For Instructors

About the CBTF

The CBTF provides a secure, proctored environment for computer-based exams administered through PrairieLearn and PrairieTest. This page covers what to expect as an instructor and how to determine whether the CBTF is the right fit for your course.

For questions or to express interest in using the CBTF, email cbt-help@berkeley.edu.

Is the CBTF Right for Your Course?

The CBTF is designed for courses that deliver assessments entirely through PrairieLearn. Before expressing interest, confirm that your course meets the following requirements:

  • Your assessment must be 100% delivered online via PrairieLearn. Not all questions need to be autograded, but no paper-based component is permitted.
  • Assessments must be designed to preserve academic integrity across a multi-day testing window. Students taking the exam later in the window should not have a significant advantage over those taking it earlier.
    • It is encouraged to create a large pool of questions and have assessments randomize and choose a subset of these questions that students will receive on their exam.

Scalable Exam Administration (SEA) Principles

To ensure fairness, integrity, and scalability across all courses using the CBTF, all exams must adhere to four core principles. These are non-negotiable requirements, not guidelines.

1

Async-Safe Design
Because students self-schedule across a multi-day window, exams must not rely on all students testing simultaneously. Instructors of Record must use randomization and item banking via PrairieLearn to ensure students testing later in the window do not have a significant advantage over those testing earlier.
2

Fixed Exam Lengths
To maximize facility throughput, all exams must adhere to standard time slots (see Exam Types below). Proctors cannot extend exam times beyond the scheduled session. Extended time for DSP accommodations is factored in at the reservation stage.
3

No Physical Materials
To keep the facility standardized across all disciplines, no physical notes, textbooks, or personal paper are permitted. All reference materials must be provided to students digitally through PrairieLearn or PrairieTest. CBTF staff will not print, distribute, or disseminate any supplemental testing materials. Scratch paper is provided by the CBTF and must remain in the room.
4

No Live Clarifications
Proctors are not subject-matter experts and are strictly prohibited from answering questions about exam content. Students should note assumptions or flag concerns using the issue reporting tool in PrairieLearn for Instructor of Record review after the exam.

Exam Types

The CBTF supports the following exam types. All times listed are the actual exam duration, not including the built-in 10-minute check-in window.

Exam TypeDurationNotes
Orientation Quiz 20 minutes Available during Week 1. Allows students to practice the CBTF check-in process with a low-stakes assessment. Seats are limited when regular exams are running concurrently, and online availability will be provided for students who cannot attend in person.
Quiz / Exam / Midterm 50 minutes Standard graded assessments held during the semester.
Final Exam 110 minutes Reserved for Finals Week only. Availability is limited confirm with the CBTF lead early in the semester.

Scheduling & Capacity

Exams in the CBTF are run over a multi-day testing window (typically 2–3 days) during which students self-schedule their slot via PrairieTest. The CBTF lead determines the appropriate window based on available capacity and your course roster size.

Demand for the CBTF is high, and capacity is not guaranteed. Scheduling priority is given to:

  • Returning courses that have historically used the CBTF and plan to continue with the same testing schedule (frequency, exam length, and week in the semester)
  • New courses and requests to alter existing schedules are accommodated based on remaining capacity

This policy ensures that courses which have already transitioned to the CBTF can rely on continued access from semester to semester.

Ready to Get Started?

New instructors should review the onboarding process and fill out the interest form. Returning instructors can go directly to Getting Started to confirm their setup for the upcoming semester.