Bring Your Own Device in Performance Assessments
On this page you will find all the information for lecturers on the topic of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in performance assessments. An overview of the mandatory Bring Your Own Device policy at ETH Zurich and further information on this topic can be found on the BYOD overview page.
The introduction of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) opens up new possibilities for the design of performance assessments.
If you would like to carry out a BYOD performance assessment, please read all the information on this information page carefully and contact the BYOD advisory team in case you need assistance:
Designing digital performance assessments
The inclusion of personal laptops in teaching and performance assessments offers many opportunities and poses some challenges. Considerations on the aspects listed below will help you prepare your BYOD performance assessment. In technologically complex scenarios, for the time being we recommend refraining from using BYOD in the examination and instead applying for a digital examination on ETH computers.
What are the learning objectives and how would I check them in a conventional, paper-based examination? Which digital specialist practices (e.g. programming, statistical analyses, online research, CAD, researching and writing texts) are directly or implicitly part of my learning objectives and how can I test them more authentically in a computer-based examination than in a conventional examination? Which learning objectives are not related to digital specialist practices and how would I like to check them?
ETH Zurich recommends a setup with Moodle and Safe Exam Browser. Detailed instruction manuals are available for this setup. Does this recommended setup cover my needs? If not - e.g. because third-party applications or an open-book scenario with extensive document collections are needed - it is possible to apply for a digital examination on ETH computers.
Instructions for BYOD performance assessments with SEB and Moodle for lecturers
Instructions for BYOD performance assessments with SEB and Moodle for students
Please forward the manual for students to your students early on.
It must be possible for students to carry out all compulsory courses, exercises and performance assessments with the recommended minimum configuration.
What form of performance assessment (session examination, end-of-semester examination, graded semester performance, ungraded semester performance or continuous performance assessment) is it and which regulations apply?
For the successful implementation of a BYOD performance assessment, test the technical examination setting in detail with the students in advance, e.g. by means of mock examinations or exercises that are carried out in the examination setup, and explicitly prepare the students for the examination format during the course, for example with the help of formative questions.
See RefreshTeaching (07.05.2024) Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Opportunities and Challenges for experience reports on BYOD in teaching and in performance assessments.
FAQ
BYOD performance assessments are written examinations that you (as a lecturer) conduct independently on student laptops on ETH Zurich premises with supervision. Akin to paper examinations, you are responsible for the contents of the examination, as well as for conducting, supervising, correcting, viewing and archiving the examination.
In the introductory phase of BYOD, an application must be submitted in order to conduct a BYOD performance assessment. Academic Services will check whether a BYOD performance assessment in your course is currently possible based on regulations and capacities.
Due to the gradual introduction of the mandatory BYOD policy for students starting a new degree programme, there will still be cohorts that are not subject to it in the coming years. If you wish to conduct a BYOD performance assessment, you must therefore ensure that all your students are subject to the mandatory BYOD policy. Otherwise, you must obtain the explicit, individual consent of any student who is not subject to the mandatory BYOD policy and, if necessary, provide them with replacement devices that meet the recommended minimum configuration.
Performance assessments that are conducted as a BYOD performance assessments must be clearly labelled as such in the Course Catalogue (VVZ). In the introductory phase, this is done centrally and is part of the processing of your application.
You are free to choose the examination scenario (e.g. closed book or open book) and the examination system (e.g. Moodle), provided that both comply with the applicable external page ETH regulations and directives on performance assessments.
It must be possible for students to carry out all compulsory courses, exercises and performance assessments with the minimum configuration recommended to students. Any additional capacities must be provided by lecturers.
Detailed instructions are available for the recommended setup with Moodle, SEB and SEB-Server, which facilitate a smooth examination process:
Instructions for BYOD performance assessments with SEB and Moodle for lecturers
Instructions for BYOD performance assessments with SEB and Moodle for students
We recommend you carry out several trial runs of your examination set-up with your students during the semester. Mock examinations, formative tests or exercises are suitable for this, preferably well in advance of the actual examination date.
BYOD performance assessments with Moodle and any associated mock examinations take place on the Moodle examination instance. A new examination course is created each semester.
After your application has been checked, a course will be created for you on Moodle. From spring semester 2025 onwards, you will be able to create the course yourself via eDoz.
Please note the following time windows in which the Moodle service is temporarily unavailable, as important updates are carried out. Do not plan any BYOD performance assessments with Moodle during these weeks:
- Exam Moodle: CW 41 in the autumn semester resp. 10.10.24 and 12.12.24 / CW 14, 15 in the spring semester.
- Course Moodle: CW tbd in the autumn semester resp. 09.10.24 and 11.12.24 / CW 24 in the spring semester.
