Proctor Your Exams
Proctoring is the practice of administering an exam by an approved individual. Faculty or another individual who meets institution-specified criteria agree to monitor the exam at a specific time and location. The proctor verifies through visual inspection that the individual matches an official photo ID, provides instructions for acessing and taking the exam, and monitors the test-taking to ensure that no unapproved activities occur.
Formerly, proctored exams for online courses required careful planning because options primarily included only:
- Locating a proctor from an institution-approved list
- Proposing that an individual known to the test taker be vetted by the institution for approval as a proctor
- Traveling to an approved testing facility
- Traveling to the institution's location
Recent advances in technology and technology support have enabled companies such as Proctor U to offer proctored exams online at a distance. The system uses the student's webcam and a high-speed Internet connection to proctor the exam in real time. Watch as Proctor U explains:
Benefits
The benefits of proctored exams has long been the confirmation of identity. When a proctor is able to compare the individual with a photo ID, confirmation is made. Additional steps taken during a proctored exam ensure that unauthorized materials or assistance are not accessed.
Disadvantages
Distance learners can find proctored exams to be inconvenient when they require travel to an approved testing site, which might include travel costs or costs for childcare. In addition, it may be inconvenient to schedule an exam at a required time or to locate proctors. Other issues that could have an impact include conflicts with family or work responsibilities. Costs to take proctored exams vary. Proctor U, for example charges a fee per exam, based on the exam's time limit, and runs $20-30.
Other issues such as privacy have not been fully explored and are raising concerns. For some test takers, the additional stress of knowing that someone is watching them intimately during a testing situation is prohibitive to testing success.
As these disadvantages of proctored testing are considered, some institutions may be determine that it is not a feasible option for adult distance learners. In order then, to maintain security, another options must be considered. We will talk about lockdown browsers next.