This page provides guidance for setting up different types of exams in Moodle, including open-book, timed, and controlled-environment exams. It also outlines the support available from the Digital Learning Team.
Tips for exams and controlled-environment assessments
Moodle exam platform
All online exams are hosted on a dedicated Moodle platform, which is directly linked from the student exam timetable and clearly distinguished from the main Moodle site by a blue banner. The exam site includes an Announcements forum for posting updates to students. These announcements appear in Moodle, are emailed and displayed in the Student Portal and iLancaster, though email remains the most reliable channel. Students can access their exam page one week before the exam. Importantly, exams cannot be taken using the Moodle mobile app and must be accessed via a desktop browser.
How to: Open book exams in Moodle accordion
Alternative assessments will normally take the form of an open book exam paper that students will complete at home over a restricted period of time (usually 24 hours - 7 days). These exams are administered by your department. They will not be timetabled, and your department will provide all details necessary for you to complete the work.
A standard Moodle assignment activity normally used for coursework submission can be used with some additional restrictions put in place.
Solution
Before releasing an exam to students, you will need to:
- Create an accessible document (word or PDF) with the exam question.
- To make it accessible you can either use Ally when uploaded into Moodle or use the built in accessibility checkers in Word or Adobe Acrobat Pro for the PDF. There are some accessibility checklists to help you too.
- Set up Moodle assignment activity.
- Upload exam question as a single file resource.
- If needed, let students know they can do hand drawn diagrams/equations and take a photo of it using Microsoft Lens to store it as a document, ready for upload. You can share the Creating a combined answer file for exam submission guidance.
Notes
- Exam questions for this form of assessment will need to reflect the nature of the assessment (e.g. assessing the students’ knowledge recall would not be appropriate) which will differ from an invigilated 3 hour written exam.
Relevant training
- Online course: Introduction to Moodle (For staff)
- Online course: Online assessment and feedback for assignments in Moodle
Moodle activity types
Two activity types are used for online exams. The Assignment activity supports restricted time periods or single-sitting formats, allows anonymous submission and generates Turnitin reports, making it the recommended choice for most exams. The Quiz activity is designed for timed, single-sitting exams taken within a longer availability window. It includes a countdown timer once started and is best suited to automatically marked questions rather than essay-based responses. Full randomisation of questions is required to ensure students do not receive identical papers.
Enrolment and Groups
Each exam page is created from a standard template that includes universal information such as student guidance, time zone reminders and ILSP notes. Relevant staff are added automatically, with the option to include others manually and students are automatically enrolled one week before the exam. For timed, single-sitting exams, groups are generated automatically from LUSI data to reflect Inclusive Learning and Support Plans (ILSPs) and rest breaks, with coversheets appended to relevant exam papers.
Controlled-environment exams
Some exams are delivered under supervised or restricted digital conditions. These may take place in computer labs with invigilation, through LanSchool-monitored sessions that restrict access to applications and websites or via Apporto virtual desktops that provide a standardised remote exam environment. Key considerations include preparing platforms in advance so students can log in smoothly, pre-configuring restrictions to block unauthorised resources and managing timing and access through locked browsers or LanSchool settings. A practice run is strongly recommended to familiarise students with the environment. Clear contact details for technical support should be provided on the day.
Marking and Grading
Exams can be marked in two main ways. Submissions can be annotated directly in Moodle or downloaded for local annotation in Word or Adobe Acrobat. By default, feedback comments, rubrics, and marking guides are turned off, so these settings should be enabled where required before marking begins. Changing methods mid-way risks losing already completed marking. Grades can either be managed directly within Moodle or exported via a grading worksheet for offline completion and return.
Support and good practice
The Digital Learning Team provides guidance throughout the process, from initial exam setup to technical support on the day. Good practice includes ensuring students test their login access beforehand, providing clear instructions on how the exam will run and arranging a short, low-stakes practice exam in the same environment. This helps reduce stress and ensures both staff and students are confident with the digital setup.
For more information on Exams and Controlled-Environment Assessments, please view the section on the Assessment & Feedback in Moodle course.