Higher Ed Grading and Exam Scheduling Systems are Outdated and Pose Security Risks

Data protection is a constant worry for universities, particularly law schools, given the sensitive information they store about students, faculty, and staff. These institutions must take all necessary steps to secure the vast amounts of valuable information they hold and prevent unauthorized access to this information.

Ensuring the protection of this information is crucial to the success of faculty, students, and higher education institutions as a whole. Neglecting to do so could result in significant legal and regulatory consequences. With their reputations at stake, all parties involved bear a greater responsibility for securing the information that is shared between them.

At AppointLink, we frequently observe these challenges manifest in both grading and exam scheduling procedures. Grading is a critical aspect for higher education institutions and it is understandable why it is taken so seriously. The grading process involves many intricate details and even minor inaccuracies can lead to significant consequences.

Many higher education institutions implement an “anonymous grading” policy, which requires faculty to grade assignments and exams without knowing the student’s identity. This helps prevent any potential biases, conscious or unconscious, from affecting the grading process. Maintaining anonymity is directly tied to data security and adds an additional layer of complexity to the grading procedure.

Higher education institutions that rely on email or printed methods for grading coordination with their registrar’s office are exposing themselves to additional security risks and complications. These outdated, but commonly used grading methods increase the risk of errors and add extra workload to staff members, who must take great care to ensure that grades are accurately delivered and meet strict deadlines.

Another area where security is a critical issue is the examination scheduling process. While this may seem like a routine aspect of college courses, it presents its own set of security risks, particularly when it comes to accommodating students with special needs. As universities aim to promote equity and inclusivity, it is crucial to consider the difficulties these students face to guarantee their accommodations are fulfilled.

Preparing for a college exam can be a stressful experience in itself. Students who require special accommodations, such as large font displays, private testing rooms, or extended time to complete the exam, may face an additional challenge of ensuring that these accommodations are arranged well ahead of time.

If a student must use an exam scheduling system that is cumbersome or confusing, it can have a harmful effect on their mental well-being and stress levels by creating an additional and inconvenient step in their exam preparation for each class. The student’s main priority should be studying to perform well, not navigating the scheduling process or confirming that their requests for special accommodations have been properly communicated.

It is equally important to ensure information regarding a student’s special accommodations is kept confidential. This information should be treated with the same level of care and security as medical or confidential information.

Barrier-free grading and exam scheduling technologies streamline these procedures, providing benefits for students, staff, and faculty. These are crucial factors that universities must consider when assessing the usability of their institutional tools.

AppointLink’s Grading and Exam Scheduling Power Tools have received high praise from law schools and are known for their security and seamless integration with existing platforms such as Canvas.

Contact us today to discover how AppointLink Higher Education Power Tools can help your institution eliminate the friction that slows education and secure and streamlined exchange of information.