GIJ Begins Online Second Semester Examination for 2019/2020 Academic Year
The Ghana Institute of Journalism has successfully begun its online second semester examination for the 2019/2020 academic year.
On 22nd April, 2020, the Institute’s Management set up a Committee to consider proposals on the possibility of full deployment on the GIJ Moodle app for the Second Semester Examination and on 8th June, the Institute began its virtual examination with French being the first paper taken by the students.
The Head of the Moodle Functionality Committee, Dr. Stanley Semarco, was excited to say that so far, the online examination has been a major success. He said there were initial challenges with the Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) because the system was slow. ‘In instances where students were given a period of 2hrs to complete the multiple choice questions, most of them completed it within 1hr 40mins. We then advised students to take the MCQs in the evening after 9pm. With this, they were able to complete the MCQs in 32mins, 6 seconds’, he stated.
Dr. Modestus Fosu, the Acting Deputy Rector, also expressed his pleasure on the successful start of the virtual examination and was confident that the examination will be completed without any hitches and within the scheduled period. With the concern of some students with expected challenges during the examinations, he gave the assurance of alternative arrangements put in place for them, so that no one is deprived.
Dr. Fosu said the Institute’s IT Unit has now resolved all the challenges that were encountered on the first day of examination and in the subsequent days, students will write without any stress.
Mr. Yaw Odame Gyau, a Senior Lecturer, mentioned that a 3-day training session was organized for the students, administrative and academic Staff after which the moodle app was piloted for examination purposes which recorded remarkable success.
He explained further, the mode of examination. Stating that three strategies were adopted for the examination which includes Multiple Choice Questions, Essay type questions, and the Open book exam. However, some lecturers decided to combine the MCQs with Essays. To ensure quality assurance, essay questions were recommended for the higher levels and the questions were to be based on application and critical thinking to deter students from outsourcing.
Mr. Fiifi Tharkor, a Lecturer in the PR Faculty commented that the online examination should be considered an innovation so dynamic and effective to be adopted even after the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the Moodle app could be an alternative for class assignments and mid-semester exams in the coming years.
So far, eleven examination papers have been successfully written.
