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Can exam feedback reports impact student satisfaction?The emphasis on student satisfaction If you work in higher education, you’ll know that student satisfaction is high up on the agenda for any university. It’s not only important for your reputation, but also for student retention. It’s encouraging that the recent national student survey [1] showed that 84% of UK students are satisfied with […] |
Digital OSCE Software – Streamlining OSCEsUsing digital OSCE software can improve and bring efficiencies to your OSCE exam processes. However, changing the way you administer your OSCEs may be a daunting prospect. Speedwell’s eSystem exam software can help to make moving to digital OSCEs as easy and pain-free as possible. Whilst at the same time providing added benefits to your […] |
Benefits of cloud hosting exam softwareWith Speedwell’s eSystem exam software, there are two options when it comes to hosting; Cloud hosting, where we host it for you in the Cloud or you can host locally on your own network. The eSystem is available to purchase as a software as a service (SaaS) solution. Which allows you to operate the software […] |
Run OSCE exams online, offline or on paperExam administrators using Speedwell’s exam software can now choose to run their OSCE assessments online, offline or on paper. Whilst paper and online OSCEs have been available for some time, the launch of iOS (iPads) and Android apps to manage digital OSCEs offline gives administrators at medical schools and Royal Colleges another opportunity to streamline […] |
Case Study: Queen Mary University London – Outsource your exam processingLooking to improve accuracy and save time in their exam processing for the Post Graduate Diploma in Dermatology, The Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous Research at Queen Mary University London, turned to Speedwell’s Bureau Services to help. Forming part of the prestigious Queen Mary University London, the Centre for Cell Biology and Cutaneous research […] |
How to run secure exams remotelyRun secure exams remotely Whilst many institutions already successfully run secure exams remotely, for others, moving exams online hasn’t been a priority. With tried and tested exam processes working well, online exams were a consideration for the future, for a time when both time and resources allowed. However, we presently find ourselves in unprecedented circumstances. […] |
Online exam software for medical educationOnline Exam Software in Medical Education It’s no secret that the use of online exam software continues to grow. However, in medical education, there are many complexities and considerations to make before deciding on the right software. When it comes to teaching and assessing our future doctors, the stakes are particularly high. To ensure they’re […] |
Run efficient paper-based exams with OMR SheetsWhilst there’s much talk about the efficiencies of digital exams, for many, paper exam delivery is still a significant and integral part of their exam operations. If you’re responsible for the day-to-day administration and delivery of these exams, streamlining the process is high on the agenda. So, what are the ‘must-haves’ for running efficient paper-based […] |
Add VSA and Hot Spot questions to your medical examsVery Short Answer Questions Very Short Answer (VSA) and Hot Spot question styles have been added to the eSystem. So, you can now add these question types to your medical examinations. Very Short Answer questions have been growing in popularity, with some institutions choosing these as an alternative to Single Best Answer (SBA). (Read more […] |
Speedwell’s eSystem Exam Software is first choice for new Medical SchoolsSpeedwell’s eSystem exam software has been chosen by two new Medical Schools. Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) School of Medicine and Sunderland Medical School – the first of five new medical schools to open under the government initiative to boost the numbers of doctors training across England – have both chosen Speedwell to help with their […] |
OMR Scanners – How to ensure seamless scanningWith the time that’s invested in preparing and setting up exams, it’s a relief when they’re over and have run smoothly. However, the task of processing the exam papers still lies ahead. With Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) scanners and software, then it should be as simple as scanning the sheets in. And with scanners capable […] |
Case study: ARU Medical School – Exam software delivers resultsWith a vision to educate and train doctors ready to practice modern medicine in the 21st century, Anglia Ruskin University’s brand-new School of Medicine had clear priorities for their exam management. Looking for a solution that matched this vision and would continue to meet their future needs – they turned to Speedwell to help. Anglia […] |
World-class exam software for medical schoolsAll the tools you need to run world-class medical exams We’ve been supplying exam software to Royal Colleges and Medical Schools for over 30 years. We understand what’s needed to ensure your MCQ and OSCE exams run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Today’s Medical Schools are facing increasing pressures on budgets, time and resources. […] |
