How To Ensure That Your Students Don’t Feel Stressed With Online Proctored Exams

As online learning continues to rise in popularity, corporations and higher educational institutions are turning to online proctoring. In fact, experts estimate the online exam proctoring market to reach $1187.57 million by 2027, up from $354.37 documented in 2019. The robustness and flexibility of online learning platforms allow students to take exams from any location at any time.

But it also presents challenges – especially to students. Anxiety and stress often build up around exams among test-takers. Despite the shift to online and remote learning, the “stress factor” around assessments and exams is still a problem – something that can be combated with a few simple practices. Let’s explore them in detail.

Why Proctored Exams?

The concept of having a “proctor” or an invigilator online is to make sure test-takers do not resort to malpractices. Online proctoring for examinations is a critical element owing to the flexibility facilitated. This way, exam administrators can be confident that test-takers follow the rules and assess their knowledge without subjecting them to unscrupulous behavior such as conferring with fellow mates or doing external research.

Remote proctoring prevents such instances with constant monitoring. Proctoring is not restricted to any particular device; it works on any device with a camera, microphone, and internet connectivity. It allows the proctor to verify the student’s identity through a webcam.

When leveraging AI with facial recognition, the process becomes even more accurate and efficient. A proctor can also observe the environment of the test-taker through the webcam, just like in the exam hall. This is to monitor unauthorized devices, suspicious actions, or objects suggesting malpractice during a test.

How To Make Online Proctored Exams Stress-Free For Students

At EnFuse, we make online proctoring seamless and stress-free for test-takers. With unit models, flexible proctor allocation, and 24/7 skilled technical support, test-takers feel relaxed and perform to the best of their ability. To that end, here are our top tips to ensure that your students don’t feel stressed with online proctored exams:

1. Ensure Clear Instructions & Communications

Clear, concise, and easy-to-understand instructions help test-takers prepare in advance and stay confident to take the test. This is the preliminary step and perhaps the most crucial one. Excellent communication is the key to online/remote learning and assessment because the format is unfamiliar to test-takers.

Since you do not want to take chances, prefer concise communication to prevent anxiety. Articulate the guidelines and rules – like whether test-takers can use notes and if the test is timed. Explain the format of the exam in advance for preparation. Ensure all the policies of academic integrity are clearly explained. If outside notes are acceptable, outline the appropriate notes to be used.

2. Run System Compatibility Tests

System compatibility is a major stress factor in proctored exams. Institutions and proctoring partners should check students’ systems for technical issues. All identified glitches should be addressed in advance to prevent last-minute mishaps.

3. Safeguard Personal Privacy

It’s common for anxiety to build up whenever a test-taker enters personal information online. As a result, it is crucial to ensure that the proctoring process is safe and secure, featuring reliable policies for data collection. You should know how and what data has been captured, where the data is stored, and for how long.

To that end, institutions must collaborate with proctoring partners to ensure robust system security. The involvement of proctoring partners makes it easy to spot and address security breaches. Data exploitation should be prevented at all costs, and students must be reassured about the privacy of their data. Clear policies about browser usage, data collection, and storage should be explained and maintained to ensure student trust.

4. Offer Continuous & Unbiased Proctor Support

Having continuous support from a proctor during the exam is a stress buster. Unbiased support loops in a human approach and drives confidence in test-takers as they get undivided attention to their issues during the test.

5. Deliver The Best IT Support

Despite planning everything right, unanticipated issues and technical glitches may arise. Thus, selecting a proctoring platform that offers world-class support is imperative. Make sure support is available for both exam administrators and test-takers. Create a live support channel like chat or phone, as email support may not be ideal for responding quickly.

6. Use Advanced Proctoring Solutions

Proctoring solutions oversee test-takers using video streaming and monitoring. Even though the proctor is not physically present at the place of the exam, the software safeguards the integrity of examinees and the administrative body.

For instance, EnFuse’s Record and Review Proctoring solution automates identity verification and session recordings. These recordings are then played by trained proctors to identify suspicious behavior or malpractice.

Summing Up

Online proctored exams can be stress-free for test-takers if they can manage the whole process efficiently. To ensure that test-takers are never confused, comprehensive communication is essential. System compatibility should be checked in advance, and any technical glitches should be fixed with preventative tools.

Data privacy is pivotal to student trust, and you must ensure that the proctoring platform safeguards your students’ personal information. Finally, ensure that support is available for both exam administrators and students. At EnFuse, we make online proctoring seamless for test-takers via our intelligent proctoring services. Get in touch to learn more.