Faculty FAQ - Automated Proctoring

 

General  Questions

• How long after the session is completed are videos available for review?
• Typically the videos will be available in the SmarterProctoring system after Five (5) minutes. Please note - these are under normal testing circumstances. In times of Extremely high demand on the automated proctoring system, the time available can be longer.

• Is there a particular browser student needs to use for testing?
• Students will NEED to use Google Chrome (version 74 or newer) for automated testing to work properly. We use a Chrome extension for the automated proctoring to work on their computers.

• What devices can students use to test on?
• Automated Proctoring is compatible with Macs (macOS 10.10 and newer), Windows PCs (Windows 7 and newer) and Chromebooks (ChromeOS 74 and newer).

• Is the exam creation process for Automated Proctoring any different than creating an exam that includes other proctor types?
• Creating an exam for automated proctoring is the same as creating an exam for any other online exam in SmarterProctoring. The only change will be the proctor type chosen for the students to use.

• How are permitted versus not permitted items verified through automated proctoring?
• Through the use of the room scan and student notes. The student will be asked to show their whole work environment during the room scan. That will include the workspace and any permitted items would be on their desk, table, etc…
• The Student notes section can also be used to tell the student they will be asked to show the camera the permitted items that were allowed by the instructor. Thus verifying they have followed procedure.

• What if they do not have a camera on their PC?
• If they do not have a camera to use with automated proctoring and the exam calls for their webcam to be recorded, this option will not work for them until that requirement is satisfied.  If you wish for the student to test without a webcam, an accommodation can be created to allow students to bypass the camera requirement.  In this case, once a student has completed the exam you will only have a recording of their computer screen.  For more information on accommodations please review the accommodations article here.

• Does faculty have to include instruction in the notes that students must scan the room with a camera or is this instructed by automated proctoring?
• Students will be required to perform a room scan while going through the onboarding process. The system does provide a demo room scan video if the student is curious as to what it needs to be. 

• Does the system perform a microphone test?  What if someone is telling them answers - How would I know?
• SmarterProctoring Automated Proctoring tests the student's entire system before allowing them to test. They will not only have a microphone test, but also a monitor check, webcam check and wifi check to ensure that their system meets all the requirements of the proctoring modality.

• What types of exams can be offered to students for the Automated Proctoring?  You said that tests can be proctored in the automated system. What other types of testing?
• Automated Proctoring works for web-based exams.  To insure compatibility with your specific exam platform please reach out to our support team @ support@smarterservices.com for assistance.

• How do uploaded attachments work? Shown during the test? Do students print before the test?
• If attachments are provided they will be provided to the student while in the test. To access the attachments the student will need to click on the SmarterProctoring extension icon and any instructor provided attachments will be listed.  The SmarterProctoring extension is located under the Google Chrome extension menu at the upper right side of the browser window.  The Google Chrome extension menu looks like this:
  
  *NOTE* It is important that if attachments are being used that the exam is set to NOT force full screen and to allow other tabs to be open so that students can open the attachment content.

• Can automated proctoring tell if the student has a phone plug in their ear?
• The camera recording option in Automated Proctoring will give you a view of the student as they are taking their test. In the event, they do have an earpiece in (Ex. AirPods, headphone etc…) the camera should be able to see it

• How does the instructor know the student is in 'Needs Proctor' status? Do we get a notice?
• The students will all start in the “Needs Proctor” status. They will move from status to status as the schedule, start their exam or finish their exam. There is no notification sent out currently to alert instructors students have not scheduled. It is the instructor's responsibility to check their course dashboard for students that are unregistered.

• Do students see the attachments or have to print before the tests
• Students always have access to the attachment links while in their exam session.

• Currently, I use SmarterProctoring "virtual" option that uses ProctorU. A student logs into MyMathLab or LumenOHM and the proctor takes control of the screen and enters the password. How will the "automated" proctoring work like ProctorU, or what will be different?
• SmarterProctoring Automated Proctoring will navigate the student to the exam URL that you provided during the initial exam setup and will automatically paste the password into the correct field. The student DOES NOT see the password at any time.

