Seven simple steps to submit handwritten answers to Moodle exams or assessments

With the move to online exams and coursework this term, some of you will be wondering how you can submit handwritten responses. If your exam or assessment requires you to make handwritten submissions i.e. diagrams, formulae, equations etc. there’s an important step you need to take. Handwritten responses need to be submitted using the MS Office Lens app. The good news is, you can start preparing now!

What is Office Lens?

Office Lens is a Microsoft app available on Android and iOs devices that turns your camera, tablet or other mobile device into a scanner.

If you have a task (for example for an assessment exercise) that requires a drawn or handwritten answer, you can make your sketch, diagram, chart or handwritten text by hand, scan it and save it for use in a document or uploading as an image or PDF. Example tasks:

You take a picture of it with your mobile device and save in a convenient digital format for further use, including inserting into an Office document (Word, PowerPoint, Excel for example). The resulting document can then be submitted electronically.

Seven Simple Steps – Get started now

We recommend you practice as many of the steps below as possible well in advance of your deadline, so there are no hiccups when you submit. You should get familiar with collating your images into a single Word document. For exams, that document should also include the exam answer sheet you will download from Moodle. 

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1. Download MS Office Lens from your app store.
2. Open the Lens app and point it at your image.
3. Choose your capture mode – the Whiteboard mode works best for handwritten pages. 
4. Take a picture of your page(s)
5. Save the captured image to OneDrive or your Gallery (for transfer to your computer)
6. Insert the image(s) into one answer sheet document
7. Check the file size of your answer sheet document – compress your images if it’s over 100mb.

That’s it! You’re ready to submit to Turnitin in Moodle. 

Further information

Find out all you need to know about 24 hour, timed online examinations on Moodle or see the full guidance on using MS Office Lens.