Description: Proctoring software can make a huge difference in keeping cheating out of online tests. Check out our blog to learn how it works.
What is Online Proctoring and how it works?
Online Proctoring Software: The New Wave in Educational Testing
You’ve probably heard of online proctoring tools by now. You might even have a friend or a family member who has used it. But do you know what online proctoring software is? Perhaps what’s more important is why they’re useful. If this is your first time finding out about online proctoring software, don’t worry — we’ll tell you everything you need to know about it.
The new wave in educational testing is online proctoring software. Online proctoring gives students the flexibility and convenience they want while bringing educational testing into the 21st century. Learn more about how online proctoring can give you an edge over your competitors!
What Is Proctoring Software?
Proctoring software is an intelligent software that monitors users while they take online tests, assignments, or certification exams. These solutions use technologies such as computer vision and machine learning to recognize and flag unusual behavior from test takers.
Online Proctoring software or online remote proctoring allows students to take tests online without having a proctor present for every question. It’s an alternative to paper-based tests, which can be expensive, inconvenient, and time-consuming for both teachers and students.
Why is online proctoring software growing in popularity?
Remote Proctoring software may not sound all that important — but you’d be surprised how much it can help. If you’re about to take an exam or your students are about to take an exam, you’ll definitely need tools to help you proctor. That’s where online proctoring software comes in.
Online proctoring software is a great way to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and provide a better experience for your students. Here are some of the benefits:
Cost savings
The testing center saves money by using online proctoring software instead of hiring staff members to monitor exams. This also reduces overhead costs because there are fewer employees needed overall.
Increased flexibility
Online proctoring allows students to take exams from home or work, giving them more flexibility in taking their exams. They can also choose when and where they take their exams, which can help students manage their time better.
Improved security
Online proctoring offers increased security because it does not require instructors or students to travel to an off-campus location, nor does it require them to share personal information with each other (such as social security numbers).
Device-Friendliness
Online proctoring software allows students to use their own devices while taking an exam, so they don’t have to worry about finding compatible equipment at the testing center or paying for expensive testing equipment. Students don’t need special training because they’re not required to install any software on their computers; everything happens through the browser window.
Real-time Monitoring
Online proctoring software enables teachers to create secure online exams that require students to log in at a specific time and date and answer questions in real time.
With the advent of online testing, remote proctoring software has become a hot new trend in the world of education. Proctored testing is a necessary requirement for many college entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT, and for other exams such as the GRE and MCAT.
How does Software-based Online Proctoring work?
Software-based remote proctoring has been around for some time, but it’s only been in a few short years that it has surged in use. Software proctoring is the standard for many educational institutions and organizations, offering a fast, reliable way to provide students with an optimal testing experience.
- AI-powered proctoring combines facial recognition technology with behavioral analysis to support monitoring and safeguard examinations.
- Software-based proctoring features machine learning capabilities that allow the software to analyze behavior and determine if cheating is taking place.
- It can determine if a student or examinee is looking away from the screen while taking a test, using other devices connected to their network, or printing out test questions to cheat with.
- Artificial intelligence technology used in online proctoring can also be used to detect anomalies like blurriness and shadows in the video feed that may indicate the possibility of someone trying to cheat on a test.
Features of the best Proctoring Software
These are some features to look for when choosing a proctoring software.
- Support for remote proctoring
- Pausable and rewindable live video
- Proctoring on-the-spot with continuous eye tracking
- Support for automated tests
- Support for online exams in various formats like multiple choice, true or false, open answer etc.
- Dynamic test creation and sequencing of questions
- Conducting virtual interviews and monitoring during the interview
- Screen recording, motion detection, document scanning and printing of documents are possible with the proctoring software.
- Securely scheduled online sessions with proctor authentication are possible with effective proctoring software.
- Generate reports to improve performance of students
The limitations of online proctoring
Online proctoring sounds like a great idea at the first glance. However, there are some limitations that aren’t immediately obvious until you experience them firsthand.
Privacy Concerns
Students may be reluctant to take tests online if they feel their privacy could be compromised during the testing process. Some students may not want others to see what they’re doing on their computers while they’re taking a test and may worry about what could happen if someone else has access to their computer while they’re taking an exam. In addition, some students may have concerns about how secure their personal information will be during an online exam session.
Cost
Online proctoring services cost more than traditional proctored testing centers. Online proctoring services must compensate their employees for the time spent monitoring students and the costs associated with maintaining an online proctoring system, which can add up quickly.
Abandoned or failed tests
In some cases, students will abandon their tests before they’re finished or even close to finishing. This can be frustrating for instructors who are trying to manage an online class in real time. The same issue occurs when students don’t know how to use the software properly and give up on taking the test altogether.
Requires a high-speed Internet connection
The biggest disadvantage of online proctoring is that it requires a high-speed Internet connection and good access to the Internet at all times during testing. Students who live in rural areas or in areas with poor Internet connections may have difficulty using this method of testing because it can take awhile for them to download large files.
Lack of control over the environment
The student is not in your room and you may not have a clear view of what’s going on in their computer screen. You can ask them to minimize certain applications while taking the exam but this is not always possible, especially if they are using a laptop.
Difficulty with technical issues
Online proctoring services have difficulty dealing with technical issues such as poor Internet connections and dropped calls during testing sessions. These problems can cause frustration for both students and proctors alike, which can lead to delays in testing and additional costs associated with rescheduling an exam session due to scheduling conflicts.
How To Implement Proctoring Software In Your Institution?
Here are some tips to help you implement proctoring software in your institution:
Identify your school’s needs
Before you adopt a proctoring solution, make sure that it meets your institution’s needs. For example, if you’re looking for an online proctoring solution that can be used anywhere in the world, you may want to consider WebEx or join.me (both of which are available as cloud-based services). On the other hand, if you’re looking for a solution that works on the desktop and can be deployed locally without any additional hardware or software requirements, consider Examity or Kryterion Web Procter (KWP).
Choose a provider
There are several popular remote proctoring solutions available today. Check the entire list of top 10 online proctoring softwares here. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses so make sure you evaluate them carefully before making a decision about which one is right for your institution.
Decide upon your pricing model
There are many pricing models available for proctoring solutions, however it is important to choose one that suits your needs best. For example, some providers charge per exam while others charge by the number of users or seats required on any given exam day (usually between $15-$50 per seat). Other providers charge per hour so if you are running multiple tests simultaneously then make sure this is taken into account when deciding on how much money will be needed to implement proctoration software within your institution.
Start with a pilot project
If you’re not sure if you want to go full steam ahead with using proctoring software in your institution, then why not start with a pilot project? This will help you identify any problems that may arise while using this technology before making any major changes in the way things are done at your institute.
Get feedback
Once you’ve used proctoring software for a while, ask some of your students how they feel about it and how they think it has impacted their learning experience in any way.
Conclusion
If your educational institution is interested in using proctoring software to protect the integrity of its tests, then please browse our suggested full list of Online Proctoring Softwares today.
