Starting last year, online learning has been an utterly altered situation for schools and colleges. Despite the challenges, educators adapted to the new norm when they began looking at things differently. While replacing the traditional methods wasn’t easy, many swept through difficulties with the help of technology.
Proctoring for online exams
2020 was all about online exams that became possible through innovative proctoring solutions. Proctoring means keeping an eye or monitoring the candidates who are appearing for any examination. Online remote proctoring helps an administrator to conduct the exam from a remote location. Proctoring ensures cheat-proof online assessments, where every candidate attempting the test from their home space can give the examination without indulging in any malpractice. Although online proctoring may be a novel notion for many people, large e-learning institutions and global corporations have embraced it wholeheartedly.
Online proctoring has also become popular in many programs like Global-language-training offered by Dotefl, where more than 85,000 students have taken the courses and are teaching worldwide. The entire procedure is becoming more common, with more and more test creators and administrators opting for online testing. In addition, online proctoring is a necessity for students and educational institutions because of the following advantages:
Accessibility
As most tests take place online, the institutions and examinees could ignore the test’s physical location. The whole registration procedure is completed online, and the exam papers appear on an internet platform. Most online examination software will allow the institution to create various question types, such as long/short or multiple-choice questions (MCQs).
Proctored environment
Despite being in a remote area, it permits institutions and examiners to have an extremely safe and proctored environment. The proctoring software’s principal function is to control the examiner’s browsing freedom. This implies that the examinees’ browsers will freeze, preventing them from accessing any web-based resources. A real-time report informs the examiner whether the examinee engages in any undesirable actions such as snapping onto others’ computers or having his eyes lingering here and there.
Verification
Impersonating in the test was quite frequent when internet proctoring wasn’t as popular as it is now. Examinees had other people take the exam in their place, and identifying the impostor proved challenging. Getting hold of impersonators has gotten more accessible, thanks to the growing usage of internet proctors. Exam monitoring software lets examiners undergo an online verification process, which verifies true identities of the test-takers before the test.
It’s worth noting that, despite their popularity, online proctoring and testing software still require a qualified human to make the ultimate judgment at some point during the procedure. It makes the physical proctor’s job much more manageable.
Availability
Online proctoring is a necessity for students and educational institutions because of its availability in almost every area. Students can take exams from anywhere.
Security
Online proctoring software is AI & ML based, which prevent 100% cheating in exams.
Cost friendly
Students can appear in exams at no extra cost. The students who can not afford it can also give exams. Online Proctoring is a very convenient and cost-effective option for all educational institutions.
Advance Monitoring Features
You can identify students with live images and videos, as well as do document verification.
Easy to use
It is effortless to use software for educational management, teachers, students, and parents.
Tracking
Now, you can track students while examinations by geo tagging location and screen recording.
Technical Support
You will get 24/7 Technical Support.
It can be concluded that online proctoring is helpful for students and educational institutions. The students are engaged by this method. The students who cannot access technology have a problem. The most significant change that we are going through is that cultural change. People have realized that many things can be done online at lower costs. It saves travel and gives the flexibility of time. When the schools reopen, and integration of online and offline education will:
- Allow for higher quality interaction at school and college.
- Teachers can enjoy higher bandwidth and achieve the higher success of teaching-learning.’
- When technology is made available for all, more students will enroll.
Instead of all these benefits, the educational system should be a hybrid model. Imagine two situations:-
- I ask you to sit inside a classroom and play a recorded video of a subject taught by someone.
- I make a teacher stand in front of you.
In which case will your concentration be more? Now, imagine I connect your life to a teacher. In another case, I ask you to join a class with a physical teacher present. Naturally, the clarification will be more when a physical teacher is present. But, you can ask doubts freely when online as there would be no one else watching you. One will have more excuses not to attend a class, and the fear of teachers’ punishments will reduce.
In addition, internet access is not available to everyone, and the connection is not stable wherever it is. Speed may not be sufficient, and it requires a massive investment to set up new towers for internet access. At the same time, a compact room will help provide education to many students in village areas. However, accessibility to the internet is a must while teaching students as they may get better clarity on subjects. Since the internet is the most extensive library, no doubt one will have access to more resources.
So, there are advantages and disadvantages with education going entirely online with the current scenario. Still, with the right technology, online education is a considerate option for both the students and educational institutions.
