Digital assessment with Cirrus

For digital testing the Radboud University uses software Cirrus Assessment. You can use the system in all steps within the test cycle: from developing questions to administering and analyzing tests.

Log in to Cirrus

The Cirrus software is web-based. This means you can use it on any device with an internet browser. So, it doesn't matter whether you work at your workplace or from home. Exams are administered under controlled conditions to ensure the security of data. Students therefore take digital exams on Chromeboxes in a specially designed assessment location (the Comenius building) and on Chromebooks in the sports halls via a special assessment WiFi network.

With cirrus you can:

• develop and manage exam questions in an item bank;
• compose exams with questions from the item bank;
• administering exams to students (both as a practice test and for a grade);
• check student answers and provide (immediate) feedback;
• analyze how the questions and exams were made;
• give students digital access to the exam and their answers;
• determine exam scores and cut-off points to calculate grades;
• collaborate with colleagues in developing and reviewing questions and exams;
• use SPSS, Word, PowerPoint and Excel in digital exams. 

Advantages of assessing with Cirrus

• The software is easy to use over the internet, no matter where you are.
• Cirrus can automatically mark and score an entire test if the exam only consists of multiple choice-type questions. This saves the time of checking manually.
• With Cirrus you can divide the marking over several teachers and set a reassessment if necessary.

Types of questions

Cirrus Assessment supports the administration of different question types.

1. Students choose one or more answers from the given answer options 
   1. Either/or: question with only two answer options, one of which is correct.
   2. Multiple choice: question with three or more answer options of which exactly one is correct. 
   3. Select from list: question where the student has to fill in an empty field by selecting the correct answer from a list of answer options.  
   4. Multiple choice selection / multiple answers correct
       
2. Student uses given alternatives to arrive at an answer 
   1. Order: question where the student has to put the options in the correct order. 
   2. Match:question where the student must connect each given term with exactly one other term. 
   3. Extended match: question where the student has to connect different terms. Some can be associated with several other terms and some with none at all. 
   4. Comprehensive Integrated Puzzle (CIP): question in which the student has to fill in a table on the basis of given options that fit a case. This question type is mainly used in medical education to test clinical reasoning. 
   5. Hotspot: question where the student has to click on the requested location in, for example, a map, image of a text or an image. 
   6. Drag and drop: question where the student has to drag the answer options to the correct place in an image. 
       
3. Student formulates an answer themself 
   1. Numeric:question with a number as an answer. 
   2. Fill-in-the-blank: question where the student has to fill in one or more empty fields. 
   3. Short answer: question where the student has to give one short answer. 
   4. Essay: question where the student has to give a (long) answer to a question that is not automatically marked. 

Manual

• For more information, tips and explanations you can take a look at the online manuals for Cirrus.
• View the demo exam.