Vice-Rector

Office of the Deputy Director

General

27.12.2020
Dear Students,

Subject: Implementation of the Tomax Exam Management Platform

As you know, we’ve all transitioned very quickly to online learning due to the
Coronavirus pandemic. Through the process we’ve needed to adapt technological
tools to allow exams and assessments to be held online, while making every effort to
preserve exam integrity, grades that are trustworthy and an assessment process that
reflects the appropriate academic level.

In previous exam periods we made use of the Moodle online learning system
available at Bar-Ilan in order to manage the exams, since no better alternative was
available at that point. In parallel we have been examining options on the market for
platforms dedicated specifically to online examinations. The product selected for this
purpose was one developed by an Israeli enterprise called Tomax. Tomax’ scanning
and exam checking system has been in use at Bar-Ilan for several years now. The
selected product has been adapted for Bar-Ilan’s needs, and is ready for use in the
upcoming exam period. The system is compatible with Macintosh computers as well.

A. Advantages of the new platform

Exams using the new platform are much better than the Moodle platform for you,
the students, for the following reasons:

a. You can take your exams and get fair grades for your effort, without the frustration
that your grades don’t reflect your knowledge, or that students who didn’t study or
work hard got high grades obtained in an illegitimate manner;

b. Numerical grades can be given and not just a binary ‘pass/fail’ grade which may
have a detrimental affect for you later on, as we have learned in recent months.
Potential employers are not willing to rely on a ‘pass’ grade and might prefer other
candidates who can present a transcript with numerical grades, especially if those
grades are high;

c. You may take your exams in quiet surroundings, without background noise of your
fellow test-takers, and without remarks of proctors to other students, as in the
Moodle environment.

‫ מיקוד‬,‫אילן | רמת גן‬-‫אוניברסיטת בר‬5290002, Ramat-gan | Bar-Ilan University

| T: 03-5317808 | F: 03-5352649| vicerec.office@biu.ac.il

 Vice-Rector
Office of the Deputy Director
General

d. If the internet crashes your exam won’t be affected; you can continue with your
exam despite a communications failure or power outage (on your laptop);

e. Students with illegible handwriting will not lose points due to inability of the
instructors to read their writing;

f. You won’t need to come to campus to take your exams; you can take them in the
comfort and security of your own home.

B. The Tomax platform does not infringe on your privacy

Rumors have been circulating that the Tomax platform invades your computer and
can infringe on your privacy. These claims are baseless! The Tomax platform does
not invade the examinee’s computer, does not take control over it and does
not access any personal files on the personal computer of the examinee. The
platform only locks the computer at the time of the exam; immediately upon
completion of the exam, all functions become available once again. It also allows
continuous filming of the examinee during the exam, with an AI (artificial intelligence)
component that identifies suspicious movements and noises, in order to preserve
exam integrity.

The evaluation process of the platform was accompanied by Bar-Ilan’s Data

Protection Officer – an external firm assigned to verify highest standards of privacy
protection. This supervisory authority gave its approval that the platform meets all
provisions of the Privacy Protection Law. The Privacy Protection Authority has
recently published a draft of specific guidelines for such platforms, and the Tomax
platform meets all these guidelines.

Students who still prefer to be tested on campus under human supervision, must
inform us of this by January 10, 2021. These exams will take place on campus, as
long as guidelines allow, in a Tomax platform on Bar-Ilan computers.

C. Not all departments will be moving to the platform in the first phase

Implementation of a new platform entails an adjustment period for all relevant

parties, and we are eager to provide full support for all users; for this reason, the
platform will be unrolled in two phases:

‫ מיקוד‬,‫אילן | רמת גן‬-‫אוניברסיטת בר‬5290002, Ramat-gan | Bar-Ilan University

| T: 03-5317808 | F: 03-5352649| vicerec.office@biu.ac.il

 Vice-Rector
Office of the Deputy Director
General

The first phase will be in the upcoming exam period, January 24, 2021-March 23,
2021.
In this phase students of the following departments will be using the new platform:
• The Faculty of Life Sciences
• The Faculty of Law
• The Faculty of Engineering
• The Brain Research Center
• Advanced degrees students in the Faculty of Medicine
• The Department of Computer Science (in the Faculty of Exact Sciences)
• English as a Foreign Language – Advanced Students II

The rest of the departments will continue to be tested through the Moodle or in-
person on campus, as guidelines permit. A separate letter will be sent with details
about that.

The second phase will be the exam period following Spring Semester 2021, at
which time the entire campus will transition to Tomax-based exams.
In the course of the Fall semester we did a trial run of the platform for some of the
Summer Session courses. That trial run was a success. At a later time we will also
run a trial on a number of quizzes. You are also required to take part in mock exams
to practice logging in and using the system.

D. Support and training

In preparation of the launch of the new system, a support and training mechanism
is being put in place to prepare you for using the new platform. You will be receiving
instructions and videos, and you will see how easy and intuitive the new platform is.
A telephone support system will be available to help steer you through technical
issues that may come up when you log in to the new platform. Instructors will also be
available to answer questions during the exams through the integrated
communication module embedded in the software (private chat between the student
asking the question and instructor).

In summary, an easy-to-use platform is available that will allow you to take your
exams comfortably from home, while protecting your security and privacy, allowing
you to express your knowledge and get grades that are fair and trustworthy, despite
the challenges we are all facing.

‫ מיקוד‬,‫אילן | רמת גן‬-‫אוניברסיטת בר‬5290002, Ramat-gan | Bar-Ilan University

| T: 03-5317808 | F: 03-5352649| vicerec.office@biu.ac.il

 Vice-Rector
Office of the Deputy Director
General

Thank you for your cooperation. Wishing you the best of luck on your exams!

Sincerely,

Prof. Arie Reich

Vice-Rector

‫ מיקוד‬,‫אילן | רמת גן‬-‫אוניברסיטת בר‬5290002, Ramat-gan | Bar-Ilan University

| T: 03-5317808 | F: 03-5352649| vicerec.office@biu.ac.il