Secure Online High Stakes Testing: A Serious Alternative as Legal Education Moves Online

22 Pages Posted: 7 Apr 2020

See all articles by Sara Berman

Sara Berman

USC Gould School of Law

Gregory Brandes

St. Francis School of Law

Megan M. Carpenter

University of New Hampshire School of Law

Andrew L. Strauss

Widener University

Date Written: April 3, 2020

Abstract

Pandemic-related health and financial issues, travel and group gathering bans, and public service and protection demands all point to an immediate need to develop alternatives to traditional in-person law school and bar exams, for this summer and an unknown amount of time thereafter. Secure, online remote-proctored exams should be thoroughly studied as one possible alternative, and protocols for high stakes exams that account for these new realities must be considered, analyzed, and pilot-tested as soon as possible. This paper calls for the immediate assembly of local advisory panels for jurisdictions facing bar administration decisions and a national emergency task force that includes experts in remote-proctored testing and bar exam administration, and other relevant legal education, testing, and professional disciplines to study the issues, make recommendations, and provide guidance to jurisdictions on the implementation of controlled pilot tests. These pilots can then be studied, assessed, and improved upon should the current emergency need continue into the future.

Keywords: Bar Exam, Online Legal Education, Online Exams, Remote Proctoring

Suggested Citation

Berman, Sara and Brandes, Gregory and Carpenter, Megan M. and Strauss, Andrew L., Secure Online High Stakes Testing: A Serious Alternative as Legal Education Moves Online (April 3, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3567894 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3567894

Sara Berman (Contact Author)

USC Gould School of Law ( email )

CA
United States

Gregory Brandes

St. Francis School of Law ( email )

895 Dove Street
Third Floor
Newport Beach, CA 92660
United States

HOME PAGE: http://stfrancislaw.com

Megan M. Carpenter

University of New Hampshire School of Law ( email )

Two White Street
Concord, NH 03301
United States
6035135100 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://law.unh.edu/person/megan-m-carpenter

Andrew L. Strauss

Widener University ( email )

3800 Vartan Way
PO Box 69381
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9381
United States

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