Myths About Remote Proctoring

Proctoring an exam remotely using state-of-the-art technology may be a good idea amid the Covid-19 health emergency. Remote proctoring is the need of the hour, but it doesn’t go well with a lot of people.

There are misconceptions about the potency of remote proctoring. Some think it can prevent cheating during online exams and protects the integrity of the test. Others say it is a myth that remote proctoring works, which is not true.

Myth 1 — Consistent proctoring increases students anxiety

As per International Journal of E-Learning and Distance Education, the popular myths advocated by technology, naysayers are that virtual proctoring with all its surveillance systems and proctoring tools, increases the anxiety levels of candidates, adversely impacting their performance. This is simply not true.

The reality is that there are an array of online proctoring methods and some do not entail online surveillance or consistent monitoring of the candidates taking the exam. Candidates may feel less anxious because they are attempting the exam from their home or comfortable environment. Hence, some common stress factors like arriving late at the examination hall or being surrounded by other anxious students are put to an end.

Myth 2 — Online proctoring violates students’ privacy

Yet another common myth is that online proctoring violates the student’s privacy. Mark Lescroart, a psychology professor at the University of Nevada, feels that “violating their (student’s) privacy is worse than leaving a potential cheater uncaught.” In addition, some students express that online proctoring technologies are “invasive, discriminatory, and inaccurate.”

These feelings are comprehensible, because online proctoring environments do involve a human proctor (located remotely away from the candidate’s location) observing the candidate. Although, even in a classroom exam setting, students are being observed or proctored continuously by an invigilator or professor.

In addition, many college campuses now have 24-hour surveillance cameras to record student movements and activities.

Myth 3 — Proctors access candidate’s devices after the examination

A repeated claim among opposers to virtual proctoring is that as a result of attaining access to the university system, online proctoring companies can access the candidate’s computer or device — even after they complete their exam.

This generated a host of security concerns like technology being used to look into the candidate’s private data like browsing history or private account credentials. These issues have even led to the publishing of the “Student Bill of Rights for Remote and Digital Work.”

To debunk this concern, online proctoring companies have improvised their transparency by providing candidates with answers to questions like:

• When are they being virtually recorded by the proctoring software?
• How can they uninstall the online proctoring extension after the online exam? If any
• What candidate data is being collected and monitored?
• For how long do proctoring services retain the candidate’s data?

Myth 4 — Every online proctoring method is video-driven

For some, the foremost concern about online proctoring is video-based monitoring and recording. The myth is that all online proctoring is video-based — where exam proctors are trained to detect any dubious behavior on part of the candidate including irregular head or eye movements.

In addition, video-driven proctoring requires high internet speed, thus making it unfair for candidates attending from remote locations with poor internet connectivity.

Myth 5 — Online proctoring solutions fail to detect cheating

Recent statistics from the International Center for Academic Integrity found that 70% of university students have confirmed that they have cheated during university exams. In a recent case, Boston University has been investigating alleged candidate cheating using Chegg, an online subscription-based tutoring app.

Among the common myths, cheating among candidates attending online courses is considered higher due to limited proctoring during exams. In this learning environment, online proctoring has proven effective against cheating.

Online proctoring is effective in minimizing exam cheating percentages due to the constant observation and monitoring of candidates by human proctors, also referred to as invigilators. In addition, advanced technology and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) improve detection of suspicious behavior and answering patterns relative to traditional proctoring methods.

The reality is that various types of online proctoring methods can be deployed, including live proctoring” where candidate’s activities during the exam duration are watched live (through screen shares and webcam) and reviewed in real-time by the assigned proctor.

Conclusion

The use of online proctoring services is increasing with the growth of online and remote learning in a COVID-impacted environment. At a time when online exams are becoming more popular, insufficient information about online proctoring solutions and tools has fueled some common misconceptions discussed in this blog.

As a leading provider of online proctoring solutions, ExamRoom.AI is enabling global training and certification businesses and universities to cope with the challenges of the COVID pandemic.

Are you looking for the right resources to address your online proctoring challenges? Connect with us today.