Massey University 'deeply disappointed' as online exams fail

Massey University has halted online exams today because of technical issues.

A number of students have complained and shared their experience with the issue on the university's Facebook page.

In a statement, Provost Professor Giselle Byrnes said about 2000 students were due to sit the Online Supervised Exams (OSE) today.

Instead, those exams would be rescheduled to start tomorrow at noon, being available to students for 48 hours.

"Students will be able to start these rescheduled exams at any time within the 48-hour period. Students whose exams were interrupted today will be able to continue their examination on the new date."

Due to the recurring problems, the university has decided to turn off remote proctoring of online exams for the rest of the semester 1 examinations.

Many students were set to participate in OSE's this week, where students are monitored through software while sitting online exams remotely.

"I appreciate the exam period is already stressful, and many students are likely to have made specific arrangements to sit these exams, taking time off work or needing childcare," Byrnes said. "Our staff are working with students to minimise further disruption and help manage personal circumstances that may make sitting exams at alternative times or days difficult."

The Provost said the university was "extremely disappointed in this failure of service".

"We acknowledge this has likely been a stressful situation for our students and want to apologise for any inconvenience and disruption this has caused. We are committed to providing our students with exceptional service and this situation falls short of that."

Student Courtney Henderson told 1News: "So far this software has led to exams being deleted, answers being unsaved and private personal information being sent to other students."

The Palmerston North-based student said she experienced technical issues on Monday, and her flatmates' exams were affected today.

Yesterday morning, the university said the issue had been resolved.

She said the privacy breach included a friend being shown the name, email address, phone number, and photos of another student on the online exam platform.

Henderson said there have been issues on and off with the online supervised exam platform for two years. She said communication from the university this week has "not been great."

"[I feel] let down — we pay a lot of money to take courses."

Henderson said lecturers support students and understand the issue, but the university's leaders were "not listening".

Professor Byrnes said the university was "aware a small number of students had the name and email address of another student displayed to them in the process of accessing their examination paper, instead of their own".

"This is being taken very seriously. The university’s Privacy Officer has been engaged and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has been advised.

"We are providing updates to students via email and social media, to outline the different options available for them to sit their exams or apply for impaired performance, as well as providing other support services should they need them."

The university said on Facebook an investigation had been launched and it was considering what to do for the rest of the exam period.

It stated affected students would be contacted by the end of business today with an update.

Meanwhile, a petition has been launched calling for the university to stop using the controversial exam software. Privacy concerns about the exam monitoring platform which recorded footage of students participating have been raised in the past.

Petition organiser Alex Murray claims on the petition site that hundreds of students have been affected this week.

"The use of OSE has proven to be unreliable and stressful for students.

"It is unfair that our academic performance and personal well-being is impaired due to technical failures beyond our control,' the petition states."

The petition urged the university to reconsider OSE and use another online exam platform to ensure "fairness, reliability, security and reassurance for all students".