In view of the changes in education reform approaches and the inclusion of digital learning platforms, there is a shift in academic integrity and the introduction of online examinations has fuelled this issue. For non-proctored multiple-choice examinations, students can use features that are either available in-built into the system or designed to circumvent the exam with cheating. One solution for dealing with this growing menace due to technological changes is by use of proctor testing, which is a mixture of technology and personal observation.
In this blog, we shall look into the different ways of how proctor testing works to prevent exam malpractices during online multiple choice question tests, and why platforms such as Think Exam are bridges to secure and effective online exam possibilities.
What is Proctor Testing?
The term Proctor Testing is used to describe the way of supervision of a test conducted online. Tests are Clerked by a Human with Assistance of Artificial Intelligence Web Cameras and Screens of the Participants are also Monitored in Such Case. It ensures the integrity of exams by preventing, detecting, and deterring cheating.
Some of the types of Proctor Testing are
- Live Proctoring: It involves a human proctor who watches the examinees as they take the test.
- Automated Proctoring: Integration of AI in the system may be done for flagging anti-cheating activities before or during the exam through the webcam, microphone or screen.
- Recorded Proctoring: The sessions are recorded which can be viewed later in case of any malpractice.
Think Exam has rolled out a smart Proctoring mode that brings in the perfect match of human assistance and machine learning to achieve absolute testing parameters.
The Growth and the Catalysts of Proctor Testing:
With many institutions and business organizations testing users/clients remotely, online multiple choice questions have become the order of the day. They are efficient in terms of examination especially where a large number of candidates is of the essence. And this is one of the reasons that aids their wide spread use in exams.
Students resort to different cheating means:
- Screen sharing and other remote options
- Operation of smart phones or other gadgets
- Impersonating another person to take test for him/her
- Looking for answers on the Net
- Using chat rooms or other messenger services to share answers
Here is where the role of proctor testing comes as a very helpful and effective tool.
How Proctor Testing Prevents Fraud in MCQ Exams
1. Authentication of test takers
The facial recognition and ID verification systems make sure that the correct applicant or the person who does not cheat is the one doing the test for others. One of the most effective ways of stopping cheating is this as it puts an end to impersonation which is common in test cheating.
2. Lock Out Ability And Surveillance Of The Screens
Most devices allow users to navigate through multiple tabs during the test or even bring up new content outside of the test. Some Proctor Testing programmes also observe the screen throughout the exam and note if the user changes tabs or opens certain programs.
3. Continuous Video and Audio Monitoring
Study participants’ actions are observed throughout the live or automated proctoring systems. Even if the test section has heard a noise or there are many other voices, or if a participant returns to a desk without sitting, an alert is raised.
4. AI-Driven Cheat Detection
Proctor Testing systems are even more advanced as they make use of the AI technology to catch minute activities done – such as looking somewhere else, changing posture, typing in a strange manner etc. This technology detects cheating in cases where a human invigilator might not even notice.
5. Red Flag and Report devices
Such activities are recorded individually by each examiner and attached to the reports in the form of screenshots, videos and audio to determine the presence of such reporting. When promoting this test, the administrator may choose to review all of the flags displayed in the activity or disregard the activations.
The Paradigm Shift in Proctor Testing Systems by Think Exam
Some systems provide Proctor Testing solutions to businesses but the limitations of the system make Think Exam attractive. In light of the perception that Mercer Mettl and SHL are highly regarded in the market, Think Exam provides the smart option with different levels of proctoring and connection in multiple countries that have LMS platforms while requiring less bandwidth.
Its simple user interface enables smooth conduct of tests with the test takers experiencing few technical errors while there is sophisticated back-end analytics for administrators. This ensures that institutions are able to achieve the desired standards without overtaxing both the staff and the systems.
Other Measures to Control Cheating
As much as proctor testing is required, it works even better when some cheat proofing techniques are combined to it.
-
Shuffling Questions and Answers
This presents such an examination whereby each participant has a different question book sequence hence there is no possibility of aided cheating such as leakage of answers.
-
Limited time and Auto Submitting
Shorter time limits for an MCQ discourages test takers from searching for the answers elsewhere.
-
Banked Questions
When a section consists of many questions, a candidate can be given different questions from another candidate which makes it difficult for them to compare and exchange answers.
-
Behavioral Responsibilities and Data Analytics
The data knots provided by Proctor Testing management systems have a clear implication in that they help to assess if a pattern of cheating has been detected within several exam sessions of different users.
-
Location Based Exams
Urging learners to write their exams in space controlled settings (and authentically monitoring them on video) ought to repress the instances of cheating evenly in the environment.
Proctor Testing Trends and its Future in Online Exams
This is highly beneficial since as AI technologies develop, these proctoring systems will only become more precise. In the coming days, such systems will be able to verify the picture of the applicant and analyze emotions, voice, and other useful indicators.
In this vein, consider Think Exam, whose goal is to build modular prototypes for proctoring systems that are scaled to corporations, universities, and governmental institutions as they traditionally do.
While there is strong recognition for Mercer Mettl , SHL and iMocha, Think Exam’s friendly interface and the ability to conduct court cases with behavioral analysis and real-time risk levels gives superior versatility .
Conclusion
This is a new reality that calls for online assessment options, any multiple choice type exams will remain, as well as the problem of cheating on these examinations. However, there is nothing inferior to be hopeful of- because with Proctor Testing, such as those provided by solutions such as think exams, it becomes feasible and efficient to abuse these worries without conventional woes.
With the help of Artificial Intelligence, human participation, and intelligent design of examinations, proctor testing stands in its most general form as a solution to a problem called cheating and is something that protects the reliability of your examinations and the worth of your certificates.
FAQs –
1. What is proctor testing?
Proctoring refers to online examination security measures implemented via AI tools or live human invigilators so that students do not cheat. Webcam surveillance, screen-tracking, and identity checks can be included in this.
2. How do proctors work during a multiple-choice exam?
Proctoring is intended to observe the test-taker’s environment and activity on the test device. Actions such as switching tabs, copy-pasting answers, using external devices, or seeking assistance from others are prevented by proctoring, especially for MCQs that can be solved very fast.
3. Can AI-based proctoring catch cheating accurately?
It can. Modern AI-based proctor testing systems can vindicate suspicious eye movements, identify background noise, additional people in the frame, changes in facial expressions, etc. Although this is not 100 percent foolproof, it greatly minimizes the chances of undetected incidents of fraud.
4. Does live proctoring work better than automated proctoring?
It depends on the needs of the user. Live proctoring affords real-time human monitoring in an ideal situation and is therefore considered suitable for high-stakes exams. Automated proctoring on an AI platform is more scalable and cheaper when large batches are being tested. Think Exam supports both.
5. What happens if a student is caught cheating?
Such activities are detected with videotaped evidence, with time-stamped evidence just in case. Reviewed by the admins, canceling of tests from the test attempts onward can be administered to the candidate in question.
6. How does Think Exam differ from sites such as Mercer Mettl or SHL?
While Mercer Mettl and SHL are very popular, Think Exam provides more flexible proctoring options coupled with a really user-friendly interface, seamless integration and best in class smart analytics at a really competitive price without compromising on test integrity.
