Proctorio: Use Considerations

Proctorio is a flexible e-proctoring tool that can address the needs of faculty who have a pedagogical or accreditation need to administer secure online exams. It is a fully automated and scalable remote proctoring system that leverages machine learning and tracking facial movement to monitor students during online exams.  As with any tool, it is optimized for some, but not all, types of exams. 

Due to the additional complexity that e-proctoring can add for instructors and students: 

This document contains important information to consider when choosing to use Proctorio:

Proctorio can be used for: 

  • High-stakes examinations for online and/or blended (hybrid) courses. Since automated proctoring tools generally cannot match the reliability of an in-person proctored examination, Proctorio is best used when in-person proctoring is not an option due to time or distance considerations. Proctorio does, however, provide recorded documentation of each student taking an exam that in-person proctoring does not.
  • Live classroom testing where only the lockdown features are required.
  • Group exams. It allows you to record and review a group that is taking an exam jointly in a single location and determines the level of participation of individual group members.
  • Accommodations. Providing students with accommodations letters with extra time and quiet space through remote e-proctoring.

Proctorio is best used as a deterrent against and a documentation mechanism for academic dishonesty in the administration of exams. The automated algorithm can be helpful in flagging suspicious behavior but it cannot be used to definitively verify academic dishonesty.

Non-Recommended Use Cases

Subject to instructor discretion, Proctorio is generally not recommended for:

  • Low stakes or frequent examinations. This tool can be stressful on students and can require a considerable amount of time and effort for faculty (especially in large courses) to review suspicious incidents in the recordings.
  • Large enrollment (800+ student) courses. There have been some performance concerns when large numbers of students access exams simultaneously, especially if the assessment uses media. 
  • In lieu of in-person examinations when students can easily come to campus.

Accommodations

Some users of disability-related adaptive technologies may experience Proctorio as an inaccessible application. In these cases, instructors would be advised to exempt that student from using Proctorio and seek an alternative solution. Consult with the Disability Resource Center as necessary.

Tool Requirements

In order to use Proctorio smoothly, students need to satisfy a set of technology requirements including:

  • Sufficient computer hardware (webcam, processor, etc.) 
  • A consistent and stable internet connection. Some features (e.g., record video/audio) require a significant amount of bandwidth. Students can be unexpectedly removed from the exam if their internet connection is lost.
  • Basic technology literacy. Users need to:
    • install or update the latest Chrome browser
    • add the Proctorio extension.
  • Users may need to troubleshoot access issues and should be comfortable consulting Proctorio support by phone or using the chat functionality if needed.

Licensing

Proctorio’s current contract with the UMN extends through May 31, 2020. Proctorio is currently centrally funded with no charge to the student or academic unit. Before the contract ends, a review will be conducted and a decision made to either continue using Proctorio or adopt an alternative proctoring tool. 

Support Contacts for Suspected Academic Dishonesty

For online courses in particular, however, if you suspect academic dishonesty or need more information or how to address it, contact the office below for your campus.

Additional Academic Integrity Resources

Academic Integrity Technology Tools

  • Proctorio - for remote proctoring primarily targeted for the online environment
  • TurnitIn - for general plagiarism detection 
  • Respondus Lockdown Browser - a custom browser that locks down your computer when taking a quiz

Additional Resources

Proctorio