• If we already scheduled our exams through Proctor U, will we need to delete those settings for them to take them through SmarterServices?

• If your current process is to schedule directly with ProctorU and you WANT your students using SmarterProctoring, yes, those sessions will need to be canceled, otherwise, they will potentially have two sessions scheduled for the same exam.

• Does the student click on the exam in the LMS first and then it takes them to SmarterProctoring or the login through SmarterProctoring?
• No, the student will click the SmarterProctoring link to begin their exam. We do this in order to maintain the exact same flow regardless of which proctoring modality is being used. This standardization helps students be much more comfortable while moving between delivery methods.

• If there is a problem, can a student talk with anyone live or would they just log out and contact their instructor?
• If a student runs into any issues during their proctoring session they may use the support button in the bottom of their screen to connect with a SmarterProctoring support agent. 

• For ADA Compliance, how does the instructor know to go to the system and add extra time to the student test before they choose a proctor?
• Any ADA accommodations need to be added to SmarterProctoring manually. This can be done by adding an accommodation to the system. These accommodations would be communicated to the instructor via disability services or the student.

• Is the automated system going to enter the password in automatically?  Or will the student be given the password to enter?
• The system will use the password put into the ‘password’ field on the exam details and automatically paste that into the password field for the assessment. At no time will the student be given the password to type into the field.

• Couldn’t students just take a picture of the test with their phone?  How would you know if they tried that?
• It is possible for students to take a photo of the test with their phones. In this case, the phone would likely appear in the video so there would be evidence of this action taking place.

• Is there a list of instructions/general guidelines for students to have ahead of the test?
• We have a set of help documents the student can review prior to testing. These are located at SmarterProctoring - Test-Taker Support Articles.  Specifically, a good article to review is our Automated Proctoring - *Test-Taker* Best Practices Article.  Additionally, we do provide the user some general guidelines during the onboarding process regarding taking breaks, looking around, etc.

• How will I be notified if something strange happens during the session?
• If something happens during a session the system will provide a listing of the incident that is visible on each students session under the annotations tab.  More information on this can be found in our Automated Proctoring annotations explained Article.

• What will happen when we update the remaining tests to the Automated Proctoring when we have, and will still be, using the "virtual" with ProctorU? Will any of the current appointments by students be deleted or reset when the proctor type is changed from the current Live Online Proctor, to also using Automated Proctoring?
• Students that have already scheduled with ProctorU will maintain their appointments, automated will simply become the option for new “appointments”.

• How long are the recordings kept if there is an incidence of possible cheating
• The recordings of the session are never removed from the system. The instructor will be able to review them again at any time after the session is complete.

• If a student is allowed 2-hours for the exam, does the student have to start the exam at least 2 hours before the close of the exam or will it stay open until they are finished if they start for example, 30 minutes before the exam end time?
• The system will NOT allow a student to start their two-hour exam if they only have for example, 30 minutes left before the exam closes. This is due to SmarterProctoring not having any ability to extend the exam window set by the instructor in the exam platform.  SmarterProctoring will not allow students to enter an exam if they have less than the duration of the exam plus an additional 30 minutes to the deadline.  The additional 30 minutes is provided to allow the student time for onboarding and any possible troubleshooting that might need to take place.

• Does the student need to pre-register for the exam? Can be done on the day of the test?  
• Correct, the student can complete the assessment right after clicking the “schedule” button if they wish.

• What if a student isn't on instructors roster will it still show up on students end
• As long as the student is enrolled in the course they will be able to access SmarterProctoring.  Students will show up on the instructor's roster as soon as they access SmarterProctoring in their course for the first time.

