Introduction:

Online proctoring solutions are becoming more popular – and for good reason! They make it possible to conduct reliable and secure online exams, viva-voice and video interviews without any geographical restrictions. This is because online proctoring solutions can be accessed by any internet-connected device, meaning candidates can sit their exams or interviews from anywhere in the world.

If you’re looking for an online proctoring solution, it’s important to choose the one that best fits your needs. With so many online proctoring solution providers out there, each with different sets of features, it can be tricky to know which one to choose. This article can help you narrow down your choices and find the best online proctoring solution for your needs.

Let us start with understanding the basics of online proctoring!

What is Online proctoring?

Online proctoring, also known as remote proctoring, is a process that uses technology to monitor and communicate with candidates during an online exam or interview. Online proctoring solutions can be used to conduct secure and fair online exams, online viva-voce, and bulk audio and video interviews.

Why Choosing the Right Online Proctoring Solution Matters?

Adopting unreliable proctoring methods can lead to compromised assessment outcomes, damaging  the credibility of students’ achievements. Such methods might miss instances of cheating or generate false positives, creating an unfair environment that undermines the integrity of the evaluation process.

Ensuring robust data security and safeguarding student information is crucial when choosing a proctoring solution.  Students’ personal and performance data must be treated with utmost confidentiality to maintain trust.

Online proctoring can reduce cheating rates by up to 75%.

A proctoring solution that provides secure data handling establishes a safe and trustworthy assessment environment for both students and educational institutions.

A suitable proctoring solution acts as a safeguard, preventing cheating and unauthorized behavior during assessments. By ensuring that the evaluation process is conducted with transparency and integrity, the solution enhances the credibility of online assessments. Students can take exams with confidence, knowing their performance is being evaluated under fair and vigilant supervision.

Proctoring Options: Automated vs. Live Proctoring

Differences between automated proctoring and live proctoring methods.

1. Supervision Approach

Automated proctoring relies on AI algorithms to monitor exams and analyze data for suspicious behaviors. In contrast, live proctoring involves human proctors who actively invigilate students.

2. Real-Time Interaction

Live proctoring allows immediate intervention by proctors in case of malpractices or technical issues, offering a personalized touch that automated methods may lack.

3. Behavior Detection

Automated proctoring uses data analytics to detect patterns of cheating or suspicious behavior, while live proctors can identify minute cues and student reactions.

4. Scalability

Automated proctoring is more scalable for large-scale exams with many test-takers spread across different locations, as human proctors in live sessions might have limitations in handling a significant number of concurrent exams.

5. Convenience and Scheduling

Automated proctoring provides more flexibility in exam scheduling since it doesn’t rely on proctor availability, making it suitable for on-demand assessments. Live proctoring, on the other hand, requires synchronization with proctors’ schedules and student availability.

Automated proctoring suits scenarios with a large number of students  spread across different locations as it provides scalability and convenience. Live proctoring is preferable for critical exams requiring personalized supervision, such as in certifications or entrance tests. 

For routine assessments with moderate security needs, automated proctoring can strike a balance between efficiency and security. The educational institutes can decide between the two depending on the specific requirements of the exam and the level of scrutiny desired.

Available Types of Tests for Online Proctoring

Online proctoring accommodates a wide spectrum of exams that are conducted by the educational institutions. From academic assessments and certifications to entrance tests and skill evaluations, online proctoring can cater to each and every type of remotely conducted exam. 

Whether it’s a standardized test or a subject-specific evaluation, the online examination software adapts to the unique demands of each exam type, ensuring integrity and credibility throughout the evaluation process.

The use of online proctoring has increased by 400% in the past decade.

Factors you need to consider while choosing the right proctoring services:

1. Scalability

The online proctoring solution should be able to handle the large volume of candidates who are using the solution simultaneously, the solutions should not lag in response when a large number of candidates hit the server at a time.

An online proctoring solution is called ‘scalable’ when the solution automatically upgrades its capacity to accommodate the increasing number of candidates who are using the solution.

While selecting a proctoring solution you can ensure that it has been certified or tested to conduct a large number of concurrent test sessions as per your requirement.

The solution should be adaptive and scale its services based on the number of exam sessions.

2. Integration

The online proctoring software can be used as a standalone solution, but it invites the tasks such as candidate data import and data migration, it is recommended to choose the proctoring solution that can be integrated with the existing databases (Such as ERPs and LMSs)

One should choose the Online proctoring solution that can be integrated with the ERP software or the Learning Management Systems, here is how you can integrate an online proctoring solution with Moodle to conduct online proctored examinations.

The solution should be able to provide seamless REST APIs for integration and data transfer between your application and exam platform.

