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As an educator, exams are the backbone of your course. The examination software you use can make or break the experience for your students. It's not as simple as selecting the first exam vendor that you see on Google or asking a friend for a recommendation. It takes careful consideration and testing before making a decision.
Online Exam monitoring can be helpful in many ways if you follow some best practices. Educators should promote fairness, effective exam administration and ensure a high level of security.
Below are some steps that can help ensure successful online exam administration.
What are Online Exam Monitors?
Online exam monitors (or web proctors) are Internet-based software programs that help educators supervise students taking exams online. Online exam monitors enable teachers to monitor students' computer activities in real-time and ensure they use appropriate resources while completing their exams.
These monitors use cameras or other types of hardware, such as microphones, to record what happens during a test. Then, they upload that information to a computer-where anyone else can view it.
Each online exam monitor service has its own set of extra features that can help enhance the overall learning experience. Still, most share some common characteristics, e.g., live monitoring, secure live chat solutions, online testing capabilities, and results reporting.
Tips for successful exam administration using online exam monitors
The following tips will help you get the most out of your online exam monitor software:
Know your goals and set realistic expectations
Online exam monitoring is a powerful tool, but it cannot be used as a silver bullet or a magic wand to "fix" an exam situation. A major part of planning and preparing for online exam monitoring is understanding what the tool can do and its limitations.
Make sure it's right for your course
Online exam monitors work best when students don't access any prohibited resources during exams, but there are exceptions. For example, if you're teaching an art class, you might want students to look at reference material while they complete their exams. Some exam testing features allow you to customize your settings so that students can access resources like dictionaries or reference materials when needed.
Read More: Enrolling in Sax School Online Courses: 5 Helpful Tips For BeginnersSet clear guidelines for online exams
Before administering an online exam, make sure you know how the service works and the resources available to students during exams. Test administrators often allow students too much freedom, which can lead to cheating or distract learners from course content.
Use reliable tools
The most important thing is to make sure you use a reliable tool for administering your exams. You want to make sure that your students can take the test without any interruptions or technical issues. There are many different software programs available for doing this, so you want to find one that works well and is easy to use.
Make sure it is easy for students to access the exam
You want to make sure that students can easily access the exam so they do not have any problems or delays while taking the exam. Some programs require students to download special software, which can cause problems if they do not have their own computers available. Make sure your program simplifies the assessment process for your learners.
Keep your instructions simple.
Online proctoring requires more detail than on-site testing, so keep instructions simple. The more complicated you make it, the more likely you will confuse people and not get the results you need. Be sure to include instructions about how students can contact you if something goes wrong during their exam session.
The Far-reaching Benefits of Online Exam Monitoring
Online exam monitoring allows you to conduct more of your exams remotely, saving time and money. It also provides greater flexibility, and can reduce distractions.
By using online exam monitors, teachers and businesses can:Improve testing efficiency
Online exam proctoring reduces the time and resources needed to administer and score exams, enabling more students to complete tests in less time. This translates into cost savings, increased program revenue, and higher pass rates.
Provide data on test performance
Test Monitor results can help you determine if your online exams are being taken by the right students. This kind of information enables you to make informed decisions about how you modify your testing procedures in the future.
Protect against cheating
Cheating remains a widespread problem in both classroom and online exams. Active Monitoring is an effective tool that helps you identify potential cheating.
Immediate feedback
Online proctoring tools also provide instant feedback to students on answers and test results, including an analysis of common errors made by students during a test.
Last Words on Online Exam Monitoring
Online exam monitoring saves time on exams and reduces on-site costs. And while that sounds like a great deal, you can still get more out of your exam software if you follow the tips we shared above.
