-
What IT and internet specifications are needed to operate the exam?
A basic laptop is required with a webcam, microphone and internet connection. Students will be asked to check their laptops through the ProctorU (the online invigilator) site. This will include testing their microphone, camera, Wi-Fi and internet browsers. The preferred browser is Google Chrome. Students can only test their equipment once they have received their exam time/exam link (for CAP1 main exams). Students will receive their time slot/exam link for these exams approx. 2 weeks before the exam day. Students should not try to create a ProctorU profile.
Students sitting their on-demand exams (CAP1 DEBK and Law only) can test their equipment once they have booked their time slot for these exams. Students should not try and create a ProctorU profile.
Before receiving their exam time, students can check their camera and microphone are working by using settings on their laptop and check their internet by doing an internet speed check.
Important Notice for Mac Users - If students are intending to sit their exam using a
MacOS, they will need to complete additional security steps
before exam day to access their exam without issue. Students must grant Google Chrome or Firefox access to the new screen recording permission in order to share their screen for an invigilated session with ProctorU. These steps can be found
here.
-
What if the internet fails?
Should the internet fail the platform is programmed to continue for a short period. Should the internet fail to be automatically reconnected, a technical advisor will contact the student to assist in reconnecting to the examination. Once the examination is finished the encrypted files are submitted to the Institute. The technology draws on HTML5 which is used in gaming software and which enables continuity of service for short periods of internet failure.
-
What if a student does not have internet coverage?
It will be necessary for the student to go to a suitable venue with the required coverage. This could include an office or other venue. However, given the low internet coverage required (circa 1.5 MB up/download speed) such cases have been very rare.
-
What is to prevent someone impersonating a student on a different keyboard?
Each person has a unique key stroke and the AI system in use can detect if the keystroke used is different to that by the student. The individual key stroke is identified at the start of the exam. Keystroke monitoring does not apply in the multiple-choice exam.
-
Students may be directly messaged during their exam by the exam invigilator. They may be requested at any stage during their exam to do a scan of their workspace/exam environment . Students will use their laptop camera/webcam to do the scan. A reflective surface (i.e a mirror) may be needed to where the student is not able to detach the web camera and give a full scan of the environment. Students must comply with all instructions given to them by the exam invigilator. If instructions are not followed immediately /ignored by the student , the exam sitting may not be valid and the incident will be reported to the relevant Exam Committee and their firm if in a training contract.
-
Are there other additional benefits?
Yes. The new platform allows students to better mirror their work experience and to avoid difficulties with legibility. It also supports a less stressful exam environment. Similar platforms have resulted in better exam results and are popular with students.
-
Under the proposal to change the structure/weighting of the CAP1 Law and Tax exams, will the modular/bridging exam approach continue to apply?
Yes, these arrangements will continue to remain the same.
-
What will the timeline/window be for the assessment CAP1 Law and the DEBK assessment?
The window for both assessments will operate from 1 November 2022 to 22nd Dec 2022 & 3rd Jan 2023- 3rd March 2023.
-
Will students have access to the exam platform before they sit their DEBK and Law exam from November 1st?
The students will have access to 2 Practice Papers for both DEBK and Law. These Practice Papers exams will not be invigilated.
CAP1 Law Assessment
-
What are the exam/study leave recommendations for the CAP1 Law paper?
The proposed study leave for Law is 1 day and no examination leave day is required as this exam is on demand.
-
Will students have to pass the Law assessment before the main exams (can they repeat)?
The student must pass the Law exam (unless exempted) before they can sit the main CAP1 exams (i.e. it will operate like the DEBK assessment). As it is on demand student can take as many attempts as necessary to pass within the window. The result of the Law exam will not be capped for repeat attempts.
-
Can sitting the CAP1 Law assessment be made mandatory?
Yes. Sitting the assessment is mandatory for any student that doesn’t have an exemption from Law.
CAP1 Financial Accounting Double Entry Booking (DEBK) Assessment
-
Will the current DEBK rules apply (e.g. weighting (20%), timeline/window, rules on passing in order to be eligible to sit the main CAP1 Financial Accounting exam)?
Yes. All current rules remain the same. Please note the current requirement to pass DEBK in order to be eligible to sit any main CAP1 exam (not just Financial Accounting) still applies.
-
Will there be any exam/study leave recommendations for the DEBK assessment?
No. Currently there are no study leave recommendations and this will not change.
-
Will the 24*7 style assessment (i.e. DEBK and Company Law) operate under similar strict rules regarding the need to pass etc. as operates under the current DEBK assessment?
Yes. The options for sitting the new Law exam are on a similar basis and as strict as the current DEBK with the same implications should students not complete it within the available windows.
-
Will students be capped after the first sitting of DEBK?
Yes, once a student has sat one attempt of the DEBK assessment, their subsequent results will be capped at 60%.
-
How will it be guaranteed that a student sitting the DEBK or Law exam will not get the same questions in their second, third etc. attempt?
Both DEBK and Law exams are drawn from very extensive question banks to ensure the student will not receive the same exam on their repeat attempts.
-
When will the student receive their exam results?
The student will receive their DEBK /Law results 3 working days (in the afternoon) after they have sat their exam. The 3 days does not include the day in which the student sits their exam.
-
Can the student have spare paper in the exam room for calculations in a closed book exam?
Students will be permitted to have 4-5 blank pieces of paper and a pen in the test environment for rough work calculations (which both sides must be shown to the screen to ensure it is blank) and no additional pages are permitted, a non-programmable calculator and your ID only for the DEBK exam .Please note for the Law exam, no materials are permitted with the exception of an English-to-English dictionary.
Expanding the CAP1 Tax syllabus
-
Will graduates be awarded exemptions from the new exam based on the current syllabus?
Yes. Exemptions will remain unchanged for the colleges. This is due to the fact that most courses we currently exempt from CAP1 Tax actually cover much more topics in the degrees. However please note that our exemption criteria are changing this year reducing the length of validity for exemption for prior learning from 10 years down to 5 years.
Exam Technique
-
Will MCQs affect pass rates as students won’t get marks for their workings?
The only exam that changes fully to MCQ is Law. Currently the Law exam doesn’t offer method marks as there are no calculations as you either know the information or you don’t. The pass rates currently for the current Law paper are very high circa 95% and they may fall initially. However, this is more than compensated by the ability to re-sit on demand.
Exam Hall Facilities
-
Will exam halls be made available by the Institute for students who prefer to be in the presence of an invigilator (adept at calming students who suffer panic attacks, etc.)?
No. Available research says that candidates are less anxious by doing their exams at home or other familiar environment.
Should an unexpected event take place the on-line invigilator will contact the student. Students should have the 'Direct Live chat' readily available to contact ProctorU support in case an issue is encountered on the day. Institute staff will engage with the invigilator as needed and there will be a video record available.
Data Protection
-
Can the rules on sharing information with firms be extended to where the initial course fees are paid by the employer, both for first sittings and repeats, rather than being tied to the term of the training contract?
No, there will be no change to these rules on sharing information due to GDPR requirements.
LOADING...