Top 10 Benefits of Online Proctoring

Since the pandemic lockdowns of 2020-2021, online proctoring technology has evolved to support AI-challenged academic integrity, adapting to stakeholder feedback and offering customizable features to address the challenges students and institutions faced. Today, online proctoring is a common hassle-free exam practice around the globe, accessible from any remote location and offering a plethora of benefits to any type of test-taker:

●Supports various exam types
●Verifies student identity
●Scales affordably to institutional needs
●24/7 exam scheduling
●Deters cheating effectively
●Ensures a fair test environment
●Reduces test center administrative load
●Accessible, with accommodation options
●Provides detailed behavior reports
●Environmentally friendly

Let’s explore each benefit in greater detail.

1. Online proctoring works for a variety of exam types

One of the arguments against online invigilation can be an oral exam that requires a dialogic mode of communication with a human proctor. Contrary to some beliefs, both assessors and students are continuously recorded to prevent situations where students would appeal, and there would be no documented evidence to aid the dispute resolution. On the other hand, in-person testing is prone to human factors – from excessive personal feelings to lost records.

2.Verifies student ID

All test-takers are obliged to verify their identity before accessing the exam paper. Online proctoring software records and compares the student’s ID details with their photo at the moment of exam taking. This feature benefits e-learning programs where professors may have never interacted with students in real life.

3.Affordably scales to your institution’s needs

With high demand in specialized education comes the challenge of responsible scaling without implicating academic integrity. Effective online proctoring services must be user-friendly and adaptable for students and instructors while offering cost-effective scalability and security for administrators. To ease the decision-making, the remote invigilation industry now offers flat-rate pricing per exam or student to help safeguard budgets and provide clear testing cost estimates.

4. Students can schedule online exams 24/7

In-person testing requires professor proctoring. Early online exams called for the same accommodation, which was obstructed by insufficient technology and professors' tight schedules. Modern proctoring offers an integrated solution with independent inspectors and AI-based tracking. The flexibility of proctoring mode ensures students can schedule exams at their convenience, regardless of time zones.

5. Proctored testing features prevent and deter cheating

There is a wide array of cheating tricks students can use while taking tests offline – James Bond would have been jealous in some cases. Proctoring offers personification with clearly set protocols to which students agree before commencing the exam. Consenting to terms and conditions after a thorough briefing cultivates responsible conduct of science and awareness of one's actions. Chances of cheating near 0 with online proctoring present at all testing stages.

6. Proctoring creates a fair online test environment for students

Students are hyper-aware of their classroom rivals when future career prospects and scholarships are at stake. Proctoring services allow students to focus only on education by ensuring fairness for all – whether online or face-to-face.

7. Proctored testing removes the administrative burden on test centers

Test centers are often overwhelmed by high exam-day demands, from printing materials and setting up safety checks to managing student belongings and coordinating proctors. Post-exam, grading poorly written answers and distributing scripts among evaluators add to the administrative load. Online proctoring services ease these burdens by detecting phone usage, blocking browser plugins, and restricting hotkeys, helping streamline exam administration.

8. Proctoring software is accessible and allows accommodations

Administrators can customize the remote invigilation to offer accommodations for special needs. Proctoring does not need the download of any 3rd party apps and is embedded with the existing LMS. Practice tests, consultation with medical professionals, and AI student support at all times ensure sufficient adjustment.

9. Detailed reporting provides insight into learner behavior and patterns

Higher education oftentimes does not assume a close student-professor relationship, unlike secondary education, which features tight-knit classes. Proctoring technology has the potential to help students navigate through the complex education change by providing their supervisors with detailed reports of test-taker behavior and thinking patterns. A more accurate assessment of student learning enables precise evaluations and calibration of learning objectives, another benefit of online proctoring.

10. Planet-friendly solution for environment-conscious educational institutions and students.

Sharp education demand means increased usage of non-sustainable resources such as disposable pens, paper, or printing cartridges that do not get adequately recycled and end up in landfills. Moreover, ink production uses significant resources and contributes to pollution, often containing harmful chemicals and releasing volatile organic compounds or hazardous air pollutants. Online exam proctoring means students will only use their or their institution’s already-owned PCs, further minimizing the transportation impact.

ProctorEdu offers state-of-the-art proctoring software based on diverse feedback and best practices in the education technology industry. Here are the ProctorEdu benefits you should regard when choosing your academic integrity companion:

● No Extensions Needed: Software runs directly in the browser without additional plugins.
● Seamless Platform Integration: Works with various testing platforms like Moodle, Blackboard, D2L Brightspace, iSpring Learn, Sakai, and more
● Flexible Delivery Option: A cloud system offers internet-based access with hidden maintenance, delivering only the needed proctoring, while an on-premises system is hosted on your local server, granting complete data control and offline functionality.
● Enhanced Monitoring: Smartphone cameras enable a 360° view.
● Customizable: Tailor session parameters to specific requirements.
● Real-Time Communication: Allows communication with students during assessments.
● Mobile Device Compatibility: Supports multiple device types for accessibility.
● Proctoring Modes: Offers automated and live proctoring options.
● Security: Proctor Edu protects user data to prevent any misuse, safeguarding privacy and rights.
● Multilingual Interface: Accessible for diverse linguistic needs.

In conclusion, online proctoring has become an invaluable tool in modern education, offering a blend of security, accessibility, and efficiency that benefits institutions, students, and the environment. Its flexibility in scheduling, robust ID verification, and advanced cheating deterrence create a secure and fair testing environment. By minimizing administrative burdens and offering accommodations, online proctoring supports inclusive education while also reducing resource consumption. Proctoring software like ProctorEdu, with customizable options, seamless platform integration, continues to advance academic integrity in an increasingly digital world, making it a sustainable choice for educational institutions committed to quality and innovation.

Is online proctoring invasive?

Online proctoring is not invasive. Students can choose any quiet space to write their exams. The sole purpose of the environment scan is to ensure students have not placed crib sheets around. Proctoring software or human invigilators cannot control or browse through devices.

Can students still cheat in online proctored exams?

While students may attempt to do so, it is objectively not possible. Upon exam completion, a detailed student behavior report will be issued—the professor would know if the student talked, roamed around the room, turned the internet off, etc. Moreover, proctoring software disables plugins, browsers, and hotkeys, thus preventing any leaks.

Does the online proctoring system go offline often?

ProctorEdu has a 99.5% statistic of no downtime during online exam proctoring. The proctoring system needs at least 256 kbps bandwidth and auto-recovers from connectivity loss, which is logged in reports. An advance equipment check is available, and administrators can distribute pre-test templates via link.