Optimization of the Return Flow and Correction of In-Person Assessments in Distance Education using a Moodle Plugin

Abstract

In courses provided in a Distance Education environment, in-person assessments take place at support centers located in different cities. The exams are generally printed at these centers and must be physically sent to the course coordinations after they are administered, which leads to high costs and logistical complexity. As an alternative, sending scanned exams via email hinders systematic record-keeping and proper organization within the learning platform, compromising the security and transparency of the assessment process. This study proposes a technological solution aimed at optimizing the return and correction flow of these assessments by the development of a plugin for Moodle. The adopted methodology involves analyzing the code adopted by Moodle for assignment submissions, with the goal of creating a tool that enables the exclusive submission of scanned exams to each student’s area within the LMS, ensuring their registration and grading on the platform. The results indicate that the proposed solution can significantly reduce logistical costs, streamline the grading process, expand students’ access to feedback, improve the organization of assessments, and ensure secure storage of documents.

Keywords:  Distance education. LMS. Feature. Exam. Grading.