Online proctoring- A growing trend

In this technology-driven generation, the e-learning system is becoming a craze among academicians as they are opting online platforms for high-quality information. We have all heard about LMS i.e. Learning Management System used by higher educational platforms or institutes to enhance the education system. There are many LMSs such as canvas, Moodle, blackboard etc used by universities and institutions to deliver their content to students for extensive learning. These are the best way of learning platforms irrespective of the place, hence creating a personalized learning environment. The LMSs act as storage for study material, the progress of students, result reports and assessment etc.

But exams conducted on these platforms are not supervised like physically taken exams. There is no invigilator to ensure that there is no cheating going on. This may affect university integrity as well. So online cheating acts as a challenge for many higher educational institutions. To combat this and to conduct online exams effortlessly, institutions seek the help of online proctoring. Online proctoring involves an AI proctor who observes the student and its identity while online exams and detect any suspicious activity. As there are many benefits of online proctoring, is accepted by many universities and institutions. They are 98% accurate, so the institutions can rely on them easily. When conducting online, the proctoring tool acting as a service can be easily integrated into clients systems such as Moodle, primarily it will be called Moodle Proctoring.

Online proctoring uses algorithms which are ideal to detect cheating or any unwanted activity which becomes very easy for the invigilator. It is an advanced way of conducting exams without the intervention of humans and no worry of cheating providing the best accuracy. Also, as there is an AI proctor behind, there is no scope of any mistakes, unlike a human proctor. It can work all the time without getting tired of giving the right results.

Following are some points which will highlight why the institutions and universities prefer online proctoring:

• Easy access- It is easy to access for both the instructor and learner. It is an easy process to log in once the platform identifies you. The instructor only once has to put all the information regarding students' names, id no etc. After that, you can get all the students’ information and their results in a single click.
• Professional review- The best part is that, if you don’t want to fully rely on the AI proctor, these proctoring software gives you an option to record the audio and video of the students and you can evaluate afterwards.
• Student identity- While logging in, the students have to make a virtual id using a webcam. The software will record this information and always ask for verification before sitting on the exam.
• Flexibility- It gives flexibility to the invigilator and the student. As the students can easily give an exam sitting home at your comfortable place and the invigilator can even take the exam if not free.

Above are some of the reasons why institutions prefer online proctoring as the best tool for conducting a class. This has become the first choice of many institutions which take exams fairly and systematically. Due to its features like face recognition, automatically signing out if detected a suspicious activity etc, the invigilators blindly trust this. You can use any Learning Management Software (LMS) and use this proctoring software. It is cost-effective as it eliminates the need for any invigilator, students and infrastructure.

Following are some of the factors that make online proctoring a trend these days:

• E-learning- As people are getting more aware of the technology, the urge for online courses is increasing. You can upload the syllabus, notes and exams systematically. It makes the invigilator’s work so easy and they don’t have to worry about anything. E-learning has come in front of traditional learning because it’s convenient and has greater accessibility.
• Lack of infrastructure- It becomes difficult to conduct exams if there is no proper infrastructure facility. Online proctoring gives a fair opportunity to the invigilator to conduct exams whereas the students can easily give an exam sitting at home comfortably.
• Focus on work-based skills- There are many invigilators preferring LMSs like Moodle etc to upload the courses and its related test. The student can choose according to its preferences and the invigilator can access the accurate result using Moodle Proctoring. This will push the students to learn and gain from the courses and to perform well in the exams.

E-learning has gained a different level in higher-educational institutions. So with the rise of e-learning, online proctoring has become an essential tool for invigilators and students for assessing and knowing the performance of students. It is always advised to go through the reviews and feedback and you can look at that on the website of the service provider. Also, prefer to go for the recommendations for the best choice. While choosing an online proctoring service provider look for the following points:

• User-friendly- While looking for one, make sure the software is user-friendly, not so complicated and has some customizable features which will be easy for the students and invigilator to understand.
• Scalability- Make sure to know how many students can give exams at a single time.
• Exam pattern- Always know in how many ways you can conduct the exams. Whether you can record or not the video and audio of the students after the exam.
• Cost- It is advisable to compare the prices of the different service providers before choosing. Also, keep in consideration your choices while choosing a plan. Choose a cost-effective one and fulfil your requirements at the same time.
• Technical support- Always prefer those which are available 24X7 for your service. They should be there to assist and guide you whenever you need them.

So always keep in mind the above factors before choosing an online proctoring service provider. These points will help you to get one which will fulfil all your requirements at reasonable costs.