{"id":114452,"date":"2020-06-05T16:50:22","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T14:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=114452"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:57","slug":"law-students-demand-compensation-for-technical-fault-during-exam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/06\/05\/law-students-demand-compensation-for-technical-fault-during-exam\/","title":{"rendered":"Law students demand compensation for technical fault during exam"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week, first-year students at Erasmus School of Law did an online examination for the subject Introduction to Fiscal Law. However, a technical hiccup at the start of the exam meant that a share of them had to complete it under \u2018suboptimal\u2019 conditions. The affected students feel they should be redressed for this disadvantage.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Students studying at the library, December 2019<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmber Leijen<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The fault in question popped up at the start of the examination. After logging in, the students didn\u2019t see any questions on their screens \u2013 while the timer ticked on. It took some 30 minutes to solve the problem. Originally, the students had been allotted 90 minutes to answer 40 multiple-choice questions and an open-ended question. \u201cBut a lot of time passed before we could actually start on the exam. This made us very anxious, and we had to rush through the questions,\u201d explains first-year student Seha Guzel.<\/p>\n

Extra time<\/h2>

About an hour into the exam, the students received an email telling them they had been afforded an extra 30 minutes to make up for the lost time. And 45 minutes later, another half hour was tacked on. \u201cBut the thing is: when they added this extra time, I was already on question 30,\u201d says Guzel. And he wasn\u2019t able to go back to previously answered questions. \u201cSo unfortunately, adding extra time twice didn\u2019t really make much of a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Compensation<\/h2>

According to the students, the technical complications made the examination extra stressful and chaotic. \u201cIt makes it harder to concentrate, because all of a sudden you\u2019re in a big rush. And at the same time you have to keep an eye on other matters \u2013 whether you have a message waiting in your inbox, for instance,\u201d says Guzel.<\/p>\n

The affected students have asked ESL for compensation. \u201cSome of us want to resit the examination, for instance. Others are hoping for an extra point,\u201d says Guzel. He\u2019d like to have a point added to his mark too. \u201cI think a resit would be tricky. As it is, I have two more exams plus a resit planned between now and the summer holidays.\u201d He has submitted his request to the Examining Board. \u201cThe Board has promised to notify me as soon as they\u2019ve found a solution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overloaded<\/h2>

Erasmus School of Law is currently looking into what caused the fault. \u201cIt appears as if the disruption was caused by overloaded servers, in combination with the large number of students sitting this particular online examination,\u201d says a spokesperson of the law faculty.<\/p>\n

According to ESL, only a share of the participating students were affected. The extra time was intended to let them round off the exam in its entirety. However, 10 of the over 700 participating students were unable to complete the open-ended question.<\/p>\n

Bare minimum<\/h2>

\u201cESL deeply regrets that this fault occurred and has created issues for a share of our students,\u201d says one of its spokespersons. The faculty is currently looking into a suitable solution for the affected students. \u201cWe\u2019re waiting until the results of the investigation and the examination itself come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to ESL, most first-year students won\u2019t be falling behind as a result of the mishap. The faculty emphasises that it is working to keep delays in students\u2019 study tracks to a bare minimum. \u201cFor example, at the very start of the Covid crisis, we immediately switched to online assessments and education. Generally speaking, the process has run quite smoothly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Lees meer<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t