Gaze detection technology uses computer vision and artificial intelligence algorithms to track the movement of a test taker’s eyes. By monitoring a student’s gaze, online proctors can detect instances of collaboration, distraction, or the use of unauthorized materials, and take appropriate actions.
<p id="">When it comes to a school’s remote proctoring approach for online exams, the systemic bias of fully automated AI-based approaches is at least as concerning as the subjective bias of human proctoring. Today, bias in automated proctoring is known to disproportionately impact women and people of color, as well as students with certain medical conditions, resulting in widespread distrust of remote proctoring technology. As Shea Swauger put it in the <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/08/07/1006132/software-algorithms-proctoring-online-tests-ai-ethics/" target="_blank" id="">MIT Technology Review</a>, “[A]lgorithmic proctoring is a modern surveillance technology that reinforces white supremacy, sexism, ableism, and transphobia.”<br></p><p id="">To ensure a fair online testing environment that supports student success, the school’s proctoring system should combine the automation of an AI-based solution with human oversight. But human intervention alone is not enough; the AI models in human-in-the-loop (HITL) systems must be built to prevent bias and create a more level playing field for students.</p>
<p id="">Students, faculty, and administrators at universities and colleges are all looking closely at the cost and benefits of the technology. Schools are weighing concerns about privacy and fairness against the need to support academic integrity in implementing the emerging technology. Critics are getting a lot of media attention right now, however, it behooves us to step back from the noise and examine the remote proctoring benefits that have made the technology so attractive to schools.</p>
<p id="">Online test administration in graduate degree programs for business means high stakes. Business schools are preparing students for their futures and educating leaders who will shape industries, markets, and cultures around the globe. The right proctoring tools are essential for offering students real value as programs expand beyond the classroom.</p>
<p id="">The pandemic has been a stark reminder of how valuable healthcare workers are. It has also shown us that more are desperately needed.</p><p id="">The United States is facing an immediate shortage of physicians and nurses. By 2025, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK215247/figure/mmm00002/?report=objectonly" target="_blank" id="">shortage of full-time physicians</a> is projected to be between 124,000 and 160,000. The projected shortage of nurses is even more concerning, with millions needed in the coming years to meet the needs of a growing and aging population. </p><p id="">Becoming a qualified health professional is no easy task. To ensure that students have the knowledge and skills necessary for professional practice, rigorous examinations are essential. At the same time, the need to attract more candidates, remove unnecessary barriers to entry, and protect student health is spurring many institutions to expand their programs online. But is online testing wise when the stakes are so high? </p><p id="">Online test administration for graduate degree programs in health makes sense when reliable proctoring technology is in place and academic integrity is protected. With the right technology, institutions can confidently move forward with remote learning plans.</p>
Some proctoring platforms have drawn widespread scrutiny about how they may perpetuate systemic social bias.
Moving from in-person to primarily remote learning poses challenges in administering exams. Universities and colleges have adopted a range of solutions with varying success.
Online proctoring combined with artificial intelligence has presented tremendous opportunities for academic institutions and credentialing bodies alike, but it is not without its flaws.
Online proctoring systems using artificial intelligence promise to help schools keep online tests fair and secure. But the process can deliver mixed results without the right technology.