Observed exam or test

Exams and tests are assessment activities which are time-bound, observed and/or invigilated by trained staff, and require students to respond to previously unseen questions, problems or material. Exams, when well-designed, can be used to evaluate a range of students’ knowledge and skills including learning outcomes centred on understanding and applying subject content material, organising and contextualising information, and structured approaches to solving problems.

Examples currently used include:

Observed practical examination – commonly used in fields such as science (lab-based practical exams), healthcare (clinical skills assessments), engineering (lab-based problem-solving) and computing (live coding exercises). These examinations typically assess students’ practical and/or procedural knowledge and skills in authentic or real-world contexts.

Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) – a particularly standardised example of an observed practical examination which used primarily in healthcare and related disciplines. An OSCE is a structured, timed, multi-station assessment that evaluates students' clinical knowledge and reasoning, clinical and practical skills and professional competencies.

Invigilated written examination – whether on paper or secure in-place digital platforms, are conducted under supervised conditions, with restricted access to resources and tools.

Observed mid-semester test or quiz – typically a shorter assessment conducted in a supervised exam hall or classroom setting. Often more flexible than an invigilated written examination and integrated into regular scheduled classes, these may be supervised by teaching staff.