Digital exams at the University of Erfurt: Everything important for students!

Digital exams at the University of Erfurt: Everything important for students!

Since April 29, 2025, students at the University of Erfurt have had access to the WISEflow platform, which is essential for conducting electronic distance examinations. The official Corona statutes have been published and are accessible in the Moodle room OLS2020 and via a link provided. It is important to note that exams can only be taken via WISEflow, while Moodle cannot be used for exam purposes. The university has clearly defined the requirements for digital examinations to ensure that the examinations are carried out smoothly and securely.

One of the key information provided by the university is that WISEflow stores the exam results locally and uploads them to the servers at a later date. This ensures that no examination results are lost. Students can choose from different exam types available in WISEflow. This includes:

• Überwachte Klausur mit FLOWmulti unter Verwendung eines Lockdown-Browsers und Gesichtserkennung oder FLOWlock
• Open Book Klausur, ebenfalls mit FLOWmulti oder FLOWassign, ohne Lockdown-Browser
• Mündliche Prüfungen, die mit WebEx, BigBlueButton oder AdobeConnect durchgeführt werden
• Schriftliche Arbeiten, die via FLOWhandin oder FLOWassign eingereicht werden, inklusive automatischer Plagiatsprüfung mit URKUND

Support and resources

The Moodle room also contains support materials on legal aspects and templates for examination protocols. Department 1 has created an overview of the availability of places for monitored electronic exams and provided updated seating plans. In this context, it is recommended to ask students in the Moodle room how they would like to complete the distance exam. In addition, the possibility of communication between exam participants and teachers via a chat in Moodle is considered helpful.

Gerd Mannhaupt, a person responsible at the university, expresses his respect and thanks for the commitment of the teachers who are actively involved in the transition to digital exams.

Login problems and security aspects

In addition to general information about digital exams, the university offers assistance for students who have problems logging into WISEflow. If a username or password is forgotten, there is a way to reset the password by entering the username. Students who are unsure whether they are logging in correctly should ensure that they use the WISEflow standard login details, which include their email address and the password defined in the platform.

Students are also advised to create a strong password and ensure that it is kept secret. With regard to the security of their accounts, students should also reset their password immediately if unauthorized use of their account is suspected and, if necessary, contact UNIwise to restore the account.

The shift to digital exams is seen as a priority by many higher education institutions worldwide. The question arises as to whether existing learning management systems (LMS) and virtual learning environments (VLE) are suitable for digital exams or whether special platforms such as WISEflow offer better solutions. LMSs, which are typically designed for teaching and learning processes, can be used for exams by combining them with other tools, but do not represent the optimal conditions for more complex exams. Digital exam platforms, on the other hand, offer tailor-made solutions that integrate flexibility and integrity into the exam process.