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In 2024-2025 the University of Amsterdam will transition to a new software system for digital testing: Ans Exam. To ensure a smooth transition a lot is happening behind the scenes in 2023-2024. As the Faculty of Science was already working with Ans and because they needed customisation for relatively many tests, it was decided to start the migration here.

Custom work

Because every faculty, and in some cases even every course within a faculty, has different wishes and requirements about digital assignments, the implementation is custom-made. The new supplier also created custom-made solutions for transferring questions, as it turned out that it was not always possible to migrate examination questions automatically. An import tool was specially developed so that the majority of the questions could be moved in bulk.

Faculty of Science as a testing ground

It was decided to start the migration at the Faculty of Science. Gerrit Oomens is closely involved as programme manager for educational information systems. "Five years ago, we were already working with Ans for paper exams. Our experience is that Ans is user-friendly and lecturers can also get along well with it."

In the summer 2023, the FNWI had already started migrating the first test questions. "We then asked lecturers if they already wanted to move with us. Over 80% were in favour at the time so we started working on that. It certainly helped that Ans was already known to most, which made the threshold a little lower." The lecturers' response is also mostly positive. "Especially creating new questions is a lot easier in the new system."

E-learning

For those who will have to work with Ans but have never done so before, an E-learning environment has been created. The E-learning consists of several modules and forms part of the entire training programme for future Ans users.