For several years, UNC Chapel Hill has required every undergraduate student to have access to a laptop. Our teachers are constantly looking for new and innovative ways that students can benefit from this access. One of the ways students and teachers have profited is secure testing environments that allow students to take their exams on their computers.

In the fall of 2007, Software Secure Incorporated released a major upgrade to their secure testing software, called Securexam, which we have been using in the College of Arts and Science on a small scale for a couple of years. After some initial concerns about the changes that occurred, several faculty members volunteered to pilot the new version. Professors from the departments of Psychology, English, Music, Computer Science and Exercise and Sport Science allowed students in their classes to take midterms and final exams on their computers using the software.

While none of the professors in the pilot classes required the use of Securexam, adoption rates were extremely high in all of the classes. Students overwhelmingly embraced the benefits that the software provided them.Having the ability to type during an exam allowed students to develop their answers to an extent that isn't possible using the standard hand-written "bluebook" exam. Responses could easily be edited and fine tuned, truly enabling students to provide more thorough and well thought out answers.

Professors also gave positive feedback regarding the ease at which their students' responses could be read due to the electronic formatting. Instead of spending time trying to decipher a student's penmanship, professors could spend more time commenting on the answers.

As the pilot phase expands in the spring, many additional classes will be using Securexam in their classroom thanks, in part, to the Carolina Computing Initiative. The expansion of the pilot means that anyone interested in using the software will be able to do so. Since the CCI requires every student at UNC-Chapel Hill to purchase a laptop, any professor from any department has the option to use this software in his or her lessons and is encouraged to do so. Professors and students are encouraged to contact OASIS at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions on how to incorporate the software into their classes.