Academic integrity during online examinations should be honest, fair, and responsible.
However, some challenges get in the way of maintaining this value, given how learning providers conduct their examinations today.
There are many ways to maintain academic integrity during crucial examination period which can help facilitators do their monitoring job.
This article tackles ways on how to promote honest and transparent online examinations.
What is academic integrity?
Academic integrity is a value expected among people in the academic community. From academic officials and teachers to researchers and students, academic integrity should be built with honesty, fairness, and respect.
Protects reputation
Academic integrity protects the character of students and promotes good moral standing. It also protects the teaching profession and the whole academic community.
Rejects misconduct
By putting academic integrity on top of every academic undertaking, you instill responsibility within the academe, especially among students who are more vulnerable to misconduct.
Online Exam Security Tips
Online examinations are prone to dishonesty due to their remote orientation. Virtual monitoring limits proctors and facilitators in conducting authentication and verification of examinees.
Here are online test cheating prevention tips you need to know for your next examination.
Clearly defining cheating and setting expectations
While students may already know about cheating, it helps to set the grounds. They need to know that you are aware of the different cheating techniques as the educator.
Academic integrity policies
To curb cheating, remind the students that the act is a serious offense and a violation of the student’s code of conduct. Letting them know the policies and consequences should they choose to cheat is essential.
Using proctored exams
Proctors are important to check the authenticity of students and verify the requirements during the exams.
Online exams can now have online proctoring software to authenticate students, record testing sessions, and send flags for cheating-related concerns.
Sumadi offers automated proctoring solutions for learning institutions and certification providers to ensure the integrity of online exams.
Restricting IP addresses
An effective way to restrict software in certain areas is by blocking IP addresses. It helps to deter tricking acts in conjunction with proctoring.
Use a Lockdown Browser
During an online exam, require your students to use Lockdown Browser , a type of browser where they cannot access any website or apps and copy and print questions which can be a way to cheat.
Utilizing keystroke verification software
One of the most common software to deter deceit is keystroke verification. This software is a behavioral biometric technology that identifies how a person types on computer and smartphone keyboards. It also determines if a person is attempting to cheat or if someone is using another person’s identity.
Embedding text-matching software
Plagiarism is a common practice of fraud. You can verify an essay or report’s originality through text-matching software that you can embed in an online exam.
Variable testing
Reusing old exam questions is not an advisable practice among professors, especially when it is done online. Students tend to share questions and answers from previous tests in an online forum or store them in cloud-sharing storage available for everyone to see.
Professors should create multiple versions of exams per semester and jumble question sequences. It is also better to include essays and explanation answers to lessen the chances of copying other people’s work.
Offer low-stakes quizzing
Come up with low-stakes quizzing rather than exam because students may not have to execute an effort to cheat for its value. You can still assess a student’s performance if you choose quizzes.
Assign collaborative learning activities
Collaboration is an excellent way how to stop online cheating. It promotes a culture of cooperation among group members using interactive platforms like video conferencing, social media, and shared documents to complete a task.
Use resources already in your arsenal
You might find it helpful to use your Learning Management System to provide links to resources like Turnitin, which can often be linked directly with assignments.
Helping reduce student test anxiety
Conduct a dry run to help students navigate the online platform, including testing wired connections, checking webcams, and testing the equipment. It is also advisable to provide enough time for students to review for an online exam to lessen their anxiety.
Analyzing reports to identify exam trends that may highlight academic dishonesty
Reports from online proctoring software provide a deeper analysis of the trends the student may use for online exam cheating.
You will know how to stop cheating on online tests when you check these reports and assess areas of improvement when reinforcing a truthful examination.
Sumadi provides an in-depth report of each online assessment and insights into how the process went by through a real-time reporting capability.
What Different Ways are Colleges Working Towards Academic Integrity?
Academic dishonesty remains to be a rampant challenge among colleges and universities.
The good news is that there are now techniques available to eliminate such dishonesty and promote a culture of truthful learning.
Here are some ways learning institutions can stop cheating among students:
- Facilitate proctored exams. Proctors are important to validate a person’s identification and monitor suspicious activities among examinees.
- Invest in keystroke verification software. This software lessens the chances of cheating among examinees by identifying a person’s behaviors, such as typing speed and rhythm. It also flags down suspicious acts of online exam cheating.
- Use various testing methods. Changing exam methods deter cheating and prevent students from leaking or sharing information with others online.
Sign for the honor code. Make reading and signing the student’s honor code a requirement before taking an exam.
Maintain academic integrity online
Colleges and universities should be stern in conducting online assessments that protect against any forms of fraud.
Not only do academic institutions benefit from having virtual assistance that reinforces legitimate outcomes. Certification instructors and government agencies can also benefit from this whenever they conduct their virtual assessments.
Sumadi offers a solution to ensure the integrity of an online examination. It recognizes facial and typing patterns and conducts high-tech authentication and objection detection.
Browsing tracking solutions are also embedded to ensure no one can seek third-party assistance during crucial examinations.
Contact Sumadi today or request a demo to know how to integrate the solution into your online exams.
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