Step by step guidelines for teachers

  1. Submit a Video Examination Booking Form on the Irish Board’s website, proposing a submission date for your centre’s video examination.
  2. The Irish Board will send you a confirmation email including:
    • A confirmed video submission date for your centre
    • A link to an online spreadsheet to fill in the candidates’ names and exam details
    • An upload link to a shared folder on Dropbox where candidates will upload their exam videos
    • Syllabus adaptations and video guidelines for candidates (PDFs)
  3. Share the video upload link and the ‘Candidate Guidelines’ PDF with your candidates 
  4. Each candidate will then video her exam individually at home (adhering to the video guidelines below)
  5. Once complete, each candidate will upload her video via the link shared previously by you either before or on the video submission date.

Step by step guidelines for candidates

  1. Record your exam using your preferred video device. We suggest using a smartphone as the sound quality is generally good.
  2. Pick a suitable location to film. Consider the following when you’re choosing:
    • Make sure there is enough space for movement during your exam
    • Ensure that you are well lit, not casting any shadows on screen and that there are no bright lights behind you that might affect the exposure of the shot
    • If possible, set up your video device in front of a blank wall or plain background
  1. Set up the device in a stationary position and mount/prop it up horizontally so that you are filming in landscape format. It’s important that the examiner can see as much of you as possible (from your waist up to the top your head at least) at all times during the exam. To achieve this, we suggest standing somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5 metres away from the device. It’s also a good idea to mark out your boundaries as a guide, and don’t forget to make sure that you’re visible on screen at all times.
  2. Ensure that there is enough storage space available on your video device (for fifteen minutes you’ll need about 1GB)
  3. Test the audio before you film yourself and make sure your voice can be heard clearly. Good sound quality is really important. And remember that the further away you are from the phone, the more you’ll have to project your voice.
  4. Introduce yourself at the start of the video by name followed by the type and level of the exam that you are doing.
  5. Save the video on your device when you have finished recording.
  6. Upload your video via the link sent to you by your teacher, remember to do so before or on your video exam submission date. 
    • Upload your video file directly from a phone or laptop.
    • Click on the upload link shared by your teacher. The image below will appear on your screen: 
    • Choose your video exam file and upload it.
    • It will ask you to enter your name and email address to identify who the file is from. Please enter your teacher’s email address in the email address field. The video may take a few minutes to upload.
  1. Tell your teacher when you have uploaded your video.
  2. You’re finished, congratulations!

Some Rules and Conditions

It’s important that all candidates are examined under the same conditions, in the interests of fairness.  If a video submission does not adhere to the rules outlined below, we won’t be able to accept it. We will inform the teacher of any refusals by email, and the candidate will be allowed to resubmit within three days. 

  • As it is an exam, candidates are only permitted to video their exam once. We can’t verify this in any way but we trust that this rule will be respected by the candidate/teacher/parent involved in making the video. A candidate may, however, re-record their exam in the unusual case that a technical issue occurs. 
  • Teachers/parents or any other person(s) involved in making the video are not permitted to give instruction or direction to the candidate during the exam. 
  • The video device must be set up horizontally in a stationary position and as much of the candidate’s body as possible must be visible on screen at all times during the video.
  • The candidate’s voice must be heard clearly at all times during the video. 

 

Teacher’s Checklist 

  1. Submit a Video Examination Booking Form on the Irish Board website.
  2. Once you receive a confirmation email, send the video upload link and ‘Candidate Guidelines’ PDF that’s included to all candidates taking the exam
  3. Fill in the online spreadsheet with your candidates’ details (a link to this spreadsheet will also be included in your confirmation email)
  4. Make sure your candidates are prepared to upload their video exams by the confirmed submission date

After the exam, we will process your candidates’ results, report sheets, certificates and medal(s) and send them to you within 30 days.

 

Candidate’s Checklist

  1. Record your video exam, adhering to the video guidelines and rules above
  2. Upload your video exam via the link shared with you by your teacher.
    • Click on the upload link, choose your video and upload it.
    • It will ask you to enter your name and email address to identify who the file is from. Please enter your teacher’s email address in the email address field.
    • The video may take a few minutes to upload.           
  3. Let your teacher know once your video exam has been uploaded successfully 

 

If you have any questions in relation to any of the above please do not hesitate to contact us and we will help you through the process.