Tips For Online Exam Instructors

With online exams becoming more common, we’ve compiled this list of tips for proctoring instructors – from writing clear exam instructions and ensuring test-takers are familiar with the proctoring solution, to understanding proctoring results and seeking support.

Effective exam instructions

Just as you establish protocols for an in-class assessment, so too is the case for proctored exams – most importantly, the exam conditions and rules (e.g. what materials a test-taker can have with them during an exam, what behaviours are prohibited). Ensure your exam instructions are clear and well understood by your proctoring solutions provider, and can be easily interpreted and followed by your test-takers.

One of Sumadi’s distinctive attributes is that we use minimum system requirements to ensure correct use and avoid inconveniences during an exam. We recommend test-takers verify that their computer meets the minimum requirements according to the platforms outlined in our help center.

We also recommend you remind your test-takers to confirm they are using the correct institution ID when the undertake an exam – as the ID is unique for each institution.

Customize the proctoring settings

You can customize your proctoring settings when setting up an exam, enabling you to tailor it to meet your unique needs. It may be worthwhile consulting with colleagues who’ve had experience with proctored exams (to discuss exam protocols and settings), and reach out to your proctoring solutions provider for their recommendations. They may be able to identify areas of potential confusion or misunderstanding, and can help fine tune the settings to best meet your requirements.

Ensure test-takers know how to use the proctoring solution

Asking your test-takers to review the proctoring instructions and exam rules prior to their exam will help prepare them for success. Also, having test-takers test the proctoring solution in advance of their exam will allow time to seek support should they encounter a problem.

Resources are readily available for test-takers as well as instructors to help ensure all parties are best prepared. Sumadi has a self-service portal that provides step-by-step guides for troubleshooting, support, and information on release updates.

Review of proctoring results

Proctoring solutions provide student reports that identity verifications, provide screenshots and audio recordings of potential misconduct – to ensure the report results you receive are provided in context.

Sumadi actively captures screenshots of the test-taker and marks the images with valuable metadata for ease of filtering and decision making. We analyze data in real time and flag suspicious behavior, making it easy for instructors to identify a specific user’s exam that requires review. Our intuitive analytic dashboards and reports are generated in real time, allowing instructors to detect unwanted and suspicious behavior, which can be reviewed during or after an exam.

Understand the reporting you will receive

Proctoring reports are presented with flags that identify different types of activity that have arisen during an exam. For ease of evaluation, particularly when reports are shared in real time, it’s worthwhile having an understanding in advance of what each flag represents.

Access support  

Be sure to know who to contact when support is needed during or after an exam.

When undertaking an exam through Sumadi, the first level of support or contact for instructors is via our help center and live chat. Following that, the best way to reach our global customer support is by email: support@sumadi.net

If you’re interested in learning more about tips for instructors when establishing an online exam, or our range of proctoring solutions, reach out to us at: sales@sumadi.net

We’d love to chat with you!