Dear C Holland,

 

I refer to your request of 16 June 2022. The University cannot provide you
with all internal correspondence relating to the list of topics you have
provided without substantial collation or research. Please advise by
return email, by 20 July 2022, if you wish to amend or narrow your request
and, if so, how. Please note that:

 

o The University can provide key information documenting its decisions
to use the Inspera software for online examinations without
substantial collation or research (subject to substantive withholding
grounds). Some information on this topic has already been made
publicly available in response to a previous OIA request: see
[1]https://fyi.org.nz/request/16329-online-...
o Complaints and concerns raised by individual students – apart from
issues relating to substantial collation or research – would likely be
withheld to protect the privacy of those students under section
9(2)(a) of the OIA

 

If you do not wish to amend or narrow your request, it is likely that the
University will refuse it under section 18(f) of the OIA on the ground
that the information requested cannot be provided without substantial
collation or research.

 

As consultations necessary to make a decision on your request is such that
a response cannot reasonably be given within the original time limit, the
University has extended the time limit for your request until 15 August
2022 under section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA. This is the new maximum time
limit for the University’s response; we will respond to your requests as
soon as reasonably practicable. You have the right to make a complaint an
Ombudsman if you are dissatisfied with this extension.

 

Yours sincerely,

Landon Watt

Legal Advisor

Office of the Vice-Chancellor

 

 

From: C Holland <[2][FOI #19686 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 16 June 2022 11:53 AM
To: legal <[3][University of Auckland request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Internal correspondence relating
to online exams and Inspera technical issues

 

Dear University of Auckland,

Can you please provide all internal correspondence relating to the
following:
1. The initial decision to use Inspera as the online exams software - both
the web browser version and the desktop version.
2. The decision to continue to use Inspera following the technical issues
that were reported by students in the exam period of Semester Two 2021,
and Summer School 2022.
3. Complaints made by students (or bodies representing students) in
relation to technical issues with Inspera - in every exam period in which
Inspera was used.
4. Correspondence about how to mitigate any issues that could potentially
arise from Inspera in the exam period of Semester One 2022.
5. Concerns raised by students (or bodies representing students) in
relation to potential technical issues with Inspera in the exam period of
Semester One 2022.

Yours faithfully,

C Holland

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Dear C Holland,

 

I refer to your email of 15 July 2022. Can you please clarify, for Part A
of your request, whether you are enquiring about the Inspera platform in
general, or the use of Inspera’s invigilation functionality specifically?

 

Yours sincerely,

Landon Watt

Legal Advisor

Office of the Vice-Chancellor

 

From: C Holland <[FYI request #19686 email]>
Sent: Friday, 15 July 2022 3:25 pm
To: Landon Watt <[email address]>
Subject: RE: 2022-OIA-0107-Holland

 

Dear Landon Watt (University of Auckland),

Thank you for your initial response. I hereby clarify my request to be for
the following information:

A: Regarding the decision to continue to use Inspera following issues
experienced during Semester Two 2021
Thank you for providing the reference to the previous OIA request made by
Adam Clifford (6 August 2021). In relation to the decision to continue to
use Inspera following issues experienced during Semester Two 2021, please
provide analogous information to that provided in the Clifford OIA
response. This should be able to be provided without substantial collation
or research.

B: Regarding complaints made and concerns raised by students in relation
to technical issues with Inspera for Semester One 2022
Please provide the following information:
1. The total number of complaints or concerns that were made by students
or student body representatives (including AUSA, equity groups, and all
other student groups) in relation to the use of Inspera during Semester
One 2022
2. An anonymised summary of the nature of the complaints in B(1),
including numbers or proportions where applicable (for example, if a
certain proportion of complaints was about one specific concern, please
indicate this).
3. All internal correspondence in direct response to the complaints in
B(1).

I take note of the new maximum time limit for this response as 15 August
2022.

