
In Online Exam Proctoring or Online Video Exam Proctoring, a candidate is observed online during the test duration, generally using a camera, microphone, and access to the applicant’s screen.
Candidates must have the following items in order to take an online proctored test from a remote location:
- A compatible device (desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone)
- A high-speed Internet connection of at least 256kbps
- A microphone and a working webcam
- Any current browser on a PC or laptop
Proctoring is divided into three types:
1. Live Online Proctoring
A skilled proctor watches the candidates, audio-video, and screen sharing streams in real-time during a live proctored test. The proctoring service provider will often have personnel sitting at a distant location who have been trained to guarantee student authentication and to prevent/red flag any type of cheating.
Depending on the supplier, a proctor can watch up to 16/32 applicants at once. The benefit of this method is that it eliminates the proctoring location limitation.
Disadvantages include the fact that tests must still be scheduled, and because there is equal human participation as with offline proctoring, it is not particularly scalable and is the most expensive of all sorts.
2. Recorded Proctoring
There is no real-time monitoring of the stream in this manner. Instead, the test applicants’ audio-video and screen sharing streams are captured during the test.
A representative fast-forwards these videos (3X to 20X speed) and annotates any questionable activity.
It has the advantage of removing both scheduling and geographical limitations. However, because the assessment is still done by humans, it is not particularly scalable and remains expensive.
3. Advanced Automated Proctoring
The most sophisticated kind of proctoring is automated proctoring. During the exam, the audio-video and screen-sharing feeds of the test applicants are again captured.
However, in addition to recording, the system uses modern video and audio analytics to monitor the streams for any suspicious activities.
It has the advantage of removing both scheduling and geographical limitations. It also eliminates the need for people to do the evaluation, making it more scalable and cost-effective.
Factors Affecting the Growth of Online Proctoring
The expansion of online proctoring services is fueled by a number of causes. The following are important considerations:
- Increased demand owing to the rise of e-learning
- Elimination of proctored assessment centers’ exorbitant expenses
- Help students save time and money.
- There is a lack of infrastructure and computer laboratories to administer exam-like conditions.
- A greater emphasis on work-based apprenticeships and aligning learning and evaluations with actual corporate needs