It is currently not possible to integrate Polybox into BYOD performance assessments. In the recommended standard setup, individual PDF documents can be uploaded directly to Moodle and linked in the exam. To do this, closely follow the instructions for lecturers and students as well as point 4.3 of these instructions. Make sure that the document opens in a new window and that the documents are uploaded to the examination course. The recommended file size of 25 MB must not be exceeded and the maximum file size of 50 MB must not be exceeded under any circumstances.
In order to create fair conditions for all students in the examination and to prevent access to undesired resources, such as websites, software programs, files or system functions, we recommend securing the examination using external page Safe Exam Browser (SEB) and SEB Server or other suitable software systems. Please note that conducting an examination under fair conditions is a process consisting of several components. SEB and other software systems offer additional technical security, but in no way replace on-site examination supervision.
You can find detailed information about SEB and SEB Server on the
There is a contingent of replacement devices that are configured for the recommended setup with .
Please note the following time windows in which the replacement devices are temporarily unavailable due to important maintenance work. If you wish to use the replacement devices, do not plan your BYOD performance assessments during these weeks:
- HG @ Zentrum campus: CW 43/44 in the autumn semester and CW 17 in the spring semester.
- HIL @ H?nggerberg campus: CW 45 in the autumn semester and CW 18 in the spring semester.
We strongly recommend that you have sufficient replacement devices ready in case of unforeseen technical problems during the exam that cannot be solved quickly.
BYOD performance assessments take place on ETH premises under supervision.
- We recommend scheduling BYOD semester performances and BYOD end-of-semester examinations in the HG building on the Zentrum campus or in the HIL building on the H?nggerberg campus, as replacement devices are available there.
- BYOD session examinations will be scheduled by the Examinations Office of Academic Services in a suitable location.
Plan the distance between exam seats is the same way you do for paper exams, according to the exam office’s recommendations.
Instruct students to attend the exam with a fully charged battery. The recommended minimum requirement for student laptops states that the battery life for standard applications, such as word processing and web browsing, must be at least seven hours. Students can also voluntarily bring a power bank as a backup battery. A solution for equipping the premises with socket towers for BYOD session examinations is in the works for the HS 2024 examination session.
Instructions on how to connect to the WLAN and further information about the WLAN can be found here.
BYOD performance assessments are subject to the same regulations regarding backup and archiving as paper-based performance assessments. You must keep the marked and graded examination for two years. To do this, you create a backup copy, which you keep for two years in compliance with the data protection guidelines. You must then delete the data after two years.
The procedure for creating a backup of BYOD performance assessments with Moodle is documented as part of this guide.
Students have the right to review their marked and graded BYOD performance assessment in accordance with ETH regulations.
The procedure for reviewing BYOD performance assessments with Moodle is documented as part of this guide.
Well ahead of time, find out about the applicable regulations on this website and submit an application. Carry out several trial runs of your examination set-up with your students during the semester. Mock examinations, formative tests or exercises are suitable for this. It is best to do this well in advance of the actual examination date.
In the event of a device malfunction or similar technical complications that cannot be resolved, it is recommended to have replacement devices available for students as a backup plan. Make sure to check available options well ahead of time. On the day of the exam, allow students 15 to 30 minutes preparation time for taking their seats, starting their laptops and logging into the exam system. Only start the exam when all students are ready. In the event of persistent problems, the following procedure may help: (1) restarting the exam browser or exam software, (2) restarting the entire device, and finally (3) switching to a replacement device.
If problems occur during the exam, you can proceed as described above. Also make a note of the time at which the problem was reported and when the problem has been resolved. You can then credit the lost exam time individually to the affected student(s).
Detailed information on the procedure can be found in the instructions for BYOD performance assessments with SEB and Moodle for lecturers.
All ETH regulations apply, as well as Swiss law (in particular regarding data storage), which must be complied with - among others:
- Download ETH Zurich Ordinance on Performance Assessments (PDF, 352 KB)
- Download ETH Zurich Ordinance on Performance Assessments: Implementation stipulations determined by the Rector (PDF, 352 KB)
- Download Directive – Viewing and transfer of performance assessment records (PDF, 86 KB)
- ETH-Data protection regulations
- ETH-Compliance guide
- ETH-Compliance guide teaching
- Download Directive mandatory BYOD policy HS2024 (PDF, 22 KB)
The central coordination of the BYOD initiative is carried out by the BYOD advisory team consisting of employees from Educational IT Services (EduIT), Academic Services (AkD) and the Unit for Teaching and Learning (UTL). If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact the e-mail address below directly.