Computer-aided examinations – legal framework at the TUHH
According to the study and examination regulations of the TUHH (short ASPO), examinations may also be carried out in electronic form without the need to change the curriculum. It must be ensured that
„a. the electronic data can be clearly and permanently assigned to individual students;
b. a student’s work is stored in an electronic document format in accordance with § 2 (4) of the Regulation on Electronic Legal Transactions in Hamburg dated 28 January 2008 in the currently valid version. (see paragraph 18, p. 14 ASPO).
In the Institute of Mathematics at the TUHH (C. Seifert, K. Kruse E-10), a guideline for computer-based examinations (in German) at the TUHH was already developed in 2018 in consultation with the lawyers and the Rechenzentrum (computer centre), in which legal, organisational and technical questions are addressed. Here you find also references, how the assignment of the data or the document format mentioned in the ASPO can be converted.
Of course there are further requirements which are not explicitly regulated in the examination regulations. For example, it must be ensured that those to be examined actually perform the examination. However, this poses difficulties for the implementation of an oral examination via video conferencing if students are unobserved during the examination and could possibly make attempts at deception. This risk can be reduced if the tasks – as is the case with oral examinations anyway – aim at a deeper understanding or a transfer of what has been learned rather than at a reminder of factual knowledge.
Equal opportunities for students must also be ensured – for example, an examinee should not be hindered by having access to a less powerful computer.
Further legal questions concerning electronic checks are also addressed here (ELAN e.V.) – although not always in relation to the Federal State of Hamburg.
If you have further concrete legal questions, please contact the examination office or the legal office of the TUHH (-3297; kristin.reichel@tuhh.de) – if you have questions about the task or other didactic aspects, please contact the ZLL (- 4621; katrin.billerbeck.tuhh.de).