3. User Experience

A great online proctoring tool with a bad user interface will surely not serve the purpose. The online proctoring software is meant to be used by 100s of stakeholders, including the candidates, invigilators and evaluators, if the user interface is not friendly, the usability of the solution becomes questionable.

Further, the user experience is not something limited to the user interface, it also covers how the issues reported by the users are resolved, the evaluators are trained and how the clients are treated by the solution provider. It is recommended to choose a proctoring solution provider that provides end-to-end technical support and training.

Here is one such example of training for attempting an online proctored examination-

• Proctoring solutions with a great user interface and solid reliability will help you gain confidence with each exam you are about to proctor.
• An online proctoring solution with a bad user interface and poor reliability will help you lose confidence with each exam you are about to proctor.
• A reliable and trustworthy online proctoring solution will enhance the online proctoring process and serve the purpose effectively.
• Online proctoring solutions with a bad user interface and poor reliability will hamper the online proctoring process and serve no purpose.

4. Flexibility

“One size doesn’t fit all”, is so true, and the same should be thought of when selecting the online proctoring solution, a proctoring solution comes with a wide variety of features all of which might not be useful to you. The solution should come with customizable features. 

Most proctoring solutions provide various combinations of features, you can choose the best one for your needs. 

The most common features of proctoring solutions include- Proctoring support (Image, Screen, Video and Audio proctoring), Question Bank Management, Student Data Management, and Exam and Schedule Management.

The proctoring solution should provide flexibility in terms of exam configuration, adjustment of proctoring service, live monitoring or recording of exam sessions based on internet bandwidth etc.

5. Cost

Yes, the cost is a major factor to consider while choosing the proctoring solution, once you decide the features that you would like to go with, you can compare and choose the best available solution for the optimum price. 

Online proctoring can save up to 80% of the cost of traditional proctoring methods.

There are two types of subscriptions available, one cost based on the number of exams conducted and the other cost based on the subscription validity. You can go ahead with the exam/proctoring session count-based costing in case you intend to conduct a small number of exams. In case you intend to conduct a large number of exams, you can opt for a long-term contract with proctoring solution provides to get some pricing benefits.

6. Tech Support

Online proctoring solutions come with a variety of features. One of the main differences is the support you get. Some online proctoring solutions are more complex to implement than others. The first thing to ask yourself is how much support you need. Do you need help with site administration? Is the system easy to use? Do you need expert help? If you are a school or university, it is worth asking for the contact details of previous clients. They will be able to give a better picture of what the service is like. 

Considering the need for tech support, one should choose an online proctoring solution that provides and has a record of providing good customer service and support, certain online proctoring solutions provide end-to-end support in executing the online proctoring-based activities; the same can be leveraged if needed.

7. Candidate’s active communication during the exam session

Active communication between the invigilator and the candidate is possible in an offline exam setting, and the same should be true for online proctored examinations.

The proctoring solution you choose should allow for communication between the online invigilator and students. Make sure the platform you choose supports broadcasting messages to all candidates at once, and that it allows for two-way communication between student and proctor during the exam session.

8. Candidate Identity Verification

To nullify the chances of a wrong person (a person other than the one who is registered for the examination) appearing in the exam, the candidate is asked to provide a Photo ID card before the commencement of the examination, this step is called ‘Candidate authentication/ Identity Verification’.

Online exams need to maintain a high level of regulation to be reliable and credible. Every activity of the candidate needs to be tracked and monitored.

The online proctoring solution should support identity verification so that candidates can only start the examination after successful verification. This is similar to physical/offline examinations where candidates need to bring their identity cards in order to enter the examination hall.

Advance Techniques like 360 degree proctoring helps to capture entire view of live room of the remote user. It also helps to simplify identity verification and make exams more secure. Explore the details of remote exams with 360-degree proctoring in this video.

9. Speed and efficiency

Many proctoring platforms have failed in the past when it comes to managing a large number of students at one time. It’s important to choose a platform that has been efficient in the past and can handle a lot of data without becoming unresponsive. You should also make sure the platform is designed to handle large volumes of data before making your decision.

10. Platform Credibility

The credibility of the online proctoring software is highly crucial as the platform handles the data of a large number of candidates, a non-credible platform may come up as a threat to the data and privacy of the registered candidates. Considering this; one must choose a platform that is certified by an authority, for example, a system with ISO information security system certification should be preferred.

Conclusion:

The online proctoring market is an ever-expanding field. There are many different options for online proctoring services, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. To get the best fit for your niche, you need to know the features that matter most to you. By reading this blog post, you now have a better understanding of the best features to look for in an online proctoring solution, as well as some examples of popular online proctoring services. As always, your feedback is always welcome!