Customer Story
"This tool has proven to be highly beneficial in maximizing the efficiency of our comprehensive exam process and minimizing the intervention needed from our eLearning staff."
Michael Kuznicki, Instructional Technologist, Franciscan University of Steubenville
Franciscan University of Steubenville is a Catholic university founded in 1946 in Ohio. The University integrates comprehensive academic programs with a faith-led environment, serving more than 3,800 students from across the USA and internationally each year and preparing them for various professional fields.
Franciscan University’s Theology Department has a unique and complex final comprehensive exam for graduate students. This exam consists of a series of essays with multiple sets of questions, randomization, specific grading, and requires multiple sessions for completion. Each student experiences this differently based on the courses they have taken within the program.
Previously, this complex system was maintained through a custom-built solution that required specific software development knowledge. It was difficult to support and maintain when team members left or when the software updated. The goal was to find a long-term, user-friendly solution that would empower the Theology Department to manage their own assessment process without compromising the integrity and structure of the exams.
The implementation began with a pilot where the assessment process was re-built using Inspera Assessment. The process involved learning how to use Inspera, translating existing requirements into the new system, and training the project manager in the Theology Department. In terms of getting set up on Inspera Assessment, the University’s eLearning Team needed to create questions, set up tests, and ensure seamless integration with existing platforms using single sign-on (SSO). The transition involved a period of staff training and testing before fully rolling out the new system to students.
The main improvement has been the empowerment of the project manager in the Theology Department, who can now independently create exams, monitor student progress, and manage the grading process. This has greatly reduced the reliance on eLearning staff and streamlined the overall assessment workflow. Students have adapted well to the new system. Despite a few individual access issues, which were resolved, the new platform has proven to be effective in delivering and grading comprehensive exams.
When academic staff graded the papers for the first time, the eLearning team supported them with the new tool.
Franciscan University plans to continue using Inspera for their comprehensive exams, with anticipation that the process will become even smoother as both faculty and students become more familiar with the system. There is potential to explore new features and improvements in Inspera, such as assessment paths and multiple attempts, which could further enhance the exam process. Franciscan University is optimistic about the ongoing collaboration with Inspera and the continued benefits it will bring to their assessment strategy.
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