A second camera placed behind the student allows proctoring software to see whether a student has stuck notes to his monitor or on the wall behind his monitor, or placed a mobile phone against his screen. ProctorExam’s software has allowed the use of a second camera all along, but so far, says Jansz, the university has not required its students to use this function. “Until now, EUR’s privacy watchdog has always found that the use of a second camera did not have enough benefits to justify the invasion of students’ privacy.”
Tiktokvideo
A Canadian TikTokker recently showed an easy method to mislead proctoring software – a method that works as long as there is no second camera in the room. He placed his mobile phone against the screen of his laptop and hooked his laptop up to a large TV. His flatmates then used that TV to follow his exam, google questions and send him messages containing the answers.
According to ProctorExam, this type of cheating can be detected, because the student sitting the exam will regularly glance at his phone, which will result in suspect eye movements. Obviously, such eye movements do not constitute evidence of cheating, but even so, Jansz believes that not many students will get away with this trick. “When ProctorExam tells us it has detected suspect eye movements, the examinations board will call the student in for questioning. And in my experience, ninety per cent of students will break during such interviews.”
Requested by lecturers
The newly reopened debate on whether or not to require students to use two cameras was not prompted by the aforementioned TikTok video. Jansz says that lecturers have wanted to discuss this option for a while, but due to people being on holidays, an opportunity to discuss the subject had not yet arisen. The discussion will take place on Wednesday.
A new debate is necessary because of ‘new insights’, says Jansz. It was not prompted by actual cheating, because according to Jansz, hardly any cheating has been detected in proctored exams. There have recently been reports of large-scale cheating at the Rotterdam School of Management, but those students cheated during non-proctored online exams. The debate is mainly necessary because people are increasingly aware that this technology may continue to be needed for the remainder of the academic year. “Take-home exams aren’t feasible in all courses. Some courses come with a large multiple-choice exam at the end – they always have, and they always will. And you want to be able to offer those exams as securely as possible.”
