The ongoing pandemic has brought upon a new discussion surrounding online proctored exams. Traditionally, standardized exams were held at select test-centers with human supervision. However, this way of conducting tests proved to be a genuine hurdle when test-centers and other educational institutes were ordered to shut down due to pandemic in 2020.
Companies like ETS and GMAC, GRE and GMAT makers, respectively, were quick to offer an online alternative in the wake of the global pandemic. ETS launched its “GRE at home” service, whereas GMAC began “GMAT online.”
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While this seemed like a blessing for the students, reports of fraudulent activity quickly surfaced shortly after. The main challenge to online proctored exams is the lack of in-person human supervision and the limitations caused by the medium they are conducted on.
Nefarious individuals will always find vulnerabilities in the system when the stakes are so high. Think about it, your GRE or GMAT score is a big part of your prospects. They determine whether you will get into a good school, which in turn determines your career. Why wouldn’t certain people take the shortcut when given a chance?
In this Article
- Is Cheating Possible on Online Proctored Exams?
- Why is it So Easy to Cheat on Proctored Exams?
- Can Online Tests Ever Become a Viable Option?
- What Safeguards Currently Exist?
- FAQs
- Can ProctorU See Your Screen?
- Does ProctorU See Your Face?
- Does ProctorU Use A Camera?
- Does ProctorU Track Eye Movement?
- Can ProctorU See Your Hands?
- Can ProctorU Detect Cell Phones?
- Does ProctorU Tell You If You Get Flagged?
- What Happens If The Internet Is Disconnected Or Power Goes Out During The ProctorU Exam?
- Do I Need a Mirror for ProctorU?
- Is ProctorU a Live Person?
- Can I Go to the Toilet During the ProctorU Exam?
- Can You Use ProctorU Without a Webcam?
- Can ProctorU Detect a Second Screen?
- Can ProctorU Detect Other Devices on WiFi?
- What Data Does ProctorU Collect?
- Does ProctorU Keep Recordings?
- Can ProctorU Detect HDMI to TV?
Is Cheating Possible on Online Proctored Exams?
That’s a resounding yes. Not only is it possible, but it is also effortless. You can read about ten of the most clever ways that students are using to cheat in online exams.
All these proctored exams have in common that they use a computer program like “Proctor U” or “Proctor IO” to conduct the exam. The only requirements being that you have a laptop or a desktop computer, a mic, webcam, and speakers. Instances of cheating by students using digital technology are everywhere on the internet such as in the reviews of pendrago.
A lot of test takers have questions or concerns regarding proctoring software. You can find answers to 44 of the most frequently asked questions about Proctor IO.
When you log in to your exam software, you are assigned a human proctor who supervises you via the webcam feed. While this may seem practical in theory, those who possess even elementary computer knowledge would find ways to cheat such a system.
All you need to do is mirror your screen using an HDMI cable to a display outside your room. Get a couple of friends who can look up answers to the questions and stealthily pass them onto you.
See here what a HDMI cable looks like.
It doesn’t require a mastermind to identify the red flags in such a system. We already know that people have been doing this with the GRE and say that it doesn’t happen on other tests.
Why is it So Easy to Cheat on Proctored Exams?
The main problem with such tests is the lack of in-person supervision. How much area can a webcam show you? How will you determine whether someone else is in the room when only one camera is pointed at the test-taker? How will you notice any information being passed onto the test-taker when you don’t have the room’s complete view?
The security features built into such programs only guard against activity that happens on the computer itself. Sure, if you open a third-party program during your test, such as a web browser, the software will pick it up. The problem is no sane individual will do that because they know it’s an immediate cancellation.
However, cheaters don’t have to do anything themselves. They only have to scroll through the questions so that the people in the other room and can see them. Using mathematics applications, they can quickly work out the answer and discreetly pass it onto the test-taker.
This is the reason why online exams can never be as credible as the ones taken at test-centers. Until test companies develop more sophisticated tools against cheating, it is a grave injustice to those who take their tests legitimately.
Can Online Tests Ever Become a Viable Option?
It is hard to say definitively, but I don’t see how without specialized equipment. The reason home-based tests sell so well is that they are effortless. They are also more readily available, unlike test-centers. If companies like ETS decide to introduce additional equipment such as multiple cameras, the convenience factor will go away.
The current requirement of only a laptop, mic, webcam, and speakers doesn’t allow for greater vigilance. I don’t see how the monitoring can be made more secure when the proctor has a restricted room view.
Moreover, even if some intelligent AI is implemented into the software, it will still fail to recognize the use of an HDMI splitter. Perhaps some eye-tracking functionality may help, but how accurate would that be?
There are too many moving parts for me to put my trust in such tests. Those who know how it all works will find ways to cheat it.
What Safeguards Currently Exist?
Test companies use various programs to deliver their online tests. The most common of these are Proctor U and Proctor IO which are also the ones I am most familiar with. They can detect prohibited activity such as opening an unauthorized program or opening the web browser.
The software also allows the proctor to always see your screen. Whatever you have open on your computer screen, the proctor can see it.
Other than this, there isn’t all that much to stop fraudulent activity outside of the computer. You only have to show a 360-degree view of your room once before the exam starts. There are no requirements for the doors to be locked from the inside. At no point will you be asked to show them every nook and cranny of your room. You can have someone hiding in the washroom or the wardrobe, and the proctor will never know.
I wrote an article detailing some of how ETS can make their “at-home” GRE more secure. But who knows if they will ever implement those suggestions. I think it is far from a credible alternative to test-centers with the online test’s current state.
FAQs
Can ProctorU See Your Screen?