• Can the student stop and then restart the exam or does the exam end automatically if the student stops in the middle of the exam.
• This depends on the assessment platform and the number of attempts that a student is granted by the instructor.  If a student voluntarily stops proctoring or if a student is disconnected from the internet the SmarterProctoring system will let them start again if they have an available attempt.  Students will have to go back through onboarding and if the exam platform also has an additional attempt they can restart their exam.
  
  *NOTE* Some exam platforms will allow students to continue an exam attempt if they student is disconnected.  This feature is specific to the exam platform that the student is testing with and not not controlled by SmarterProctoring.

• What happens if the student has a power loss on their computer (sometimes they pull the plug)…  How can I mitigate that risk?
• If we see there is a gap of five (5) minutes or longer, we will close that session and the student will be forced to either reschedule (if they have more attempts) or reach out to the instructor for an accommodation.

 

Exam Setup Questions

• Is a password required?
• Yes, if you are using SmarterProctoring, an exam password will be a required field.

• What file types can you add to an exam?
• The easiest file type is PDF and most easily opened by the students.

• If I am giving multiple exams, do I need to have a different password for each exam?
• As a best practice, it is advised that all the exams that are created in SmarterProctoring have different passwords.

• Do we have to set anything, like Respondus Lockdown?
• Your automated proctoring settings will be set up when choosing the automated proctoring proctor type in the exam creation. Based on the record, lockdown and verification settings chosen, they will govern the exam for your students.

• I don't understand how I can give a URL for the test because the MyMathLab URL is required for the student to log in. In MyMathLab, the student will then have to click on the test to open the password box.  How do I give two URLs?
• For this, you can simply give the MyMathLab login URL and then denote in the student notes how to get to the exam if required. Once the student arrives at the exam the system will see the password box and it will automatically be injected.

• When I start a face to face test, after inputting the password, I ask the students to close down the other screen that allows access to MML lessons. How do we indicate this?
• When you choose the automated proctor type for your exam, you will want to ensure that you have the FORCE FULL-SCREEN button enabled. This will ensure that when the session begins, the exam window will be the only thing the student can see until they end their session.  For more information on the creation of exams with Automated Proctoring, including the modification of proctor settings see our Creating an Exam w/ Automated Proctoring article.

• Will we have the ability to change dates without waiting for approvals?
• Yes, If your institution does not have any exam approvals in place and lock them after they are approved, you can change any details about the exam at any time. We do caution however that no changes be made to an exam if possible within 24 hours of the exam open date/time.

• Is there a specific URL we should use if the Exam is located in the school's LMS?
• The URL that should be added to the exam in SmarterProctoring is the full URL to the quiz. This makes the experience much easier for students.  If your school uses Canvas, we suggest using the Import Exam option when setting up your exams as this information will automatically be populated for you.  If you are using another LMS or exam platform such as Blackboard or D2L the URL to the exam can be found by viewing the course dashboard in student view and copying the URL link to the exam.  Because each LMS is different if you would like support in finding the URL you can reach out to our support team @ support@smarterservices.com

• Please clarify how detailed the URL must be for MyMathLab or LumenOHM. In the past, in SmarterProctoring I would just insert the homepage URL and ProctorU was always able to input the password. You keep mentioning the "test or Quiz" URL, but I don't think I have ever had to do that…
• You can simply give the MyMathLab/LumenOHM login URL and then denote in the student notes how to get to the exam if required. Once the student arrives at the exam the system will see the password box and it will automatically be injected.

• In Canvas there are links for both MyLab and SmarterProctoring...which do we use?
• In order to use SmarterProctoring, you will want to make sure you click the SmarterProctoring button in the navigation menu. you may have your assessment in MyMathLab, but you will still put the link to it in the SmarterProctoring exam details section for URL.

• What if the instructor has not linked the MyMathLab course to Canvas.  The student must log in first. How does the instructor give the URL for the test/quiz only?
• In this case, the exam URL can just be the MyMathLab login page. The student would simply login to MyMathLab and navigate to their exam. This can also be denoted in the student notes to help direct them where to go.