Exam blueprinting – a closer lookOur market-leading eSystem exam software is designed to make exam creation as intuitive and streamlined as possible. In this blog post we’re taking a closer look at exam blueprinting and how it can benefit you when building exams. What is exam blueprinting? Blueprinting is a method used in creating exams that allows the administrator to […] |
Case Study: UCL Medical School – Revolutionising OSCE assessmentsImage courtesy of UCL Committed to changing the world for the better, University College London (UCL) has long been at the forefront of innovative thinking. When the Medical School wanted to move from paper to digital OSCE assessments they turned to Speedwell to help. Established in 1826, it immediately provided an open education in England […] |
Borderline regression – a closer lookHere at Speedwell, we aim to make life as easy as possible for our clients when preparing examinations and systems of assessment. |
Improve exam experience with a timely student feedback reportAnyone who has taken exams understands the desire for prompt results. However, today’s students increasingly demand more. They’re looking for constructive and detailed feedback that not only assists with their learning but also helps to improve future performance. If your existing exam processes make it difficult and labour intensive to provide student feedback, then it […] |
Delivering world class exam software for 30 years30 years of delivering world class exam software Speedwell Software was founded in 1988 and has been building world class exam software for over 30 years. We quickly established ourselves as an innovation focussed, PC-based ‘in-house’ solution using OMR scanning and sheets for clients and examination boards needing automated data capture. The system was a […] |
How can exam bureau services help you gain efficiencies?It’s no secret to those of us who work in the industry, that running exams and the associated processes can be time-consuming, complicated and often expensive. Whilst our eSystem online exam software can help streamline both online and paper-based assessments, we realise that this may not be the solution for everyone. You may not be […] |
Five ways to combat exam stressWith exam season well and truly upon us, there’s a lot of focus on exam stress for students. On the internet and in social media you will find a plethora of tips and advice on how to minimise stress in order to give the best performance on the day. From getting organised and having a […] |
Adding EMQ to your exams couldn’t be simplerExtended Matching Questions (EMQ) are now available in eSystem – Speedwell’s exam software. This specific type of multiple choice question allows a question to have multiple variables or scenarios all linked to a common set of answers. Often used in medical exams, EMQs offer the ability to demonstrate and assess diagnostic reasoning in a way […] |
Can timely student exam feedback improve results?Students entering the University system today have grown up with technology. They are the first generation for whom the internet has always been there and they don’t know (and perhaps can’t imagine) a world without it. This group, known as Generation Z, are often described as Digital Natives. The use of smart phones, tablets, social […] |
Case Study: UCL Medical School – A future proofed investmentImage courtesy of UCL Committed to changing the world for the better, University College London (UCL) has long been at the forefront of innovative thinking. Established in 1826, it immediately provided an open education in England to students of any race, class or religion. And in 1878 this was extended to welcoming female students on […] |
Improving the cost effectiveness of OSCEsThe value of using the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) as a determinant of clinical skills is widely agreed. It is the preferred way to assess clinical skills across a variety of programmes, such as medical, pharmacy, veterinary and so on and as such, is considered a more robust approach to clinical skills assessment in […] |
How to free-up time when preparing and running veterinary examsThe time, effort and associated costs dedicated to running multiple choice and OSCE exams within veterinary schools is high. To stage these assessments extensive time and input is needed from a skilled team of administrators, question authors, course assessors and so on. Traditionally the costs associated with running veterinary exams has been accepted unconditionally – […] |
Case study: Edinburgh University The Royal Dick School of Veterinary StudiesConsidered to be one of the top UK institutions to study veterinary medicine in the UK[i], the historic Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies has built a reputation for providing the highest quality learning and teaching to its undergraduates. The School runs two undergraduate programmes, lasting either four or five years. On average each student […] |
