Hi,
I know this has been queried in the past in some form, but I'm wondering if it can be done.
We have Approx 30,000 users alone in one region and so the majority of them are remotely managed etc.
We are starting to see duplication and very similar results occurring between offices with results in quizzes.
It seems that users taking tests are using the Print screen to capture the Quiz questions and answers in Review mode and then passing them around.....
I used to design School websites and there was a Java script that disabled Print screen and also the mouse right click to add a level of protection to the images which did actually work. As long as the website was open on the pc then there was no way to right click the mouse or use print screen or copy and paste.
Has anyone else experienced this and is there a work around maybe?
JavaScript cannot disable PrintScreen.
The JavaScript you refer to can disable some things, like copy and paste, but only at the cost of warnings from IE7 that the web page in question is doing evils stuff to your computer. (I paraphrase slightly.) You can get this in the quiz to use this by turning on 'Secure' mode.
A better solution is to use the random question feature. Make three slight variants of each question that each test the same knowledge in the same way, but with a different specific example. That way, each student gets a different test. That is how the OU does most of its online exams. Obviously, three can vary but seems to be roughly the right number.
The JavaScript you refer to can disable some things, like copy and paste, but only at the cost of warnings from IE7 that the web page in question is doing evils stuff to your computer. (I paraphrase slightly.) You can get this in the quiz to use this by turning on 'Secure' mode.
A better solution is to use the random question feature. Make three slight variants of each question that each test the same knowledge in the same way, but with a different specific example. That way, each student gets a different test. That is how the OU does most of its online exams. Obviously, three can vary but seems to be roughly the right number.
I have typed this before, so it occured to me that this advice was worth adding to Moodle docs: Effective_quiz_practices#Robust_testing_with_random_variants.
Thanks for help.
Indeed I have created a test using the Random Question option.
There are 30 questions in the pool and they are given 20 random questions.
I think the best solution is to dramatically increase the number of questions to try and at least reduce the chance of users getting the same questions.
I have randomised the answers as well.
I have added a script to the review page which at least will now prevent right clicking and text selection. But IE6+ does scream with the PrtScn disabling option.
The test is timed also, so hopefully those in the know may not take the time to disable Javascript on their machines during the test.
Indeed I have created a test using the Random Question option.
There are 30 questions in the pool and they are given 20 random questions.
I think the best solution is to dramatically increase the number of questions to try and at least reduce the chance of users getting the same questions.
I have randomised the answers as well.
I have added a script to the review page which at least will now prevent right clicking and text selection. But IE6+ does scream with the PrtScn disabling option.
The test is timed also, so hopefully those in the know may not take the time to disable Javascript on their machines during the test.
Sorry for the bad news, but there was a great way to do this using Flash up until a month or so ago. The script worked great and disabled all types of copying, pasting, screen printing, etc.
However, the script no longer works automatically with the new Flash Player 10.
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/articles/fplayer10_security_changes_02.html#head31
However, the script no longer works automatically with the new Flash Player 10.
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/articles/fplayer10_security_changes_02.html#head31
I groan every time I see this question....
Unless you conduct your quiz in a highly controlled environment then you can't. It's the same deal as saying "how can I stop someone photocopying my book" (and people do say that, of course).
The desire to copy the information (and hence the ingenuity applied) is directly proportional to the value of the questions
Unless you conduct your quiz in a highly controlled environment then you can't. It's the same deal as saying "how can I stop someone photocopying my book" (and people do say that, of course).
The desire to copy the information (and hence the ingenuity applied) is directly proportional to the value of the questions
Disabling copy paste is a very effective way to stop plagiarization. Taking a screenshot is a very tedious way to copy. If a person isn't able to copy-paste then he might as well give up and try finding another source
No, the most effective way to stop plagiarization is to educate your students. You have to tell them the difference between quoting and plagiarizing. You also have to set them tasks for which plagiarizing is useless.
Joseph
Joseph
Following up on J.R.'s point, I would say that "you have to set them tasks for which plagiarizing" is pointless.
Example:
Easy Plagiarism: "Who rode Washington's white horse?
A: George Washington.
Tougher question: "Who rode Washington's horse? Was it really "white"?
A: There are no white horses. There are gray horses which are much less gray. [cite source]
Also, General Washington rode [X] horses during the American Revolution. [X] horses were "white." He is pictured in [name some paintings] riding a white horse [cite provenance/visual source of paintings].
Example:
Easy Plagiarism: "Who rode Washington's white horse?
A: George Washington.
Tougher question: "Who rode Washington's horse? Was it really "white"?
A: There are no white horses. There are gray horses which are much less gray. [cite source]
Also, General Washington rode [X] horses during the American Revolution. [X] horses were "white." He is pictured in [name some paintings] riding a white horse [cite provenance/visual source of paintings].
It's not simply a case of students copying it is also an issue of taking steps to protect and secure (at least at some level) the intellectual property of the course content.
Are creators of other courses on the same topic enrolling as students in your course? Or are people profiting from creating guides to "beat" your course or tests? If so, then I can see why you're concerned about intellectual property in a more general sense, but again, if someone's really determined they'll just look at it and write it down...but that's beside the point. What I'm getting at is, unless you have concerns about your content being yoinked into competitive products or products that market to your students, more general intellectual property concerns are probably not as important as preventing cheating.
As mentioned in my forum post on a related topic, the Repondus Lockdown Browser may be a good option to protect the integrity/intellectual property of the quiz. Students could still potentially take pictures with their smart phones or hand write all the quiz questions down but at that point, the student is trying harder to cheat then actually take the quiz.
There are ways to create lockdown situations using policies at an ICT dept level.
You can decide to disable a whole bunch of items like print screen, copy and paste, limit to ONE URL, shut off Alt-ctrl-del etc etc. We ran this last year, had to do a reboot just before the test.
We did trial the respondus browser, but I cannot remember the outcome.
-Derek