How to Create a User-Friendly Online Test Proctoring Experience
Institutional leaders should consider that students have different needs, and remember that creating a flexible, yet secure and user-friendly online proctoring experience is important to students’ educational experience. To create a consistent and positive online test proctoring experience:
Choose a Reliable Proctoring Solution: Look for an online proctoring solution that offers basic and advanced features your institution needs, such as LMS integration, ID verification and secure browser options to ensure a robust and secure test environment.
“Ensure students understand technical requirements, proctoring process, how to start and end their exam, and how to get support during a test.”
Provide Clear Communication: Effective communication is key to a successful online proctoring experience. Ensure students understand technical requirements, proctoring process, how to start and end their exam, and how to get support during a test.
Offer Flexibility in Exam Settings: Different courses require different levels of student monitoring. Look for a solution that offers Instructors the choice to record video and audio through webcams and microphones, monitor web traffic to track visited sites and URLs, limit screen usage to a single monitor, disable new tabs, close open tabs, disable the clipboard, and implement ID verification. For enhanced monitoring, look for live proctoring options.
Ensure a Seamless Learning Management Systems Integration: Integrate the online proctoring solution with your institution’s Learning Management System to simplify the test setup process and help instructors create a cohesive experience.
Continuously Educate Faculty and Staff: Train instructors and staff on how to use test proctoring effectively. Ensure they are familiar with the features available and can troubleshoot common issues and they understand how to view and interpret results.
Data Security and Privacy Compliance: Prioritize data security and comply with privacy regulations. Ensure the proctoring platform adheres to industry standards for data protection, safeguarding student privacy throughout the proctoring process.
As higher-ed technology and online proctoring solutions continue to evolve, it’s important to refine strategies to meet the needs of remote students and instructors. Through a thoughtful and proactive approach, institutions can maintain the integrity of online assessments while fostering a positive and inclusive online learning environment.
Benefits of Online Test Proctoring in Higher Education
We’ve outlined some of the top benefits of online test proctoring in higher education.
Benefits for Institutions
Online Proctoring Software Verifies Identities
Identity verification is a key element in secure online testing, as institutions want to ensure the student receiving the credit is the one taking the test. Software tools like YuJa Verity make identity verification part of the process to ensure grades are being earned with integrity.
Online Test Proctoring Software is Scalable
Because there is no specialized hardware, online test proctoring can be rolled out anywhere. As the number of online, hybrid and hyflex courses increases, so does the need for an online test proctoring solution that affordably scales with the institution.
Benefits for Instructors
No Complicated Learning Curve for Instructors
Instructors have a lot on their plates without having to learn something new for remote test proctoring. With software that integrates directly with an institution’s LMS, instructors can create a quiz or test in their LMS as they normally would, edit their settings, and wait for students to take their assessments. Results are displayed in a central LTI app location.
“With software that integrates directly with an institution’s LMS, instructors can create a quiz or test in their LMS as they normally would, edit their settings, and wait for students to take their assessments.”
Analytics Provide In-Depth Reports on Testing Behaviors
With deep analytics, instructors can better understand current patterns and trends over time both for their course and for individual students. Instructors can use these reports to improve online testing success.
Benefits for Students
Online Proctoring Offers Flexibility to Test-Takers
Students can take tests online from the comfort of their own home or in a place that is familiar and comfortable. In addition, if those taking the test are professionals testing for certifications or licenses, or students with daytime obligations, they don’t have to take time off to travel to a testing center or worry about timing as long as the test is completed during a set timeframe.
Users Don’t Need Specialized Hardware
Users can take tests – including those conducted by third parties like Pearson-Vue, McGraw, ALEKS, and others – with a standard desktop, laptop, or tablet in a few simple steps. This helps make testing available to students no matter where they are in the country or world.