More recently, a renowned tech tycoon introduced AIProctor: The best Online Proctoring Service, making use of “recognition” technologies such as facial, voice, fingerprint biometrics, even typing styles to achieve the same results at considerably lower cost, primarily to the absence of the human factor in Online Proctoring Service.
These fully automated remote online exam proctoring solutions are generally more convenient, as there is no need to schedule a proctor, and more scalable as algorithms replace human labor.
A biometric profile gets established when the student initially enrolls, and then uses the computer’s webcam, microphone or keyboard to authenticate (via biometric comparison) the student.
This proctored exam for online courses technology is also capable of identifying behaviors suggestive of cheating, typically reporting to course instructors on convenient dashboards, along with the relevant evidence that is collected from video recording or screen captures made during the test.
Survey Your Way Through
A survey was conducted that included a broad audience of online leaders, through emails and blog links. In six general areas of online education, institutions gave indications, ranging from strong disagreement to strong agreement.
From the strong participation, including thoughtful responses to open-ended questions, it was clear that the online programs and proctoring in these membership organizations are under strong, engaged leadership with high ambitions for growth in size and quality.
The matters of integrity, cost, and convenience to students are of important factors and concern. Fortunately, programs leaders are open and committed to emerging Online Proctoring Service.
Strong appreciation was noticed to curb the challenges of student dishonesty and ensure the program integrity. With clear confidence, the problems are ensured to be manageable. 84% of the 141 respondents concurred that student dishonesty is an important issue to be resolved.
Half of the responders say that the public thinks dishonesty is more likely to occur in distance learning. But 79% did not see this as a difficult barrier in the presence of effective Online Proctoring Service solutions.
How to ensure program integrity? According to the most frequently cited, to specifically deter the cheating, opt for a proper following of honor codes or articulated policies of institutes.
Three-quarters of these exam proctoring leaders felt that establishing, articulating and enforcing such policies provided the essential foundation for online integrity, if not fully satisfactory solutions.
Did you know, 141 respondents (less than half of it) currently use exam proctoring, and other, the additional quarter, are considering using it? However, even among users, the use is infrequent, as used only for final examinations.
The field itself, have yet to progress much beyond the video stage, either as real-time monitoring via webcam or by record and review. Furthermore, over two-thirds of the respondents indicated being open to adopting the newer fully automated solutions for student authentication and test proctoring.
Half of those surveyed – almost – thought that the major concerns about cheating involved browsing or using unauthorized notes or other sources during tests.
The 38% thought, having another person pose as the student during a test was problematic, and 42% were concerned about those who consult others for help during an examination.
When asked to name the most desirable features in a remote proctoring, a large majority–not surprisingly–cited simplicity and ease of use, a high degree of integrity and reliability and low cost.
Cost is a particularly vexing problem in a proctored exam, as the addition of an authentication or proctoring system represents an added expense, either to the institution or students. There were reports of strong objections from students surprised by new requirements to pay outside vendors to proctor their tests.
The low cost, automated solutions funded by institutions are far preferable to having students pay separate test-proctoring fees.