Yes absolutely. The human Proctor at ProctorU, who invigilates your exam, has control over your screen. The Proctor can see everything that you do on your screen. For example, ProctorU can immediately see and flag if you attempt to open any other window or tab on your computer.
Moreover, ProctorU records everything that is happening on your screen. The human Proctor can then use the recordings to review your exam to see any anomalies or suspicious activity.
Does ProctorU See Your Face?
Yes, ProctorU sees and records your face. Your face must be in camera view throughout the exam, from chin to forehead.
The human Proctor, on the other side of the exam, is constantly watching you and always looking for any suspicious activity. If your face goes out of the field of view, the Proctor will immediately warn you and may suspend your exam if it happens multiple times.
Does ProctorU Use A Camera?
ProctorU uses your webcam to monitor and record you throughout the exam. You cannot turn off your webcam at any given time during the exam. If your camera malfunctions or you deliberately turn it off during the exam, the human Proctor can immediately cancel your exam as per the testing policy.
Does ProctorU Track Eye Movement?
Yes, ProctorU tracks eye movement, which the system uses to detect the cheating intentions of the examinee. By tracking eye movement, ProctorU can examine the student’s visual attention and emotional conditions to identify any foul play during the online exam.
Can ProctorU See Your Hands?
No, during your exam, ProctorU cannot see your hands. They can only see your face from chin to forehead. However, you are required to show your hands to the human Proctor before the start of the exam. ProctorU only monitors your audio, computer’s audio, computer’s screen, and your face to detect any cheating activity.
Can ProctorU Detect Cell Phones?
ProctorU cannot detect cell phones once the exam starts. They can only see cell phones before the beginning of the test. ProctorU requires test-takers to show a 360-degree view of their room by panning their webcam around the workspace (probably under the table).
However, your friend, who happens to be waiting outside the room, can sneak a cell phone to you once the exam starts. ProctorU will most likely not be able to detect if someone enters your room from behind the computer and slips something over to you.
Does ProctorU Tell You If You Get Flagged?
ProctorU will not tell you if you get flagged during the exam unless there is a severe cheating problem, in which case, they will cancel your exam. Otherwise, the human Proctor will simply report the flag(s) to the test-maker, who will then decide if your behavior justifies any violation of the testing ethics.
So don’t worry if you did something you think will be flagged (such as looking around while thinking). Proctors are trained to notice suspicious or unusual behavior and will only flag cheating incidents.
What Happens If The Internet Is Disconnected Or Power Goes Out During The ProctorU Exam?
If you are disconnected temporarily (usually less than 10 minutes), you’ll automatically reconnect to the Proctor, who will reopen your exam for you if he can do so.
However, if the Proctor is unable to reopen your exam or you are unable to reconnect with the Proctor, you will have to contact ProctorU and reschedule your exam.
Do I Need a Mirror for ProctorU?
You don’t need a mirror for a ProctorU exam. However, the Proctor can ask you to show your monitor (known as monitor scan) using a mirror or your cell phone’s front-facing “selfie” camera. The monitor scan will help the Proctor secure your physical computer by seeing the student from the camera all around.
Is ProctorU a Live Person?
Yes. ProctorU is a live person who constantly monitors your activity – using your webcam, microphone, and screen-mirroring – while you take your online exam. The live person will also help you troubleshoot and resolve any problems you may face during your exam. In addition, you can live chat or talk with the Proctor depending on the nature of the trouble you are having.
Can I Go to the Toilet During the ProctorU Exam?
If your test-maker (your university, professor, school, or other test administrating body such as College Board, ETS, GMAC) allows for bathroom breaks, you are permitted to take them.
For example, the GRE, which ETS makes, allows for a 10-minute break midway through your exam. You can leave your workspace and go to the bathroom during that break. However, when you return, the Proctor will ask you to show a 360 view of your room again.
You can also take an unscheduled bathroom break during the exam, but you will need to inform the Proctor, who will then record and report your action of leaving the room. This report will then be reviewed by your test-maker, who will decide what action to take. Therefore, it is advisable to go to the bathroom beforehand.
Can You Use ProctorU Without a Webcam?
Webcam is a mandatory requirement to take an online exam with ProctorU. If you do not have a webcam or are disabled during the exam, you will not be allowed to take the online test. Some students are uncomfortable with being watched by an unknown person and are rightly concerned about privacy, but there is nothing you can do to bypass the requirement of a webcam.
Can ProctorU Detect a Second Screen?
ProctorU can detect multiple monitors and screens. However, if you use an HDMI splitter to connect a second monitor, ProctorU cannot detect it.
Can ProctorU Detect Other Devices on WiFi?
ProctorU cannot detect other devices connected to your WIFI. They do not have access to the test-takers WIFi network, and ProctorU has no authority to ask you to share such information with them.
What Data Does ProctorU Collect?
ProctorU not only collects biographical data of the examinee but also collects video, audio and screen recording of the test-taker. They will record you and whatever you do on your computer and save all this data on their encrypted servers. ProctorU then shares the recordings with the test-maker, who then reviews the recordings to check for any exam rule violations.
Does ProctorU Keep Recordings?
ProctorU retains the examinee’s recordings for no more than one year, after which they are automatically deleted.
Even before the recordings are deleted, ProctorU has no access to them because they are shared with the test-makers, who review them to check if any malpractice occurred during the exam.
Can ProctorU Detect HDMI to TV?
Yes, ProctorU can detect HDMI to TV if you are using an HDMI cable or extension. However, if an HDMI splitter connects to an external monitor or a TV, ProctorU cannot detect that. Candidates commonly use the HDMI splitter to cheat on their online exams.
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