Affordable Proctoring Method for Ad-hoc Off-campus Exams

Abstract

The problem of proctoring off-campus exams is considered. Under unexpected situation such as COVID-19 pandemics, for many university courses, high-stake summative exams must be conducted from student home as a result of lockdown and social distancing policies. This paper addresses the issue of how to proctor off-campus exams in this unprepared situation, where a few constraints limited the choices of possible solutions. A proctoring method was developed with the aim to provide a solution that can be applied as widely as possible under the constraints imposed on the situation. The method is based on free software and services. It makes use of only hardware and devices universally available among the target students. A proctoring concept based on the use of E-Cam and S-Cam, a procedure, as well as a portable cross-platform proctor monitoring tool have been developed and described. Results from applying the proposed tool and method to an actual off-campus exam has been reported and discussed. Lessons learned and suggestions are provided.