Students have been cheating since the inception of the concept of exams. Some want to survive, and others want to move ahead. The fundamental sense of competitiveness drives the students to adopt easier ways for better results. It is the educators’ responsibility to maintain integrity and fairness. Online examinations have a lot of complexities attached. Hence, the prevention of cheating needs the support of the latest techniques and special care.
Online proctoring has been the biggest boon to eradicating and controlling the issue of cheating. Let us see how and why online proctoring has become an integral and essential part of online exams globally.
How Do Students Try to Cheat During Online Exams?
Students across the globe are extremely technology savvy, and they have the intelligence and curiosity to explore methods of cheating using that. Especially remote proctoring exams are more susceptible to cheating incidences. Let us see some of the most used cheating techniques by the students.
• Virtual Machines
Parallel operating systems are being installed in students’ computers to bypass the browser lock and online proctoring solutions. This is a very sophisticated technique to dodge the restrictions of such technological tools to prevent cheating.
• Accessing Restricted Browsers
For obvious reasons, access to open browsers is restrictive during online exams. However, students find loopholes in the mechanism to use one or another such browser to access reference materials.
• Copying Content From USB
Like the good old cheat sheets, USB drives provide information for students during exams. Cheating in online exams is a breeze if the anti-cheating software for the exam fails to detect the USB drive attached.
• USB Keyboard Hacks
There are USB keyboards available in the open market that have some limited capacity to store data. Students are keeping a limited amount of data to fetch references for exam cheating. The operating systems and the anti-cheating proctoring tools may identify such gadgets as standard keyboards, and cheating in online exams can happen.
What Does Remote Proctoring Do?
Remote proctoring solutions have a special configuration to catch and prevent attempts of online exam cheating. Such proctoring software has the technical capability to identify and flag cheating incidences on a real-time basis.
• Identity Verification
One of the most common practices of online exam cheating is using imposters for tests. Cheating in online proctored exams can also happen if another person is appearing for the same in place of the student. Hence, remote proctoring solutions have the mechanism to carry out accurate identity verification of the students. Some innovative solutions also use biometric measures to ensure identity validation for exam attendees.
• Flags Suspicious Activities
A proctoring solution should have the functionality to raise red flags whenever a student attempts to cheat during a remote online exam. The flags should be well-defined and have AI support for efficient assistance of the human invigilator.
• Detailed Reports for Post Exam Assessment
The cheating attempts or suspicious behaviors that the remote human proctor has missed can undergo rectification by a detailed report generated after the test. Instructors can review these reports and take appropriate action if malpractice is evident.
• Blocks Restricted Websites and Browsers
This is the most important and non-negotiable feature any good proctoring should possess. Students always try to access unauthorized websites to fetch reference materials, and remote proctoring software should have an adequate data bank to identify and block all such sources of references.
Essential Features for A SmartRemote Proctoring Solution?
There are numerous remote proctoring solutions available in the market. However, any educator or institution should choose a proctoring software that has the scale to evolve and adapt quickly to the changing dynamics of online proctored exam cheating techniques. These are some unique features remote proctoring cheating software can offer as the best invigilation assistant for educators.
• User-Friendly Interface and Functionalities
Only having technical features is not enough for an intelligent remote proctoring solution. Along with the same, it should also have a lucid workflow for the user to feel comfortable. This is a very imperative quality for a remote proctoring solution as it should not add to the anxiety of the student or the educator but should help them sail through the process easily.
• Updated Data Library for Blocking Stealth Apps
The key to success in the remote proctoring process is having the latest data on the applications and browsers used by students for cheating. The software should be able to block any such application while running during the assessment promptly.
• Value the Student Privacy
One should never forget that any online proctoring software will have to function inside the system of a student. Many students feel uncomfortable granting access to a third-party solution to run inside their system. The remote proctoring solution should have due regard for student data privacy and must adhere to the laws and regulations for protecting the same.
• Scalable and Customizable Solution
Any proctoring solution used for remote invigilation should have the scalability to handle multiple students simultaneously. Having the bandwidth to manage several students at a time can save time and energy for the institution to a great extent. At the same time, the solution should offer editable technical configurations for the institutes’ specific requirements.
• Customer Support
Remote proctoring is a technology-based solution, and such a solution must come along with a robust client support infrastructure. Students or educators may get stuck in the process at any point in time. Hence, having a proper client support function can save the day for both of them and keep them away from the worry of the complexities of the technology.
How to prevent cheating in online exams?: Remote Proctoring
Students will always keep trying to find newer ways to cheat during exams. On top of that, technology will also grant them access to the forbidden space of cheating. Hence, it is the responsibility of educators to prevent such instances effectively. Online proctoring software is one such tool that can efficiently prevent copying in exams. Cheating on a test will always be tempting, leading to a massive loophole in the education system. That is why online proctored exams are a great answer to cheating.
