Testing Procedures

Theoretical and practical skill tests/examinations will occur throughout the Program. Attendance at examinations is mandatory, and absence must be reported to the instructor or the Program Coordinator prior to the commencement of the test/exam. Documentation may be required for test/exam rescheduling.

*See Section 5 – Missed Evaluations for details on the Missed Evaluation Form.

It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of the place, starting time and duration of all tests as well as the rules of conduct, which govern them. Tests and exams will be written at the scheduled dates and times, as communicated by the course instructor(s). Tests and examinations may or may not be scheduled during class time.

Please review your learning plan to confirm program specific processes.

General Guidelines

Preparation

1. All requests for accommodation, for those with an Accommodation Letter, must be made in advance to the Accessible Learning Services department, who will determine what, if any, accommodation is appropriate. Course instructors and invigilators will not grant any additional accommodation.
2. Students who require accommodations: you are required to identify yourself, at the beginning of the semester (or as early as possible), to Accessibility Learning Services to review procedures and to facilitate communication amongst yourself, your case manager and your instructors regarding accommodation.
3. All students must have their valid Mohawk College ONE Card available when entering the test room and on their desk during the test. A student without their ONE Card who is not recognized by the invigilator will be required to leave the test room.
4. The course instructor(s) and invigilator have the right to assign student seating in the test room. No individual requests will be accommodated.
5. No hats or caps can be worn.

Resources

5. Test instructions and/or images may be displayed on the whiteboard and/or projection screen at the front of the room. Room lighting will be dimmed while images are being projected. Students are responsible for ensuring that their vision is adequate to see from any seat in the testing room.
6. No materials and equipment may be taken into the testing facility except those authorized by the invigilator and/or specified by the test paper. Any unauthorized items must be left at the front/back of the room. The following items are allowed at the test desks:
   1. pencils, pens, highlighters
   2. erasers
   3. ruler
   4. tissues and lozenges
   5. water in spill-resistant clear container, with no labels
   6. (where pre-approved by the instructor) non-programmable calculator
7. All test papers must be written in black or blue ink, no pencils except on Scantron sheets.
8. Unless otherwise directed, there are to be no phones, earphones, pagers, notes, charts, or books allowed on student desks during test/exam evaluations. All pagers, cell phones and other electronic devices must be turned off and out of sight.
9. Invigilators are authorized to inspect all equipment and materials used inside a testing facility.
10. Students who bring unauthorized resources into a testing facility, or who assist other students, or who obtain assistance from other students or any other unauthorized source, may not be permitted to complete the test. They may also be subject to further disciplinary action under the College’s Academic Honesty Policy.
11. Tests and testing materials specifically provided by the invigilator must not be removed from the testing facility unless the appropriate authorization is given by the invigilator.

Arrival and Departure

12. Students are expected to arrive at the testing facility at least ten (10) minutes before the scheduled commencement of the test.
13. For a test of up to one hour in length, no student may leave during the first 20 minutes. For a test of an hour or more, no student may leave during the first 30 minutes. After that period of time, students who are finished may hand in their test papers to the invigilator, and then leave the room. Students may not return to the testing area without permission.
14. Students who arrive late for a test will be allowed to write the test ONLY if no other student has already left the test room. Late students will not be given any extension of time to complete the assessment.
15. Bathroom privileges are allowed only for tests of at least an hour in length, and are available only when a second invigilator is available for the test room. An invigilator will accompany the student to and from the washroom.
16. Students will not normally enter or leave the testing facility unless permitted to do so by the invigilator. In the event of an emergency or illness, the student MUST speak to the instructor or a designate PRIOR to the commencement of the exam or test. In cases of emergency, students leaving and returning to a testing facility must be accompanied by an invigilator.
    

Instructions and Submission

17. The invigilator will announce the start and end times for the test session. The time allowed includes the time required for the student to fill in the computer scoring sheet (Scantron) if used for that test. No additional time will be given to any student for writing after the test session is over.
18. Where computer scoring sheets are used, the scoring sheet is the official record of the student’s answers, not the question paper. It is the student’s responsibility to mark their answers on the sheet properly within the time allotted for the test. The course instructor is not permitted to make changes to the student’s computer scoring sheet even if the student has marked it out of order. Students may obtain a replacement scoring sheet during the test if the original becomes crumpled, damaged, or has excessive erasure marks.
19. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they have received the correct test paper and that the document contains the correct number of pages and questions.
20. Students must follow all instructions as contained in the test paper. Any changes to such instructions, if required, will be communicated by the invigilator.
21. Invigilators will not reword questions or provide clues for individual students. If a change is to be made to the test paper, it will be announced to the entire student group.
22. The invigilator may periodically announce the amount of time remaining in the test period.
23. Once the invigilator announces that the test session has ended, students must stop all writing immediately, regardless of whether or not they have finished. All test papers must then be handed in to the invigilator immediately without further writing. The invigilator has the right to confiscate the test paper of any student who continues to write after the test session is over, or who fails to hand in the paper immediately.
24. At the conclusion of a test, all testing activity must cease. In the event that this requirement is not observed, the invigilator may refuse to accept a student’s test papers or may document the event for further discipline/action.
25. A student must ensure that all test materials to be graded are, in fact, submitted at the conclusion of the test and contain the student’s name and student ID number. Student must submit test papers to the examiner/invigilator prior to leaving the testing area (otherwise a grade of zero will be assigned). An examiner will not grade materials submitted by a student after that student has left the testing facility.

Environment

26. Students are advised to store their personal belongings in a secure place (e.g. locker) during the test. Items brought into the test room that are not allowed at the desks must be left at either the front or back of the room during the test. Invigilators are not responsible for the security of such items.
27. No conversation is allowed once students are seated in the test room. Once the test is in progress, no communication of any sort between students is allowed in the test room.
28. The invigilator is responsible for maintaining an environment appropriate for student evaluation, adhering to the College policies regarding academic honesty and student behaviour.
29. Once the test has begun, if a student has a question for the invigilator, the student should raise their hand to signal the invigilator, and then wait for the invigilator to arrive at the desk.
30. Any student who leaves their seat during the test without the permission of the invigilator will be deemed to have finished the test and must then hand in the test paper.
31. Students should be considerate of their classmates in keeping noise to a minimum. Students whose behaviour is disruptive will be warned by the invigilator. If the student continues the disruptive behaviour, they will be deemed to have finished the test. They are required to hand in the test paper and leave the test room immediately.
32. Students who enter and leave a testing facility should be considerate of their classmates in keeping noise to a minimum, and when leaving must not remain in the immediate vicinity of the exit.

Practical Assessments

33. For skills/practical tests/examinations, students must adhere to required attire as designated by the examiner. A student may be denied testing privileges if attire worn (as student/model) is deemed to be unsafe or inappropriate to the testing environment.
34. Students leaving a practical exam MUST refrain from communicating with those who are waiting to take the same exam. Any such communication may be subject to further disciplinary action under the College’s Academic Honesty Policy.

Final Exam Weeks

35. The final exam week of each semester will follow the IAHS Exam Policy:
    1. All hallways will be quiet zones.
    2. Students will be able to line up outside of exam rooms only 5 minutes prior to their exam start time.
    3. Students leaving an exam must vacate the hallways quickly and quietly.
    4. Dedicated quiet study spaces and lounge areas will be available for students to utilize.