• Do accommodations need to be entered even if MyMathLab settings are already set
  • Any accommodation for the student, (Extra time, attempts, permitted items etc… will need to be input to SmarterProctoring). A guide for accommodations can be found here, Setting up an Accommodation

• Verify ID option - does the instructor verify the ID by viewing the recorded video?
• Yes, at this time the instructor can verify the ID by viewing the video. We provide still images in a tab in the playback interface where you can view the selfie and ID that was provided during onboarding.

• Any uploads cause the lockdown browser is non-functional.
• To some degree. The full session will still be recorded. The challenge is allowing the student proper access to these files. Every machine handles these files a little differently. In addition, we will still be looking for talking, multiple faces or a face swap etc.

• If I upload a file, say a periodic table, then the lockdown browser no longer works?
• in this case, the student needs to be able to gain access to this. In order to gain access generally, the PDF will load in a new tab or an external program. For this reason, the setup must allow for additional tabs or non-full screen.

• If we provide 2 attempts to take a test in case of technical problems, will the students be able to access that second attempt ONLY in the case of tech issues such as the screen blinks?
• The attempt counts between the Canvas quiz and SmarterProctoring need to be the same. SmarterProctoring will always allow for the second attempt regardless of technical issues or not. If an additional attempt is to be permitted due to a technical problem then accommodation could be created for that student after they report technical issues.

• Can you add an attempt after a first attempt has been scheduled and completed?
• You can only add an additional attempt after the first attempt has been completed. The system does not allow for concurrent attempts to be setup.

• Will I need to review each student individually on my own?
  • Yes, the review will be up to the instructor to complete OR another party if the school has made arrangements to have them review the sessions on the faculty's behalf.

• If there is no URL, what needs to be placed in the URL section?
• Every online exam as a URL where the exam is hosted. If the exact URL is not known, it is then always best to put the login URL or the base domain for where the student is to find the exam. Further details can then be added to the student notes section to help direct the student where to go.  

Third-Party Publisher Questions

• What third-party publishers work with automated proctoring?
• SmarterProctoring is continuously working to test and ensure all the third-party publishers our clients use work with the Automated Proctoring service. If you have questions about currently tested publishers, please reach out. 

• I use a test in MyMathLab or does it have to be in Canvas?
• You can use MyMathLab for your exam with Automated Proctoring

• Does the MyMathLab course have to be linked to Canvas? 
• Yes, the link to the assessment will need to be input to the exam details field. 

• Will this also work with ALEKS.com?
• We have not tested with ALEKS yet.

• What URL do we input into SmarterProctoring for the Third-Party Publisher, where the Assessment is located?
• The link input for third-party publishers will need to be the link to the actual assessment itself. The student will still encounter the login screen, but after they input their credentials, they will be navigated to the quiz/exam URL and the password pasted automatically by the system.

Session Questions

• If a student doesn't have a webcam but tries to test using the automated proctor, will the system allow them to test?? 
• No, the system will require that a webcam is installed and working prior to allowing them to proceed.

• If a student loses wifi connection in the middle of the exam, what does your system do?
• The system is built to be resilient on connections that might not be fully stable. There are a few options here:
  • • If the connection drops intermittently for a minute or two our system will continue to work by queuing the videos locally and then flushing them to the server once the connection is restored. In some cases, the student may have to wait for a few minutes after their exam is completed to ensure all videos are flushed.
    • If the connection drops for more than 5 minutes, the session will be invalidated. In this case, the student will need to obtain another attempt from the instructor.
    • If the student’s computer crashes and they are able to get back into their session within 5 minutes, they will be able to pick up where they left off. 

• Can we close a student session for a student who "walked away" from a test?  What prompts the closing of a student session?
• We have multiple triggers that can close a test:
  • By clicking the stop exam session button.
  • By closing the browser tab.
  • By clicking the “stop sharing desktop” button.
  • If the exam goes past the duration or if we no longer are receiving videos from a session our system will also automatically close the session.