Online Proctoring Exam: Integrity in Digital Exams

  • May 26, 2023
  • | 21
Over the past few years, rising digitization and innovation in the education industry has made it possible for institutes to conduct online education and examinations. E-learning programs have been gaining popularity due to these advancements. But several institutes are worried about the security of online examinations which gave rise to online proctored exams. The rise of online Proctoring Exam- Many institutes have been adopting the method of online assessment and evaluation in recent times. But the major point of concern is about the security of exams. Unlike traditional examinations, in online exams, students attempt the test from the comfort of their homes. There is no one to monitor their activities during the examination. It creates a risk of cheating and other malpractices by the students, harming the integrity of the examination and institute. To solve this problem, there was a rise of online proctored exams that ensured exam security and eliminated the scope for any cheating attempts by the students. By implementing the system with online examination software, the institutes ensured individual invigilation of the student using the software. Here?s how an online proctored exam ensures academic integrity in digital tests. Real-time Monitoring- The online assessment system conducts real-time monitoring of the student?s activities during exams. It eliminates the need for invigilators as the software keeps track of student activities during exams securely and efficiently.? As the software notices any unusual activities performed by students during an exam, it notifies the exam manager and warns the students with a pop-up message.?? Screen Records- The online examination software records all student activities during the test using the camera of their device. Further, it takes frequent screenshots of student activities during the exam and keeps the data stored if required in the future. This gives a complete image of the presence of people, books, or any inanimate objects near the students, if any. This helps the system to monitor student behavior during exams and use AI technology to understand it. As time passes, and more and more students attempt exams, the system becomes better at proctoring and monitoring the students and pointing out unusual activities. Student Authentication- Before the examination, the student has to register for the exam by filling out the form and paying the exam fees.? The students get a unique exam code that they can use in the examination to log in and confirm their presence. This system checks for the student?s ID and the unique number which is compared to their previously fed details. Disabled Browsers- The online assessment system has a risk of students cheating as they can easily access internet searches or may connect with anyone through apps. To eliminate this risk, the software disables all the other tabs and browsers to open on the device, apart from the exam window. This way, the students cannot attempt any Google search for answers to formulae during the exam. The system is immediately notified if the student attempts any such activity after being informed about the consequences. However, if the student faces any issues with the exam or technical problems, they can get in touch with the exam manager through the chat option in the exam window. Disabled Copy, and Paste- The online assessment software does not allow the students to cut, copy, or paste any information in the exam window. This helps to increase the security of the exam as the students cannot attempt any cheating activity. This enhances students? trust in the examination system and maintains their integrity. Data Security- It includes question papers, student answers, evaluation reports, performance data, and others.? In this way, the students or any unauthorized person cannot access the data or manipulate it. This ensures high exam security and data privacy in the institute. Conclusion- The online examination software is a robust solution that offers anti-cheating technology to ensure the integrity of the institute. Cloud storage keeps the student data and exam information safe in the software. It enhances the entire examination process and increases the ease of operations.