Online Proctored Exam Info & Tips

It can be an adjustment getting acclimated to online learning (regardless of the pandemic status) and this includes online exams. A popular topic this past year has been proctored exams and the use of online proctoring. There have been many news outlets and social media posts about different aspects of online proctoring. One great thing about Franklin University’s exam approach is that we have a centralized testing center. Centralized testing means that students can go to one place, the Learning Commons Testing Center, with their proctored exam questions and concerns. Testing staff are available by phone, email or chat to help students better understand the process and requirements.

Getting Started

Online proctoring takes some getting used to. The idea is to replicate the face-to-face environment, as much as possible. With that idea in mind, that is why personal identification is required and checked and why your physical environment is scanned to ensure there are no unpermitted materials. The set up process is to ensure that the student is sitting in a semi-professional manner with no other people around, no additional screens, no headphones, are not speaking aloud, or leaving their testing space during the exam. These are all things that are completed, checked and enforced when someone comes into the Testing Center at the downtown location or likely at a testing center near you.

While this may feel uncomfortable in your own home, if you think about a physical, face-to-face proctor, students are consistently being monitored throughout your exam with the use of room sweeps, security cameras and computer monitoring software. Online proctoring has begun recording the sessions with the use of artificial intelligence to ensure that student conduct standards are upheld and academic integrity is maintained.

At Franklin, we partner with ProctorU. Here are some tips to help you prepare for your online exam.

1. Utilize videos and photos provided by ProctorU here. This resource center walks you through creating an account, scheduling an exam, preparing your environment and testing your equipment.
2. Test your equipment and/or check your internet bandwidth prior to your appointment. This is very important to reduce any extra stress.
3. Review the list of what is permitted behavior during a testing session.
4. Be aware of what to expect on the day of your appointment. You will start with a live proctor and then transition to the AI proctor.
5. Use the live chat feature provided during your exam if you experience any difficulties.
6. ProctorU is dedicated to keeping your information private. You can review their privacy policy and their Student Bill of Rights initiative to learn more.

Getting "Flagged"

There have been numerous reports and online forums about how online exams get flagged for a variety of reasons and what those flags might mean. The testing staff at Franklin reviews all flagged incidences sent by ProctorU to view what is really a violation, including:

• Flags that get raised for noise interruptions, physical interruptions (by a family member or even child), or even for other ambient sound or light issues. These are not sent on to faculty members. Life happens – even when trying to take an exam – and we get that!
• Flags that get raised for suspicious behavior or breaking a testing rule. This can include using unpermitted materials or opening a new tab or window to search for an answer. Suspicious behavior that may have an impact on the integrity of the exam is sent on to faculty for their review.

The Learning Commons Testing Center reviews these flags to ensure that only pertinent information is forwarded to faculty.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out the Learning Commons Testing Center. You can email us at testing@franklin.edu. We are here to support you and your academic endeavors!