In the technological era, it has become convenient to do everything online. The candidates can give an exam on digital platforms. Online proctoring helps students and the examiner to break down the various constraints like- time and geographical, and make examinations more convenient and smooth. Online proctoring tools are used so that the assessment tests are taken without sacrificing security or standards. It is essential to verify each person’s identity before they sit in to give an online exam. During a lockdown, online remote proctoring solutions have been made accessible for the institutions to conduct online examinations across the globe. These solutions provide security, honesty, and flexibility to the institutions that use this software for taking an exam.
Some reputed and top online service providers provide remote proctoring solutions to their users. The agencies, corporate bodies, and institutions can use these solutions for conducting different kinds of tests such as psychometric tests, technical tests, behavioral tests, cognitive tests, and English spoken tests. The candidate verification tool, artificial intelligence, live proctoring tool is used to prevent cheating during a digital exam. The candidate identity is checked before the test. Their suspicious activities are recorded during the exam to eliminate cheating. It is convenient to conduct online exams. Online learning and examination go mainstream, the universities and colleges face an array of challenges and opportunities.
Students adopt many ways to do cheating in a test such as:
- Mobile phone: Despite the rules of anti-cheating, students still do cheating by using their smartphones. They click a picture of the answers, send screenshots to their friends, store the text, browse the answers, text friends to find the answer, and call them through their device or gadgets. All these techniques are adopted to solve the assessment test.
- Screen sharing: While doing tests, applicants do screen sharing with their friends. They use multiple devices or monitors for accessing the exam and sharing solutions on a different screen. Students use software where a third person takes control of the student’s computer remotely to do an exam.
- Web-Browsing: During an online proctoring exam, students cheat with the help of the internet. They tend to log in to the sites, type, or browse the question on the internet, Copy-paste the question-paper to the URL to get the answers.
- Taking the help of a family member: The other way used by the students is taking the help of a family member. A person is present in the room for helping the examinee. They help in finding out the solutions to the asked questions. They type the question on the web to find the right and relevant answer. They write the answer on paper or whisper it. The helper is usually away from the screen or web camera.
- Copy-pasting: The other way adopted by the students is they copy-paste the answers from their notes and store them in a folder before the start of the examination. The test takers do copy-paste, and the invigilator has no idea about these activities.
- Impersonating: Students take their tests remotely so, they can easily hire a person who is more knowledgeable and intelligent. They can take the help of any person to do an exam on their behalf.
These false practices are used by the candidates while appearing for an exam. It is crucial to use modes and tools to prevent cheating for the better future of the students. Cheating leads students to nowhere. It only makes them incapable of attempting an exam confidently and without knowledge. Every institution should use online proctoring solutions or customized tools to eliminate the chance of cheating. It makes the exam competitive and challenging.
Let’s discuss the various advantages of online remote proctoring tools:
- Anywhere: The main advantage of an online proctoring exam is that it can be attempted anywhere and anywhere. Candidates can take an exam from any convenient place-home or nearby center. They don’t need to go miles to give a test. Applicants don’t need to make efforts and spend resources like- time and money for traveling. They can take an exam freely without any constraints or geographical barriers.
- Maintain Integrity: The online proctoring system must authenticate the identity of the student. They monitor applicant’s activities so; candidates give the test with authenticity and integrity without any manipulative practices. The colleges or institutions can use the recorded and live proctoring tools that can prevent any access to external devices and resources. It eliminates the presence of a helper in the exam room for the test taker. Students can also not browse anything or open another window for finding the answers.
- Prevent cheating: The foremost benefit of using online proctoring solutions is that they prevent cheating. There is no scope of cheating if the universities use these proctoring tools while conducting an assessment test. Student verification is by facial recognition and login details. They are asked to log in and click on the question paper to attempt and to open their web camera. Students can’t hire or approach any person to give an exam on their behalf. Their participation is examined and monitored throughout the exam according to custom rules.
- Easy to schedule: Online exams can be scheduled anytime. Time slots are arranged as per the convenience of the institutions. There is also no requirement for any physical centers.
- Analytics: Online remote proctoring tools can provide invigilators exam recordings and reports of each person who attempted the assessment exam. Instructors can access the recording and data to know the student’s performance, to identify the challenges faced by them, and to respond to the queries of the students. They provide insights into students learning patterns.
- Suitable for all exams: These proctoring solutions are accessible for all types of exams. Different exams can be conducted by using these software solutions. It makes the process simple by generating a report of the test-taker and examiner at the end.
The demand for proctoring tools is increasing day by day with the advancement of technology and digital platform. So, use these tools to avoid cheating.