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GIJ begins online examination

The Ghana Institute of Journalism has successfully begun its online second semester examination for the 2019/2020 academic year.

On April 22nd, 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 June 8th, 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, said that so far, the online examination had been a major success.

He admitted there were initial challenges with the Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) because the system was slow.

 ‘In instances where students were given a period of two hours to complete the multiple choice questions, most of them completed it within one hour, 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, six 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 would be completed without any hitches and within the scheduled period.

On the concerns raised by some students who faced challenges during the examinations, he assured that alternative arrangements would be made for them, so that no one is deprived.

Dr Fosu said the Institute’s IT Unit had resolved all the challenges that were encountered on the first day of examination and in the subsequent days, students would write without any stress.

Mr Yaw Odame Gyau, a Senior Lecturer, mentioned that a 3-day training session was organised 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, saying that, three strategies were adopted for the examination which included Multiple Choice Questions, Essay type questions, and the Open book exam.

 However, some lecturers, he said 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 proposed that the online examination should be considered as an innovation, dynamic and effective means for examinations 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.

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