Enabling a positive user experience when sitting examsSitting exams is a regular part of the university calendar. And as universities and institutions fill up with digital natives, the usability and user experience of any online exam system used to run summative exams is likely to come under more scrutiny. It was important to us when we were developing our online exam software […] |
Case study: Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and DentistryThis innovative medical and dental school used Speedwell’s eSystem to quickly get up and running with time saving exam management software delivering digital exams. Faculty and administrators at Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry (PUPSMD) have a mission: to deliver exceptional clinical learning through their undergraduate medical and dentistry programmes. With multiple campuses […] |
Evaluating practical competence across assessment typesMany institutions and medical schools run practical assessments called Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) as a fair and accurate way to assess competence. However, there are plenty of organisations that run other formats of practical assessments – whether they be multiple mini interviews, Objective Structured Practical Exams (OSPEs), Integrated Structured Clinical Exams (ISCEs), oral examinations […] |
Question bank groups and learning outcomes go hand-in-handHere we explore how using question bank groups aligned with your learning outcomes can help ensure your exams meet your required criteria. The outcome based education model has been widely adopted throughout many university departments – from maths, economics and engineering to medicine and science. Essentially it involves the clear specification of the end product […] |
Future proofing exam software investmentsWhen considering investing in exam software, there are a number of considerations specific to exam tech that you may wish to consider upfront. After all, the software you select is likely to be used for a number of years and will be used by a large number of students and assessors alike – and the […] |
Are students disadvantaged when they sit paper exams?Walking around a university campus recently – and poking my head into the odd lecture hall – I was struck by how much technology has taken over from pen and paper for the vast majority of students. Students no longer make notes in exercise books, like I did as a student. Some students barely attend lectures, […] |
Article: McGill University, Medical SchoolData is widely acknowledged as the world’s most valuable digital resource – and the ability to harvest value from it is what sets one organisation apart from another. Read how McGill is harvesting their exam data to improve their assessments with the help of Speedwell. |
Case Study: European Board of OphthalmologyThe EBO Diploma is a medical exam offered to European ophthalmologists by the European Board of Ophthalmology. |
Five tips to get the most out of your question bank systemIt takes significant amounts of time to prepare, collate and review examination questions. And finding out after your students have sat the exam that your questions have not performed as expected is disappointing. |
Should students be left to their own devices?Universities are probably the biggest users of bring your own device (BYOD) in the world, since nowadays most students bring their own laptops or tablets to lectures. |
Paper versus Online ExamsFor several years now computers have been heralded to replace the traditional pen and paper exam format, however the rate of adoption has been varied at best! |
Q & A with McGill University on new Speedwell eSystemSpeedwell have officially launched their much anticipated new online exam software. |
Writing a good exam questionFor any exam, it is essential that your questions test the right content as determined by your learning objectives and have the appropriate degree of difficulty. |
Speedwell Celebrates its 26th AnniversaryAt Speedwell, we are very excited about 2015. It should prove to be a busy year as we celebrate our 26th anniversary, a year that will see the launch of our new eSystem, an online exam software. |
5 Best practices to optimise your MCQ examsMultiple choice exams are a reliable means of measuring knowledge and understanding at various levels of learning, as well as enabling large amounts of material to be covered efficiently. |
Question Banks – How to raise your exam standardsIn this blog piece we are going to explore what is QuestionBank and why it can play a pivotal role in raising your exam standards. |
Cliniquest: Box Whisker PlotThe box whisker plot report in CliniQuest is a useful way to see how your examiners are scoring your candidates, and also how the distribution of scores varies between examiners. |
MultiQuest – Withdrawing QuestionsOccasionally, a question might not have performed well in one of your exams. |
New Feature: Portable Examinations (CliniQuest)We have now added the ability to export and import examinations both to and from a file in CliniQuest. |
25 years of customer service excellenceSpeedwell began twenty-five years ago, when the world was a very different place. |
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