Yours faithfully,

C Holland

show quoted sections

Dear C Holland,

 

I refer to your request as amended on 15 July 2022. The University’s
response follows:

 

“A: Regarding the decision to continue to use Inspera following issues
experienced during Semester Two 2021
Thank you for providing the reference to the previous OIA request made by
Adam Clifford (6 August 2021). In relation to the decision to continue to
use Inspera following issues experienced during Semester Two 2021, please
provide analogous information to that provided in the Clifford OIA
response. This should be able to be provided without substantial collation
or research.”

 

Inspera was selected as the University’s platform for online examinations
in 2021. As per the email from Professor John Morrow, then DVC(A), to
staff of  22/03/21 4:13 PM (provided in the Clifford OIA response):

 

“The University has committed to a long-term transition to digital
assessments through Inspera online in 2021. This experience will provide
the basis for online assessments in the future, including invigilated
computer-based assessments using Inspera from 2022”.

 

The University did not make a specific decision “to continue to use
Inspera following issues experienced during Semester Two 2021”. When the
University decided to run online examinations in 2022, these were run
online using Inspera as Inspera had already been decided upon as the
University’s platform for online examinations. This constitutes a refusal
of your request under section 18(e) of the OIA.  

 

“B: Regarding complaints made and concerns raised by students in relation
to technical issues with Inspera for Semester One 2022
Please provide the following information:
1. The total number of complaints or concerns that were made by students
or student body representatives (including AUSA, equity groups, and all
other student groups) in relation to the use of Inspera during Semester
One 2022”

 

Assessment Services received four complaints in relation to technical
difficulties with Inspera for Semester One 2022 online examinations.

“2. An anonymised summary of the nature of the complaints in B(1),
including numbers or proportions where applicable (for example, if a
certain proportion of complaints was about one specific concern, please
indicate this).”

 

o Assessment Services received two complaints about the LAW 121G
examination, relating to difficulties accessing the invigilation
software. These issues affected a high number of students sitting the
LAW 121G examination. Due to the number of students facing
difficulties accessing the invigilation software at the same time, the
volume of calls to the Student Experience Centre exceeded projected
volumes, resulting in significant wait times and queries not being
answered in a timely manner. A resit was offered to all students.
o Assessment Services received one complaint where a student had
accidentally closed their examination mid-way through the examination,
required a password to re-open the examination, and faced long wait
times getting through to the Student Experience Centre for assistance.
o Assessment Services received one complaint from a student who took 15
minutes to access their examination due to an unknown technical issue.
As 30 minutes is added to all online examinations to allow for minor
technical issues, and the issue was remedied well within that
allowance, no further action was taken.

“3. All internal correspondence in direct response to the complaints in
B(1).”

 

See attached. Other internal correspondence for individual complaints is
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of the
students involved.

 

You have the right to make a complaint to an Ombudsman if you are
dissatisfied with this response.

 

Yours sincerely,

Rebecca Ewert

University of Auckland

 

From: C Holland <[1][FOI #19686 email]>
Sent: Friday, 15 July 2022 3:25 pm
To: Landon Watt <[2][email address]>
Subject: RE: 2022-OIA-0107-Holland

 

Dear Landon Watt (University of Auckland),

Thank you for your initial response. I hereby clarify my request to be for
the following information:

A: Regarding the decision to continue to use Inspera following issues
experienced during Semester Two 2021
Thank you for providing the reference to the previous OIA request made by
Adam Clifford (6 August 2021). In relation to the decision to continue to
use Inspera following issues experienced during Semester Two 2021, please
provide analogous information to that provided in the Clifford OIA
response. This should be able to be provided without substantial collation
or research.

B: Regarding complaints made and concerns raised by students in relation
to technical issues with Inspera for Semester One 2022
Please provide the following information:
1. The total number of complaints or concerns that were made by students
or student body representatives (including AUSA, equity groups, and all
other student groups) in relation to the use of Inspera during Semester
One 2022
2. An anonymised summary of the nature of the complaints in B(1),
including numbers or proportions where applicable (for example, if a
certain proportion of complaints was about one specific concern, please
indicate this).
3. All internal correspondence in direct response to the complaints in
B(1).

I take note of the new maximum time limit for this response as 15 August
2022.

Yours faithfully,

C Holland

show quoted sections