How Do Universities Work Online Exams Cheating
Students play an influential role in shaping cheating culture, so it is vital that they are reminded of academic integrity policies and consequences prior to beginning any exams. You could even set them up so that only one question appears at a time – this eliminates temptation for cheaters who may research answers online or browse previous exam questions for answers.
Live online proctoring can be costly; therefore, other less costly measures include:
Proctoring
Proctoring refers to any individual or institution who oversees students during exams or assessments. Universities rely on proctors for verification purposes, adherence with exam conditions, monitoring student behavior during online tests, or both. Proctoring can be conducted using software or human proctors; Examity works with Examity who use both these forms to detect cheating through facial recognition technology or monitoring eye movement and gaze tracking – although this makes cheating harder, there may also be ethical concerns related to surveillance issues and privacy violations that arise with it.
Schools increasingly opt for online testing platforms as it saves them money in exam room rent and allows students to take exams from any location around the globe, making life easier for working and caring parents alike. Unfortunately, however, online exams have not eliminated cheating; one company providing proctoring for online exams claimed to catch only 1-2% of those trying to cheat during a coronavirus pandemic outbreak; this was even with trained proctors watching exam-takers and verifying identities of candidates taking exams online.
Unproctored online tests also present students with the risk of accessing course materials, asking friends or family for assistance, or searching the web in search of answers – leading them to lower evaluation scores, inaccurate course grades and assessment reports, as well as potentially harming a university’s reputation.
Students have always found ways to cheat during exams, but the coronavirus pandemic has made cheating much simpler in more ways than before. More students are turning to phones or textbooks containing answers for exam questions when searching Google answers; other teachers are trying to get online exam companies to remove exam material but this process can take days or weeks; time that would otherwise have been spent teaching.
Cameras
Students using TikTok or private group chats to seek answers are finding ways to cheat in online classes. One student taped answers on clear vinyl blinds while another used their phone as a second monitor, dangling it above their keyboard so they could glance at it during an exam. And they aren’t alone either; an Internet search reveals many services offering to complete assignments or exams on students’ behalf for a fee – some can even take entire classes off their hands!
While universities were forced by the Covid pandemic to shift courses online, cheating remains a persistent problem. Students are actually more likely to cheat online tests than physical ones; and a recent Marshall University survey discovered that cheaters were twice as likely to engage in similar behavior again later on.
Universities appear to be taking the same approach they would when classes were held in physical classrooms; using cameras, proctoring and other means to detect cheating. Unfortunately, students continue finding more ways to cheat than ever, making it increasingly difficult for schools to catch them.
One proven strategy to combat online exam cheating is using a camera to monitor candidate screens during an exam, which helps detect any suspicious activity and stop individuals from sharing answers with each other. Another effective means is asking candidates to record themselves answering each question; this practice has long been used successfully in language courses and can easily be verified to make sure that each answer comes from one individual student alone.
At times, other methods have been employed such as using video chat to authenticate and verify the identity of candidates and ensure they were the person taking an exam. This works alongside proctoring software and uses webcam images of each candidate to check against a database uploaded by an institution.
Keystroke Analysis
Online learning provides numerous advantages, including accessibility for distant students who cannot physically attend university campus; it has also made cheating much simpler; thus universities are working on technology to detect cheaters who attempt to pass off exam papers as their own.
Keystroke analysis is one such strategy used by schools. This process examines each keystroke as students type on the keyboard and compares these patterns against previously written essays written by that student, in order to detect whether an essay written by different individuals or the same one can then be flagged for review and punishment.
Unfortunately, technology can never be perfect and some students have found ways to bypass it. Universities have increasingly adopted proctoring software combining human and digital monitoring in an exam over Zoom or another video platform to monitor students; this raises ethical concerns; some students even call it intrusive and creepy! Furthermore, staff may find it more difficult to deal with any potential issues during an examination session.
Voice recognition technology can also be employed to verify that the person taking the test matches who registered. This helps protect against impostor tests taken by someone other than themselves to gain a higher score; however, this method can prove challenging due to distinguishing different voices.
Researchers have explored keystroke dynamics to recognize student dishonesty in online writing assessments. For instance, in one study researchers examined 49 student’s keystroke time series while writing their opinions; with differences reflecting levels of honesty and authenticity. It was discovered that this method can detect dishonesty with accuracy greater than random guessing; however its effectiveness could be enhanced further by adding other input modalities, such as mouse and touch inputs.
Facial Recognition
Technology that facilitates cheating during online exams can also be used to stop them. Facial recognition systems use this tactic to monitor suspicious activity during distance learning exams and detect and flag suspicious behavior during distance exams, including facial recognition systems that use face scanning to ensure that those taking an e-exam are the same individuals who entered classroom. It checks to make sure no changes in facial structure have occurred since entering classroom; whispering, unusual typing patterns or whispered responses indicate cheating attempts while other programs even track eye movements during an exam to make sure no reading from paper notes during online exams!
However, these tools are far from foolproof; students will still find ways to bypass these systems, making it hard for teachers and administrators to detect every one. A recent study revealed some students using smartphones to take pictures of a multiple-choice question screen and share them online; others cover keyboards with notes or tape them down onto computers or desks in an effort to escape detection; still others utilize multiple monitors so they can switch quickly between exam screen and their answers while using group chats or TikTok to spread tips for cheating.
Universities continue their efforts in fighting cheating online, yet cheating remains a problem. Some speculate that online education has enabled students to cheat more freely as they search Google for answers; but cheating should always be seen as wrong and affect both honest students and institutions which grant degrees.
Some researchers have attempted to address this problem by altering how tests are designed, making it harder for students to cheat by switching questions from those requiring memorization to ones which challenge students to apply their knowledge, giving students extra time and using proctoring software.
At its core, preventing cheating requires teaching students about ethics and encouraging them to consider how their actions could make others feel if caught cheating. Informing students of the implications of dishonesty is the only way to ensure they do not breach the trust placed in them by teachers and schools.