4 benefits of using Cadmus for more than exam alternatives

Over the last two years, we've seen plenty of teachers shift away from invigilated exams and towards open-book exam alternatives. Cadmus has been an attractive option for conducting these assessments, combining detailed academic integrity insights with a simplified workflow. What many academics don't realise, however, is that Cadmus can also be used for more formative tasks during the semester.

As an assessment for learning platform, Cadmus is designed to provide value to students regardless of how they are learning — in-semester assignment, class activity, or a summative task. For teachers that are yet to expand their use of Cadmus beyond exam alternatives, here are a few benefits of using the platform for your in semester tasks as well.

1. Improve assessment clarity and incorporate scaffolding

Questions from students about an assessment often stem from a lack of clarity in the instructions. When information is unclear and resources are disconnected, students are at risk of disengaging or not meeting the learning outcomes. With a template in Cadmus, you can rest assured that your instructions will be easy to follow in line with best-practice teaching and learning research. The templated structure lends itself to extended in-semester tasks by effectively scaffolding students through every stage of an ideal learning process. With a clear process to follow, students feel more supported and confident completing assessments.

You'll find a range of assessment templates in-app which are an easy way to refresh an existing task. If you can't quite find one that suits, the Cadmus learning design team can support you in designing a custom assessment template. And if you're in need of some inspiration, see how Paul Jensen added a template to his assessment only a week before the semester started.

2. Understand student engagement and adapt your teaching

Unlike traditional assessment methods, which involve students working offline in MS Word or similar, Cadmus provides a connected online environment for students to work in. This enables teachers to access real-time analytics throughout the assessment, providing more transparency and opportunities for support during the semester. For in-semester assessments, in particular, teachers can make the most of these insights (e.g. the access of key resources or the proportion of students working) by taking small actions to increase engagement.

"With the learning analytics, I was able to tell that only 60% of students looked at specific resources, and this prompted me to think of more obvious ways to get students to engage better. After scaffolding the tasks and using the learning analytics, subject pass rates and assignment grades have gone up." — Gina Richards, Academic at Edith Cowan University

3. Provide formative feedback without the admin

Although many of us understand the value of providing feedback early in the assessment journey, it can be difficult to manage this practically. Accepting drafts often involves setting up multiple submission points, with little connection between the draft and final. With Cadmus, drafts and final submissions can be managed within a single assessment. This simplifies the workflow for teachers, who can turn drafting on with the click of a button. You can then provide feedback in different ways — written, audio, rubrics, group, and more. Students can then easily refer back to feedback and access Turnitin information in the same environment as they evolve their work.

4. Create a consistent student experience

If your students are completing their final assessment or exam alternative in Cadmus, it helps to use Cadmus for all other written assessments within the subject. With more opportunities to use the platform, students will feel more confident and comfortable when it comes to the end-of-semester. This can reduce stress and anxiety during the exam period, as well as improve overall student experience.

There's still plenty of time left to make improvements to your Semester 1 assessments. We'd recommend starting off by browsing our templates and teaching guides.