The LAS Online Testing Center in Carver, has been overflowing with students, leading to long lines and new hours.

The LAS testing center extended its hours Friday. The doors are now locked at 5:30 p.m. and exams must be submitted no later than 6 p.m. Prior to Friday, the testing center was open until 4 p.m. on Fridays.

David Bull, manager for the LAS online testing center, said the new hours will be permanent for this fall and will be reevaluated for the spring semester.

In fall 2009, 50 courses used the testing center; in fall 2010 there are 57 courses. While it is only an increase of seven courses, some of the classes are large lectures with more than 200 students, Bull said.

In the fall, the center distributed more than 35,000 tests, and this year they are anticipating more than 50,000 tests.

“While this is just the LAS testing center,” Bull said. “I think that it is going on campus-wide and we will see more of this continuous growth.”

Bull said there are many reason for the push for professors to do their testing online. One reason is the ability to save paper; another part of ISU live green practices, which is a valuable tool with the growing number of students on campus.

For professors using the online testing center, this allows for automatic grading, giving students faster feedback on how they did on a test. Using the testing services online also allows professors to spend more time teaching and helping students during class time rather than administrating tests.

The testing center also installed a webcam outside the doors of the center last year to allow for students to check the line outside of the center, before taking their test. With the increase of students, the webcam will be a valuable resource.

While Bull said he hasn’t heard much response from students using the webcam, he believes it will become popular with the growth of the center.

“It makes it easier for students to pick a time to take a test,” Bull said. “It allows for better services and for students to get in to take a test before the center closes.”

The webcam takes a photo every six seconds of the hallway outside of the facility.

To check out the webcam go to:

http://cdolops.las.iastate.edu:88/for_students_testing_facility_info.htm