There are a ton of fantastic new opportunities in a variety of industries as a result of increased internet use. Internet use, especially in the classroom, aids instructors in capturing student’s interest. They also use software for online proctoring exams to conduct tests to schedule exams. Usually, many students cheat to get excellent test scores. Other pupils were consequently unable to obtain a fair outcome. Both online and offline assessments include the potential for cheating by students.
Due to their high levels of intelligence and technological proficiency, nowadays students have figured out ways to cheat. Software makers are incorporating proctoring exams as a result. These characteristics enable examiners to spot pupils who try to avoid cheating on the test. Through examiner proctoring, unapproved individuals can be identified.
Online Exam Cheating
Cheating has long been one of the main issues facing education and according to research by Dr. Donald McCabe, 95% of students acknowledged engaging in some kind of cheating, whether it was on educational work projects or online exams.
Students take advantage of their inexperience and uncertainty to find ways around the system and get better results without having to put in a lot of time or effort. This is happening while test centres and educational institutions try to adapt to the new realities of education by deploying different remote proctoring exams. This post will examine the top ten methods of cheating on online examinations that are proctored and offer helpful advice on avoiding academic dishonesty in the digital age.
New Age Online Proctoring Exam Features
An exam that is proctored indicates that test takers are under constant observation by an examiner for the whole exam period. In addition to upholding academic integrity, teachers use a variety of online proctoring exams to deter wrongdoing on the side of students, guarantee the security of testing supplies, create an equitable learning environment, and offer academic support to test takers during significant evaluations.
Advantages of Proctored Exams Online
1. Easy Access and Adaptability – Students can take examinations remotely with online proctored exams, which removes the requirement for in-person attendance and allows for flexible scheduling. Students with busy schedules or those who live in different time zones will find this extremely helpful.
2. Time and Cost Effectiveness – There is no need for invigilators, physical exam centres, or extra logistical planning when using online proctoring. By doing this, administrative overhead is decreased, saving educational institutions and students time and money.
3. Improved Availability – With the flexibility to take exams from their preferred places, online proctoring exams provide educational accessibility for students with disabilities or those experiencing physical or geographic limitations.
4. Quick Outcomes and Input – Students can get their results instantly using automated grading capabilities found in many online proctoring systems. To further improve the learning process, teachers can use the recorded exam sessions to give students individualized feedback.
How To Cheat On An Online Proctor Exam?
- Posing as Someone Else – One of the most prevalent kinds of wrongdoing is this one. It suggests that asking someone else to take an exam on their behalf is a form of cheating on a proctored online exam. Typically, impersonation occurs either before or during an online exam session. Students attempt to find a means to switch places with someone else before the authentication in such circumstances.
For instance, they might share exam logins or falsify their identity documents. Some students choose to authenticate themselves before allowing an impostor to take over. This kind of dishonesty is particularly frequently encountered because most online proctoring exams only carry out authentication and verification before an exam, which leaves them powerless to stop it.
- Innovative Devices And Technology – These days, cheaters don’t typically try to find the solutions in course books or scribble formulas on their hands. During online tests, a plethora of devices and technology assist users in locating comprehensive answers. Here are a few of them-
-Sharing A Screen – With the use of screen-sharing apps like Zoom, Google Meet, and others, students can work in real-time with tutors to determine the calculated answers to exam questions by projecting their screen to them.
-Utilizing Different Gadgets – Students can search the internet for information, communicate with support staff using messaging apps, and store data using their smartphones, smartwatches, and other gadgets.
- Exchange of test material – Academic dishonesty of this kind is common in both in-person and virtual testing environments. Pupils snap pictures or images of the exam material and send them to friends who will be retaking it later.
Choosing proctoring exams that offer features like a blocking browser to prevent exam content from being shared or copied is the solution.
- Making use of a virtual machine – This method of cheating is unique and hence uncommon because it calls for specific technical abilities. An environment that performs computer functions is called a virtual machine. While proctoring software keeps an eye on the device’s primary operating system (OS), some students activate an additional, undetected virtual machine as an OS to look for test answers.
- Find the solutions online – Using a desktop computer, laptop, or other internet-connected device, students take online proctored tests. In addition to providing a relaxed and stress-free environment for learning, the Internet can assist students in locating the solutions to test questions.
Fortunately, if the online proctoring exams solution has a blocking browser capability, this kind of dishonesty can be quickly identified and removed. However, it’s advised to use AI-based proctoring, which can identify unwelcome objects and suspicious body motions around test-takers, to stop students from utilizing extra gadgets (smartwatches, mobile phones, etc.) to browse the internet.
Conclusion
These days online exams are riskier to cheat on since online proctoring software does a pretty good job. Universities and colleges are not using Google Meet or the Zoom app to administer exams online due to the high probability of cheating. Students are developing new ways to cheat, while educators are adopting new tools to safeguard the integrity of online tests. They can use smart devices, ask friends and family for assistance, search the internet for the answers they need, and more.
Institutions need to be aware of the strategies their students employ to cheat to eradicate dishonesty on online examinations. As a result, they will be able to put into practice remote proctoring exams that will suit their needs the best.
FAQs
Q. Can cheating be detected on proctored exams?
Ans- Exams that are proctored use special software designed to keep you from switching to another tab. Thus, there is no question that, if done incorrectly, proctored tests can readily identify cheating. Make sure you are acting appropriately if you are cheating on the proctored examinations.
Q. Does a video-proctored exam allow for cheating?
Ans- One of the most popular methods for discouraging cheating on online tests is video proctoring. The sort of remote proctoring solution chosen will determine whether students are watched over by an AI-powered program or a live human proctor who can identify any questionable behaviour.
Q. Is cheating on proctored examinations safe?
Ans- Exam cheating is never acceptable, whether it occurs in an online or offline setting. Anything implies that you should not do anything since there might be repercussions. But, it will be safe for you if you use the aforementioned advice to cheat. To ensure that it is safe to cheat on the exam, you must ensure that your professor is not observing you.
Q. What should you do if an online test that is proctored exposes you as a cheater?
Ans- Generally speaking, online proctoring exams notify a human proctor or generate a report for additional examination when it detects questionable student behaviour. You might receive a warning at first if you are found to be cheating on an online test. It is preferable to proceed with the exam without cheating in this instance. Since academic dishonesty can result in more severe penalties including lower marks, suspension, expulsion, tarnished academic and professional reputations, and more, it is best to avoid acting unethically in general.
