Monday 22 November 2021

The pandemic has changed the way we work, play, socialise and study. For much of the last two years, students have had few other options than to progress their education in the domain of the online classroom. Yet students, teachers and pedagogues are unequivocal that these experiences have proven once and for all that online learning will never be a replacement for face-to-face teaching.

A key element of any education is the taking of exams and tests to confirm academic progress. Through necessity, online exam supervision technologies have enabled schools to continue to offer online courses and off-campus assessments through periods of lockdown.

Recently, The Conversation published an article summarising the findings of a paper authored by Simon Coghlan (Senior Research Fellow in Digital Ethics, The University of Melbourne), Tim Miller (Associate Professor of Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence), The University of Melbourne), and Jeannie Marie Paterson (Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne). Among others, the paper examined critical issues of academic integrity, fairness, transparency, security and privacy that sit at the heart of online tests and proctoring solutions.

Some of the key findings in this paper were:

  • That, even for the most sophisticated proctoring platforms, simple technical tricks could be used to bypass many of the anti-cheating protections, suggesting the tools may provide only limited benefits.
  • Requiring students to install software with such powerful control over a computer poses a significant security risk, and in some cases the software surreptitiously remains even after students uninstall it.
  • Some students lack access to the right devices and the fast internet connections proctoring and test platforms require, which leads to technical issues that cause stress and disadvantage. In one incident, 41% of students experienced technical problems.
  • Online proctoring creates privacy issues – video capture means examiners can see into students’ homes and scrutinise their faces without being noticed. Such intimate monitoring, which is recorded for potential repeat viewings, distinguishes it from traditional in-person exam supervision.
  • Proctoring software raises significant fairness concerns. Facial recognition algorithms in the software evaluated by the authors were not always accurate. For example, the algorithms used by some of the major manufacturers do not identify darker-skinned faces as accurately as lighter-skinned faces.

Even without automated proctoring, exams are already stressful events that affect our behaviour. The fact that few governments around the world accept online/remotely proctored tests for their visa processes suggests that the levels of security and integrity offered by these platforms is not yet where it needs to be.

Despite the obvious convenience offered by an online testing regime, it is clear that even the most sophisticated of proctoring technologies, including those utilising artificial intelligence, remain flawed and should be engaged with caution.

AEAS has 35 years of experience in administering and proctoring face-to-face testing for the specific needs of school-aged students. Throughout the pandemic, we have managed to maintain our face-to-face testing in all key markets. In doing so, we have continued to provide our partner schools with a wealth of extra information, which can only be gained through having our highly trained test administrators interact in person with each student. Knowledge is power, and the comprehensive AEAS report offers schools valuable information which can help to mitigate a multitude of risks well before the student has commenced.

Unlike university candidates or adults, school students are still in the process of acquiring the skills to sit tests and exams. Given that very few formal school assessments are undertaken in a digital environment, it is vitally important that students are frequently provided with opportunities to develop their exam skills in a face to face situation.

If you would like to find out more about how AEAS tests are administered, and the benefits of face to face testing please contact us to arrange a meeting.