Customer Story
Authored for Inspera by Maddie Kinnair, Kimberly May-O’Brien and Susan Barfield - Learning Enhancement and Technology Advisors and Inspera Co-Leads at Newcastle University
Newcastle University’s Learning and Teaching Development Service (LTDS) supports the development and implementation of our institutional Education Strategy, particularly in relation to enhancement of digital education provision. Through collaboration, events and professional development activities, we work alongside colleagues to encourage and share best practice, effective use of learning technologies, and innovative programme design, development and delivery.
As part of this work, the Digital Exams Team within LTDS is responsible for managing the implementation of centrally-supported digital assessment technologies. This team is comprised of three assessment leads who work alongside two administration colleagues to ensure all digital assignments and digital exams run as smoothly and as effectively as possible.
Digital exams began at Newcastle University in 2007 with three Blackboard-based multiple choice assessments using a basic lockdown browser. The service quickly grew from there, reaching 190 digital exams and 16,000 student sittings in 2019/20. However, using a VLE for digital exams is not without its problems, and so in 2021 – after a rigorous tender process complete with requirements mapping and institution-wide staff and student user testing – we officially procured Inspera Assessment.
With Inspera, we aimed to:
Since procuring Inspera Assessment, Newcastle University has dramatically expanded its digital exam offering with average year-on-year growth of 55%, resulting in over 30,000 student sittings in 2024/25 and a planned 10% increase for 2025/26.
Inspera Assessment offers a range of benefits that make digital exams more secure, efficient, and engaging for both colleagues and students. Key benefits include:
Students also benefit from ease and familiarity of keyboard-based writing, simpler editing of essay answers, and less hand-strain when compared to traditional written exams.
“At Inspera we’re always exploring how to best support authentic assessment with integrity. Newcastle University’s innovative and creative use of Inspera is truly inspirational”
– Inspera, 2025
Inspera Assessment also helps Newcastle University innovate and develop more interesting, engaging and authentic assessments modalities, including:
For example, our medical exams featuring videos that require students to interpret and apply their knowledge.
For example, phonetics exams with audio clips, preparing students for real-world language translation scenarios.
Language assessments where students type answers using foreign characters and accents.
Allow-listed data sets and specialised software (e.g. SPSS and AutoCAD) to enhance exams with simulated professional tasks.
We also regularly review and train colleagues on new Inspera features to encourage innovation in exam design. Consequently, in the last year alone, we have seen a significant rise in the use of advanced exam features such as allow listing of digital resources (+49%), candidate selected questions (+106%), and question set randomisation (+30%).
Multiple departments across Newcastle University work in close partnership to ensure every exam we deliver is a success. The LTDS Digital Exams Team sets up all summative Inspera exams using question sets created by academic colleagues, our Exams Office handles scheduling and exam logistics, and our IT department manages hardware and software installation. In addition, our Estates team deal with venue setup, Student Health and Wellbeing support students before, during and after exams, and academic module teams – assisted by school-based professional services – handle marking and feedback. It’s a true collaborative process.
To upskill colleagues in Inspera, the Digital Exams Team offer introductory in-person and online webinars for academics and professional services staff, supplemented by a range of self-paced online resources including how-to guides, video demos, a comprehensive VLE-based training course, and a range of easy-to-access FAQs. We also encourage module teams to run formative mock exams so that students can familiarise themselves with the platform before summative assessments take place.
Feedback from both colleagues and students on the Inspera platform has been positive, with satisfaction rates consistently high for all user groups. Colleagues appreciate its simple question setting and marking tools, while students value the ability to compose and edit answers more easily. This shared enthusiasm highlights Inspera’s effectiveness in supporting engaging, accessible and efficient digital assessment experiences.
In November 2024, we launched a new Inspera User Group to connect users of Inspera from across the UK. With 30 members representing 13 HE institutions, the group meets regularly to discuss best practices and innovations in digital exams. In addition, for the past two years, Inspera representatives have visited Newcastle University for an annual on-campus skill sharing and development-priority roadshow event, giving us and our Inspera users a chance to connect directly with Inspera’s team, explore new features, and learn practical ways to improve our digital exams. Together, this partnership approach with colleagues across the sector has allowed us to innovate faster and more effectively.
In 2020, our efforts received ‘Best Summative Assessment Award’ at the International e-Assessment Awards, with judges praising the Digital Exams Team for demonstrating a high level of success delivering programmes and diversifying online exams. Since then, we have presented Newcastle’s experiences and lessons learned at several academic conferences and events, including the recent 2024 Assessment in Higher Education Conference. We hope, in doing so, we can disseminate best practice and help other Inspera users accelerate digital exam adoption and roll-out.
As Newcastle University continues to embrace and expand digital assessment, we remain dedicated to providing colleagues with the tools and training required to deliver engaging, authentic digital exams. Our journey with Inspera so far demonstrates this commitment, showcasing the benefits of secure, innovative, and sustainable online assessments. With a new education strategy in development – plus ongoing collaboration and upcoming Inspera enhancements (e.g. advanced data analysis tools) – we’re excited about the future of online assessment, and look forward to further shaping and refining our digital exams offering.
