the student will be speaking.
• Where the assessment requires a diagram or graph or map to be drawn or completed, the student refers the marker to the relevant assessment pages and hand writes their answer there. Alternatively, if no space is provided in the assessment pages, the student leaves a space on their answer page, prints the page, and then draws in the space.
• Additional specific instructions about external exam procedures are published each year.

Computer set up for exams

School computers set up

The Principal’s Nominee is responsible for ensuring that students using a computer:

• do not have access to any external information via wireless, Bluetooth or similar
• have their mobile phones in their emergency packs
• do not have access to any files created prior to the examination (except those that are systems-related)
• do not use portable storage devices
• cannot read the screens of other students
• are able to print from their computer to a supervised printer in the exam room or a networked central printer. If no printer is available in the exam room, a school-provided supervisor will be at any networked central printer to gather printed material and take it to the exam room. This keeps the security and authenticity of the exam material. Students can't collect printed work themselves.

Student's own devices

Principal’s Nominees need to be aware it's difficult to make sure work is authentic if student's are using their own devices.

If students use their own devices, the Principal’s Nominee is responsible for ensuring students:

• do not have access to any external information via wireless, Bluetooth or similar
• have their mobile phones in their emergency packs
• do not have access to any files created prior to the examination (except those that are systems-related)
• do not use portable storage devices
• are able to connect their devices to a supervised school printer and print their work.

Technical resourcing for exams

The Principal’s Nominee will make sure that:

• a technician is readily available to assist the supervisor of the assessment
• any printer used is well-stocked with paper, and that replacement ink or toner cartridges are on-site in the event these run out during an assessment.

Technicians may only help with:

• mechanical problems
• software issues
• printer issues.

The time taken to resolve an issue will be recorded by the supervisor. This time will be added to the end of the exam for that student. If the time taken to resolve the issues is going to exceed 20 minutes in an NZQA exam, the student is entitled to apply for a derived grade.

Backing up the assessment

A backup of each student’s work must be saved to a secure location only accessible to the Principal’s Nominee.

All files created by a student for the examination are to be permanently deleted after backups have been made, and before the computer is next used.