Transitioning Miami Dade’s 1, 65,000 students across 8 colleges and 21 test centers Online

MDC had been conducting the traditional ‘pen-and-paper’ tests. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 disrupted the exams of high school students enrolled in an accelerated program in the School of Justice. The lockdown delayed the exam schedule, posing genuine concerns about students’ future, prompting MDC to examine possible solutions to substitute the traditional examination system efficiently. Even though the university had been considering shifting to online exams for some time, the ongoing disruption expedited the transition. The college needed an agile partner and required an immediate solution.

Problems MDC needed a solution for included

Let’s explore the problems in detail

• Ensuring the continuity of examinations

The college wanted to ensure the continuity of its exams amid the ongoing health crisis. The pen-and-paper mode was impeding the process.

• Reducing manual intervention

Additional manual effort and time were required to conduct exams for high school students outside of the college. Hence, the college wanted to reduce manual intervention by automating its examination process.

• Cheat-proof examination environment

The institution’s priority was to maintain the integrity of the tests and deliver credible results, using proven virtual anti-cheating features.

• User-friendly interface

MDC wished to conduct the tests on an easy-tocomprehend examination platform as high school students were going to take them.

• Customer support

MDC was planning to shift to online exams for the first time. Therefore, it required continual and extensive customer support to understand and execute the exam and assist the students during the tests.

Why Mercer | Mettl

MDC evaluated all available options on the market and sampled around ten online examination providers. Its requirements included ease of use, efficient AI technology, and comprehensive hand-holding to gain familiarity with the new process.

After due diligence, MDC zeroed in on the Mercer | Mettl platform as it catered to all its requirements. Quick turnaround time and detailed explanation of the product and its features tilted the scales in favor of Mercer | Mettl.

The college needed precise solutions. The most pressing challenge was to familiarize students with the online platform and its intricacies as it was their maiden attempt at taking online tests.

Additionally, the college required support to undertake the transition seamlessly. The disruption mandated a proactive approach that embraced technology. After a detailed analysis of the challenges, Mercer | Mettl’s subject matter experts suggested employing ‘Mettl Examine,’ an all-in-one online examination platform, to conduct online exams.

Here’s how the solution helped-

Let’s elaborate on these points

• End-to-end Delivery

Mettl Examine removed all bottlenecks associated with pen-and-paper tests and offered end-to-end support to execute the examination seamlessly. It included uploading bulk questions, setting-up grading logic, sending customized emails, conducting exams, and providing comprehensive reports.

• Automating the process

Mettl Examine eliminated manual intervention through the entire process of the exam and provided a streamlined approach. Given the prevalent ‘work from home’ environment, automation allowed the college to fill in existing gaps, which would not have been possible otherwise.

• AI-enabled virtual invigilation

The Mettl Secure Browser (MSB) barred students from screen sharing or navigating away from the test window, ensuring the integrity of the undertaking. Artificial Intelligence (AI) monitored any suspicious activities, such as distracted eye movement, the presence of an additional person in the vicinity, or a smartphone. AI-enabled features flagged all such activities, thus maintaining the sanctity of the test-taking exercise.

• Seamless candidate experience

Our user-friendly and easy-to-navigate interface allowed high school students, without any prior exposure to acquaint themselves with the test platform. Therefore, the test-taking experience was superlative.

• Round-the-clock support

Mercer | Mettl team provided continual support to the college to help it understand the platform’s nuances. It encouraged the college staff to make the desired transition from the traditional means of conducting the examination. Despite operating from a vastly different time zone, our team provided almost real-time assistance.

Mercer | Mettl’s top-of-the-line offerings addressed numerous bottlenecks in conducting online exams with integrity and ease. Following are some noteworthy impacts of the intervention.

• Continuity in examinations

The ongoing health emergency had disrupted the set academic routine. Mercer | Mettl offered MDC with tools and services to maintain continuity and conduct hasslefree exams

• Reduced logistical hassles

The robust platform eliminated human intervention and streamlined the process of conducting the exams. Compared to the traditional methods of undertaking tests, the platform’s easy-to-use features enabled it to conduct online tests with the minimum logistical investment. Students only needed computers with internet connectivity to take tests from the comfort and safety of their homes.

• Improved turnaround time

The shift from the traditional ‘pen-and-paper’ mode to online tests by automating the examination process enabled generating quicker results. Students were graded transparently, irrespective of using a different and hitherto unused platform.

• High test integrity

Mettl’s proctoring technology ensured over 95% accuracy in detecting cheating instances, thus preserving the credibility of exams. It secured the online examination system on the lines of traditional invigilation methods.

• Seamless Experience

Mercer | Mettl’s agile response in assuaging any concerns about using the platform and its features assisted the college and test-takers throughout their examination journey and offered a smooth virtual exam-taking experience. The college has a practical and useful option to continue with online exams, even after the situation returns to normalcy.

Way Forward

MDC has chosen to continue using the Mercer | Mettl platform for the foreseeable future. The uncertainty about the restoration of normalcy and the ease with which the faculty and students could undertake the tests, contributed to the decision to continue with the association. This is a testimony to our platform’s prowess, reliability and robustness.