Introduction to Online Exam Proctoring
During the last decade, online testing and virtual review proctoring have been an evolving service as a viable alternative to in-person proctoring at a physical testing center. Online exam proctoring has been more relevant than ever since the pandemic forced classrooms and testing centers across the nation to shut their doors. Currently, even with the reopening of some testing centers, the limited capacity and backlog of requests may make it difficult for months to receive a testing appointment.
You may have a few questions about online proctoring tests, remote checking, and how it works if you are considering online exam proctoring. We are here to help, as your trusted source.
Contents
- What Is Online Exam Proctoring?
- How Does Online Exam Proctoring Work?
- Are Online Proctored Exams Safe and Secure?
- Who Needs Online Exam Proctoring?
- Online Proctoring for Insurance Exam Prep & CE
- Prepare for the Insurance Exam With WebCE
What Is Online Exam Proctoring?
Online proctored exams are online tests (timed or untimed) that you take when you and your computer are watched by a remote proctor and/or proctoring program using your desktop, webcam video, and audio. Online proctoring, like conventional proctoring, requires a proctor who watches the test taker confirm their identity, answer any questions they may have, and avoid, detect, and/or report cheating and malpractice. Online proctoring, using safe technology, is a feasible alternative to on-site research.
Online proctoring has been used successfully by several schools and universities for many years. Research has shown little difference in how candidates rate they are on-site vs. online proctoring interactions, and there is no statistical difference in the outcomes of the test. Studies have also confirmed that test takers are much less likely to cheat when online assessments are carried out.
How Does Online Exam Proctoring Work?
A remote proctor supervises the examination process and monitors for any anomalies that may suggest cheating, much as with an in-person proctor. Online proctoring is carried out in three major ways:
Live online proctoring, which requires a proctor who observes an applicant during the exam in real-time through a monitor and who might ask to initially observe the atmosphere of the test-taker. Almost all online proctors would need to share the computer during the test as well.
Record-and-review proctoring, which is when, while taking the study, a test-taker and their screen are filmed and the video is then checked for any irregularities by proctors.
Automated proctoring that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor any anomalies in the video and audio feed and screen-share. This is similar to record-and-review proctoring, but a human proctor can only inspect the feed if it is flagged as suspicious by the AI in this case.
As technology enhances, remote proctoring services, automation, and AI would likely play larger and larger roles. AI can use facial and voice recognition to confirm the identity of the test taker, recognize unusual items or actions in the video feed, identify audio that can be used to cheat, and even use eye movement detection to suggest that unauthorized content is being read or used.
Are Online Proctored Exams Safe and Secure?
Remote test proctoring allows the test taker to grant a considerable amount of access to their computer to the exam proctor, so it is understandable that their fears regarding the safety of their system and the security of passwords and personal data can be comprehensible.
Although reputable testing firms do not look at your data or files, it does not fully negate the risk that a rogue proctor could breach the privacy of the test takers. Test-takers should still use trustworthy research firms for this purpose. Such firms provide thorough training to their proctors and then practice to observe an experienced proctor before being supervised by themselves.
The use of artificial intelligence is also helping to alleviate privacy issues in the exam proctoring experience. In these situations, if the AI flags something during the test, human proctors will only review the test-taker, and then the proctor will possibly review a transcript of the test-taker later when they do not have access to the computer of the test-takers.
Who Needs Online Exam Proctoring?
Proctoring for remote exams has never been more useful. During the spring of 2020, COVID-19 forced most research centers in the United States to close, leaving many testing firms struggling to provide alternative testing options to meet the needs of professionals.
Online test proctoring should turn out to be particularly helpful for insurance license exam prep students. While testing centers are reopening in several states, test takers have struggled to schedule a test date, and it will likely be months before in-person tests are readily available again, if not longer.
Remote online test proctoring can help students get their insurance license more easily for exam preparation. Remote online proctoring is not yet available in every state for the insurance license test, but it will continue to be rolled out nationally on a state-by-state basis.
Prometric, PSI, and Pearson VUE all have remote proctor solutions and online testing. You can visit the Prometric, PSI, and Pearson VUE websites to see if online exam proctoring is available for an exam in your state. Check back periodically if remote testing is not yet available in your area. More states are likely to implement remote testing in the future with the backlog of in-person studies and continuous fears about the pandemic.
Online Proctoring for Insurance Exam Prep & CE
WebCE has developed a strategic alliance with Prometric to provide a remote proctoring option for our clients for their insurance test preparation and self-study exams for continuing education. The first remote proctoring experience for online insurance training courses is this special integration.
ProProctor, Prometric’s remote evaluation tool, offers a safe solution for online proctoring using human and AI-assisted proctoring. The service provides the requisite rigors to comply with insurance regulatory requirements with the ease of remotely taking a proctored exam from any location.
WebCE students can take their exams comfortably, accurately, and efficiently from their own home or office with the ProProctor remote assessment tool, without the need to have another person with them physically.
According to Sean Burke, Chief Client Officer of Prometric, “Prometric and WebCE have the same objective of being able to provide clients with innovative solutions to complete their training and testing requirements.” “The integration of our ProProctor solution with WebCE brings us closer to achieving our objectives and paving the way for the insurance industry to offer evaluations anywhere.”
As of December 2020, through the ProProctor remote evaluation platform, the following states and districts have approved remote proctoring for insurance exam prep courses and continuing education (CE):
- Arizona (CE)
- Colorado (CE & Exam Prep)
- Connecticut (CE & Exam Prep
- District of Columbia (CE)
- Indiana (CE)
- Kansas (CE)
- Massachusetts (CE)
- Nebraska (CE)
- Texas (Adjuster EP)
- Vermont (CE)
- West Virginia (CE & EP)
If in your state, remote proctoring is not yet available, check back periodically. Throughout the year, more states are expected to allow remote proctoring.
Prepare for the Insurance Exam
Multiple businesses offer online life & health insurance test study courses, property and casualty pre-license training courses, personal line insurance study courses, and adjuster licensing courses, all with our world-class live customer service, if you want to take the insurance license exam but have not yet taken an exam preparation course. Our audio-enabled exam prep courses allow learners to listen to on-the-go or at their desk to the text of the lesson. With customizable practice quizzes and full state exam simulations, our immersive content covers main examination topics and measures the student’s understanding of the information.