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Scaling Secure Digital Examinations in Higher Education: A Four-Year Case Study Using Chromebook-Based Assessment

Contribution type: article

Title: Scaling Secure Digital Examinations in Higher Education: A Four-Year Case Study Using Chromebook-Based Assessment

Authors:

Mats Calcoen, VIVES University of Applied Sciences, België

Keywords: digital examinations, two-lane assessment framework, on-campus chromebook-based assessment

Abstract:

The rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping higher education by transforming how students produce knowledge and complete assessment tasks. While AI technologies create new opportunities for learning, feedback, and problem solving, they also raise significant concerns regarding academic integrity, authorship, and the validity of assessment. Educational institutions therefore face the challenge of designing assessment systems that both safeguard reliable measurement of learning outcomes and support the development of AI-related competencies. This short article situates the implementation of on-campus digital examinations using Chromebooks within the Two-Lane assessment framework, which distinguishes between secure, controlled environments for summative assessment (Lane 1) and development-oriented contexts in which AI can be integrated to support learning (Lane 2). The study analyses the institutional rollout of Chromebook-based digital examinations between 2022 and 2026 at a European university of applied sciences. Institutional data, student surveys, and teacher feedback are used to examine the scaling of the infrastructure and its impact on assessment practices. Results show a rapid increase in adoption, with the number of on-campus digital exams rising from 295 during the pilot year to 4,822 in 2025-2026. Teachers report improved exam logistics, reliable technical performance, and stronger safeguards against academic misconduct through kiosk-mode devices. Students generally rate the system highly in terms of usability and gradually show a preference for digital examinations over paper-based formats. The findings indicate that a secure digital examination infrastructure can contribute to safeguarding the integrity of high-stakes assessment by reducing opportunities for unauthorized resource use and standardizing testing conditions.

Publication Date: June 7, 2026

Presented during:

Dates: June 7, 2026 to June 11, 2026

Location: Porto, Portugal

Venue:

Hotel Novotel Porto Gaia

Rua Martir Sao Sebastiao, Afurada,
4400-499 Vila Nova de Gaia

Hotel website

Copyright (c) DTR Society, 2026

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