While online learning is becoming more widely accepted as a form of education. The issue of academic integrity for online exams continues. Many service providers offer to take my online proctored exam. High student enrollments are a regular aspect of online courses.
Many teachers feel obligated to use MCQ’s tests as a task management approach. Multiple-choice examinations have the benefit of uniform replies. But they also have the disadvantage of impersonal learning and serious cheating possibilities.
Examination integrity is a critical and difficult topic. Especially when testing moves away from the classroom more frequently. In-person testing needs students to physically undertake a testing session at the institution. Whether trying to arrange for an authorized proctor remote from the institution. Such as a testing center or independently arranged proctor. To utilize online real-time proctor services are all options for proctoring online exams.
What is ProctorU?
ProctorU is a for-profit organization that works with the academic system. To provide real-time online proctoring services using a microphone and webcam. Students schedule exams on ProctorU’s website and then communicate with their proctor. Examinations can be undertaken from anywhere with an internet connection.
Students connect to a virtual proctor who walks them through the process. Also, keep an eye on them as they take a test using their webcam. Before the start of the exam, the Proctor takes a 360° view of the student’s workplace with a webcam. Check a window to ensure no unapproved objects are present.
Throughout the session, students must maintain an audible and visual connection with the proctor. Before beginning the exam, students must provide identification to prove their identities. Students paid a tuition fee charge per exam at the time of this study as long as they arranged it 72 hours ahead of time. The usage of ProctorU requires technical expertise beyond the university’s minimum needs for students. The influence of online proctoring on the academic setting was judged positively. The majority of students were in favor.
Advantages
There are advantages of adopting e-proctoring over in-person testing from the stance of instructor load. In-person testing no longer requires space or teaching assistants. Moreover, the cost of virtual proctoring is transferred to students.
The teacher must deal with technical concerns that emerge. Essentially analyzing suspicious activity reported by the online proctor. Plus all the technical faults mentioned by the student. Initially, instructors for these courses decided to stop using online proctoring because of the student fee. Their influence on experience, and the complete absence of need for these very basic introductory courses, willing to agree with other literature reports.
Disadvantages
Real disadvantages of online proctoring help to offset the real and potential benefits. For those courses that demand more tough assessment standards. Assessment procedures like case-based exams, discussion boards, and conceptual tests have been adopted.
There is a variety of online proctoring that provides the three sorts of exam services.
Live proctoring
This one is real-time proctoring that takes place during the exam with a human proctor. Remotely monitoring and supervising the exam. Human proctors are generally trained professionals who check for red flags. Such as eyes or facial movements or just the appearance of any unconfirmed gadget that could signal suspected cheating.
Recorded proctoring
This demands to videotape of images and records of a student who take my online proctored exam. With the proctor afterward reviewing the footage and assessing the exam’s integrity. Students can take a test at any moment, allowing many exams to conduct at the same time. However, human participation is a must for examining the recordings. Which can be costly and difficult to scale.
Automated proctoring
Human proctors do not monitor (or review) the entire exam in automated proctoring. Instead, the proctoring technology identifies crucial occurrences that could indicate fraud or cheating. The proctor is notified to review these events to see if the student has done any fraud or cheating.
Universities are in the process of selecting an online test proctoring system. Must examine issues first to avoid problems during an exam. These include (but are not limited to) flexibility and efficiency of connectivity. The current institutional LMS, performance, and reliability of the proctoring system should be considered.
Sometimes low connection speed, poor hardware capabilities, or electrical power outages are reasons. Other times task automation efficiency, and reporting capabilities can impact education. Further, major factors to consider when adopting an online proctoring system are:
- Privacy protection
- Administration
- Cybersecurity
- Anti-fraud methods,
- And their associated costs.
Academic integrity is indeed an essential concern. However, it appears to differ depending on the course.
Conclusion
The question of how to retain academic integrity in online exams remains unanswered. Above mentioned article demonstrates that online proctoring has a strong impact on education. Not only in one way but in many ways to take my online proctored exam. That must be considered when weighing the risks and benefits of proctored and non-proctored exams.