Online exams in Moodle: question banks and integrity

Start with the question bank

The question bank is the foundation of a good exam, so take care of it before any settings:

• Categorize questions by topic and difficulty level

• Add random questions from a category instead of fixed questions

  So each student gets a different version.

• Vary the question types

  Multiple choice, true/false, short answer, and essay.

• Write more questions than you need in each category so randomization works

Available integrity settings

According to Moodle's documentation, quiz settings allow the following:

• Time limit

  A countdown, with automatic submission when time runs out

• Sequential navigation

  Prevents going back to earlier questions or jumping ahead

• Quiz password

  Students can't start until they enter it

• Network address restriction

  Limits access to a specific address or range, such as an exam hall

• Attempts and delays

  The number of attempts and the waiting time between them

• Question behaviour

  Deferred feedback mimics a traditional paper exam

• Review options

  Control when students see their answers and the correct answers

Safe Exam Browser

When required, Safe Exam Browser locks the student into full screen with no web browsing, and disables shortcuts including copy and paste. You can allow specific sites or programs, and configure it manually, with templates, or with a config file. But Moodle's own documentation notes that secure browser measures are "not completely foolproof" and don't stop a student from using another device or asking someone next to them.

Integrity is design before technology

• Ask applied questions that require thinking

  Not memorization questions that are easy to look up.

• Choose a suitable duration

  Too short is unfair to students; too long allows collaboration.

• For high-stakes exams

  Use a proctored hall with network restriction and Safe Exam Browser.

• Write a clear policy on what is allowed

  And have students sign it before the exam.

Load test before exam day

Hundreds of students pressing "Start" at the same moment is the hardest thing a server faces. So:

• Test with a number close to the real student count

  Don't settle for a single run. Moodle's documentation recommends tools like JMeter for testing.

• Stagger student start times or groups if possible

• Prepare a fallback plan for outages

  Who can retake an attempt, and how answers are saved.

• Don't rely on the mobile app offline for a timed exam

  Moodle's documentation says offline attempts are limited to quizzes with deferred feedback, and don't work with a time limit, network restriction, or sequential navigation.

After the exam

Review the quiz statistics to find questions that are too easy or too hard; a question everyone got wrong may be flawed. Fix flawed questions and regrade when needed, then feed what you learned back into the question bank.

Pre-exam checklist

• Questions are reviewed and categorized in the bank

• Random questions draw from large enough categories

• Time limit, navigation, password, and network restriction are set

• Review options don't reveal answers before the exam ends

• A load test was run with a realistic number of students

• A test device with a student account has taken the full exam

• The outage plan and technical support are announced

Frequently asked questions

• Is Safe Exam Browser enough on its own?

  No. It is one layer. It's best combined with good question design and proctoring when needed.

• Should I use H5P in the exam?

  Moodle's documentation recommends the Quiz activity for summative assessment, for security reasons.

• How many questions are right?

  There is no fixed number. It depends on the time, question types, and the learning outcomes you need to measure.

Sources

• Moodle documentation

  Quiz settings.

• Moodle documentation

  Performance recommendations.