An All-inclusive Guide to Remote Proctoring

Proctoring has been a standard process in the hiring and education industry for several years. With the tightening clutches of the pandemic in the past two years, remote proctoring software and AI-powered systems have gained tremendous momentum. Besides detecting flaws in the participant’s behavior, there is strong statistical evidence that proves remote proctoring curbs any malpractices during assessments.

According to a report titled ‘Online Exam Proctoring Market Forecast to 2027 – COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type (Advanced Automated Proctoring, Recorded Proctoring, and Live Online Proctoring) and End User (Schools and Universities, Enterprises, and Government), the remote proctoring market was valued at US$ 354.37 million in 2019 and is projected to reach US$ 1,187.57 million by 2027; a CAGR growth of 16.4% from 2020 to 2027.

If you are looking to enhance the quality of your assessments, improve learning outcomes, and establish reliability, remote proctoring is worth considering. Recognizing this, organizations and educational institutions have started adopting remote proctoring in their assessment process.

Understanding Remote Proctoring

Remote proctoring refers to monitoring or invigilating a test taker as they take the examination from a remote location. The remote proctoring software detects and cuts down on malpractices during assessments through a web-based resolution. This can be conducted through virtual human proctoring, recorded sessions, AI-based automated systems, or a hybrid format.

Based on the requirement and severity of the test conducted, the proctoring process can get advanced and sophisticated. The test taker, typically a student or a candidate, may validate their identity through biometric authentication or facial recognition along with password checks. In some cases, the individual might have to type a phrase on their device before the exam. Then, their keystrokes are compared and used to detect their legitimacy during the assessment.

In addition, a web camera may record the test and relay the video to a human proctor in real-time or via a recorded session. Students’ eye movement, body language, and other behaviors get analyzed for signs of possible cheating. 

In automated proctored software, artificial intelligence helps flag suspicious candidate behaviors and generates detailed reports after the test.  

Why Remote Proctoring?

Remote proctoring serves a twofold purpose – confirming the identity of the test taker to prevent impersonation during the examination and discourage any malpractices during the assessment. Some organizations provide a proctored exam center, that comes at a cost of time, money, and energy resources associated with the examination. Also, due to a lack of skilled proctors, the quality of invigilation may be compromised. Based on the availability of the test takers and the proctors, determining the examination schedule can be a painful process.

In this era of globalization, with such a spectrum of cultures and nationalities engaging together, online examinations with sophisticated home proctoring solutions have proved very beneficial.

Types of Remote Proctoring 

Depending on the use case and gravity of assessment, the examination may adopt different types of remote proctoring. From basic to advanced, they can be as follow – 

1. Recorded Proctoring – The candidate gets documented while taking their exam. A human proctor later reviews the pre-recorded session and calls out if they find any signs of cheating.

2. Live Proctoring – A virtual human proctor connects with the candidate’s audio, video, and screen share data through a web camera in real-time and observes for any signs of misconduct throughout the examination.

3. Hybrid Proctoring – A combination of real-time and recorded proctoring is used in this format. A preinstalled automated system recognizes and indicates cases of potential malpractices. A human proctor can then reassess these flags to judge if the student is engaging in any deceptive practices.

4. Automated Proctoring – This level of proctoring runs on artificial intelligence without much human interference involved. The system analyzes the feed for suspicious activities and can immediately terminate the examination in such scenarios.  

Best Practices

Remote proctoring is an integral part of the online learning process. In organizations, quality proctoring is essential in remote hiring. Hence it is vital to know and follow the best practices in remote proctoring.

1. The test conductors must be transparent and open in communication with the test takers regarding the proctoring. Be honest about them being video-recorded.
2. Assure the test takers that their privacy is not compromised. The data obtained in the video proctoring the candidate is confidential and will not be misused.
3. There should be the implementation of well-designed, sophisticated, and state-of-the-art technology in remote proctoring.
4. The software may have a lockdown mechanism that prevents the test taker from accessing other browsers or applications.
5. The remote proctor should block any copy-paste functions during the duration of the examination.
6. The proctoring software should be mobile-compatible and compatible without any invasive software installment.
7. The remote proctor should allow seamless integration with Learning Management System (LMS) or Assessment Software. This assimilation would ensure an end-to-end examination experience without any parallel application installed.
8. The software should be powerful to support smooth audio, video streaming, and test-taking experience, with no bugs affecting their efficiency.
9. The software should be compatible across all geographies.
10. The remote proctor should work on maximum automation and artificial intelligence. The lesser manual intervention required, the more time, cost, and energy saved.
11. After examination report by the system should be detailed, clear, and accurate.
12. Human proctors involved should be fair, unintrusive, non-discriminatory, and professional.
13. The software should include provisions for candidates with disability and foster a culture of diversity and inclusion.
14. Human proctors involved should be proficient in technology to assist test takers with any computer-related problems they might encounter.
15. Candidate authentification and assessment on pre-informed and exact schedules.

Best Practices for Candidates

1. Candidates participating in a remote proctored examination should put away all their electronic devices and notes before it.
2. They must respect the organization and take the assessment with honesty and integrity.
3. They should sit for the examination in a quiet and peaceful environment with a clear, calm mind.
4. They should familiarize themselves with the test format and go through the remote proctoring guidelines earlier.
5. They should use the latest and fully-functioning devices to take the evaluation.

Devices for Online Proctoring

1. A well functioning electronic device (laptop/desktop/tablet)
2. A secure internet connection that has a speed of a minimum of 256kbps.
3. A functional microphone and 360 degrees webcam.
4. The device must include any modern browser.

Benefits of Online Proctoring  

Other than serving the purpose of facilitating a fair online examination, remote proctoring has other advantages –  

1. It talks with evidence – Any instance of misconduct is recorded with the time of occurrence and can be shown as proof anytime required.
2. Scalable and efficient – Since the exams are home-proctored, numerous candidates can attend the examination simultaneously from any part of the world and at any time. From registration to appearing in the exam, invigilation, report generation, and result declaration, the processes are automated. 
3. Cost-effective – The cost involved in conducting the test in an exam center gets spared. Automation of various processes in evaluation further saves the time and cost involved in the assessment.
4. Reliability – AI and 360 degrees real-time video recording cover almost all potential malpractices and confirm that every minute of the examination is covered.

Many organizations and institutions are discovering that remote proctoring saves tremendous time, cost, and energy compared to traditional proctoring. 

What next?

According to research conducted by Learning Light, “The size of global remote proctoring or online invigilation market will exceed $10 billion by 2026.” The remote proctoring industry is growing at an exponential rate. With a boom in the sectors of e-learning and remote hiring, online proctoring has received an added incentive.

More than 500 universities in the US have opted for the remote proctoring method for online exams over the traditional proctoring approach in test centers due to its multifold advantages. Considering the size of this market and the severity of the purpose it serves, it is essential to choose the correct tools for remote proctoring.

COGBEE facilitates an automated, and effective remote proctoring monitored by experienced proctors, AI software, or a combination of both to ensure a fair assessment. COGBEE remote proctoring is customizable and easy to implement supporting multi-factor authentication, along with audio, video, and image proctoring.

Book a free demo and experience how COGBEE can transform the way you conduct assessments.