How we use data at Cadmus

Teachers use Cadmus for a range of reasons, including the ability to design and deliver assessments online. Being online opens up meaningful opportunities for both teachers and students—particularly when it comes to understanding how assessments are completed and how learning happens over time.

Over the years, we’ve developed a clear set of principles that guide how we collect and use data. These principles influence what we collect, how we share it, and how it supports better teaching and learning.

With our vision to create better learning experiences at university, the purpose of our data is twofold:

• to empower teachers to improve assessment design and teaching practices
• to help students better understand and enhance how they learn

As data becomes more embedded in the Cadmus experience, it’s important that our users understand the role it plays across the assessment lifecycle—and feel confident they are being assessed fairly.

Ultimately, this comes down to trust. And for us, trust means transparency.

Let's start by clearing up a few misconceptions

Cadmus takes a teaching and learning approach to academic integrity. This means we focus on supporting authentic assessment design, rather than trying to “detect” misconduct after the fact. We want to “situate academic integrity practices within the goal of improving student learning” (Bertram Gallant, 2017), shifting the focus from investigating academic misconduct to enhancing student learning. 

• Cadmus is not an AI detection tool
• Cadmus does not make automated "suspicious behaviour" judgements

Cadmus provides data that supports educators in understanding the process of learning and assessment completion.

Cadmus does not:

• capture keystroke-level data
• track activity outside the platform
• access other information on a student’s device
• use webcams, microphones, biometrics, or screen recording to monitor students
• profile students

So what data does Cadmus collect?

Cadmus collects a standard set of technical and usage information required for the platform to function properly.

This includes:

• browser type (e.g. Chrome, Safari)
• operating system (e.g. Mac OS)
• IP address
• timestamps (e.g. when a student starts, edits, or submits work)

The only identifying information we collect comes via the Learning Management System:

• full name
• student ID
• university email address

Below is an overview of a class and their progress throughout an assessment.

When students work within a Cadmus Assignment, we collect high-level activity data about how they engage with the task.

This includes:

• pasting in external content (captured as patterns of interaction, not evaluated for meaning or intent)
• accessing assignment resources
• interacting with guidance materials

Importantly, this data reflects interaction with the assessment, not surveillance of the student.

Richer assessment formats, same data principles

As Cadmus has evolved, so too have the types of assessments it supports.

Oral Assessment submissions

When a student submits a video response via the Cadmus platform, the recording is securely stored in Cadmus’s AWS S3 storage instance with encryption.

These videos are not stored in or accessible through a university’s LMS. Instead, they can only be accessed within Cadmus, with permissions limited to authorised teaching staff.

As with written assessments, the focus is on supporting authentic demonstration of learning—not monitoring students.

How is this data used?

While Cadmus collects this information, it is not all directly visible to teachers. Data is shared in structured, purposeful ways.

Learning Analytics

Learning Analytics provide cohort-level insights to help teachers understand how students are engaging with an assessment.

This includes:

• how many students have started writing
• average time spent on the task
• resource engagement rates
• progression through timelines or stages
• feedback engagement (where applicable)

These insights help educators:

• identify where students may be struggling
• adjust teaching in real time
• encourage better study behaviours

Many teachers choose to share these insights with students to promote transparency and motivation.

Below is an example of cohort level insights across an assessment.

Student Activity Reports

Once marking is complete, a teacher may access an individual Student Activity Report—typically as part of an academic integrity process, and have been used to exonerate students flagged for potential misconduct.

These reports include:

• patterns of content development over time (e.g. additions and deletions)
• records of pasted content
• general location data (at a country level)
• device and browser information

Importantly:

• These reports do not make judgments or conclusions
• They are one input into a broader academic integrity process

This ensures transparency and fairness in how data is used.

Below is an example of a Student Activity Report.

A note on trust and transparency

As we continue to evolve the Cadmus platform—including new assessment formats and richer insights—we remain committed to being open about how data is collected and used.

We believe data should:

• support learning, not police it
• empower teachers, not replace their judgment
• build trust, not erode it

If you’d like to learn more, you can refer to our Privacy Policy or get in touch with our team.