Proctoring as Partners: A Student-Centric Approach

When you were a child, what did you think about the police? Do you remember being more afraid of them or feeling more protected by them? Now, as an adult, what do you think about testing proctors? Is their role more to watch you, or to support you?

In this blog and video overview, let’s think about what we think about proctors.

Video Overview:

To Protect and Serve

The motto “To Protect and Serve” was first used by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1963. Since then, it has been adopted by many police forces. It is commonly seen printed on police vehicles.

The police seem to have two types of functions. First, they certainly exist to enforce the law. When a person is observed breaking the law, the role of the police is to intervene. But they certainly do more than that. Frequently you may see a motorist whose vehicle has broken down on the side of the road and a police officer is assisting. They also help with tasks such a traffic flow after an event.

They can also have influence even when they are not present. How often while driving down 

the road have you tapped your breaks when you see a police car on the side of the road, then as you passed it you recognized that no one was even in the vehicle?

Viewing the Proctor as a Partner

I see the role of testing proctors in a similar way. Sure, their primary role is to observe test takers as a deterrent against cheating. But did you know that they do much more?

At SmarterProctoring, we train our test proctors to also support the test taker as needed.

Taking a test in any environment can be a stressful experience. The mere process of demonstrating what you know through an exam can foster anxiety. When you add to this the fact that someone is watching you, stress levels can increase quickly.

One way that test takers can help reduce this stress is by seeing the proctor as a partner.

How Proctors Act as Partners

Think about this. If you are not breaking the law, there is no reason to fear a police officer, right? Well, if you are not cheating on an exam, there is no reason to fear the proctor.

The vast majority of test takers have no intention of cheating. These students should not have any anxiety about the proctor. In fact, when you think of the proctor as your partner during the exam, perhaps your stress level could be reduced.

Here are some ways that our test proctors have served as partners. Suppose the test taker is having some technical issue during the exam. This could range anywhere from the battery on their laptop running low to their Internet connection dropping. Or perhaps someone other than the test taker is viewed by the webcam. The proctor can gently remind the student that exams should be taken alone.

Proctors can also remind the test takers about things such as allowed materials during the test. Faculty often include in the exam proctoring instructions when items such as a calculator or a formula note card can be used and the proctor can remind the student of this. Speaking of calculators, proctors may inform the student that SmarterProctoring contains an on-screen calculator that they can use when permission is granted from the instructor.

Finally, proctors often let students know when bio breaks are permitted during an exam.

The Role of the Proctor

But of course, there are some things that a proctor cannot do for the student. Never can a proctor answer a question from the student about exam content. Proctors also cannot grant permission on requests that are not allowed by the instructor.

Proctors certainly serve as partners when an accommodation is provided for a disability. Often proctors may remind students that they have extra time or can use an assistive device.

Like a police officer, it is good to have a proctor nearby if you need them, but if you do not need them, then the proctor purposefully limits their presence. If a proctor does need to communicate with a student during an exam, they can do so via live chat or by speaking directly to the student. 

Jennifer Pletz, Director of Proctoring Operations for SmarterProctoring said,

We understand that not every tester we proctor, be it in-person or remote, is familiar with the process. Every step of our training and procedures is built around working with the tester, not against them. So, whether you are a university student with countless exams under your belt or a 75-year-old testing remote for the first time, we are prepared to meet you where you are. Our proctors are customer service experts and security and regulation pros, but above all we are human. It is this humanity that drives our candidate-centric approach and sets us apart.

A Student-Centric Approach to Proctoring

If you are a student preparing for your next proctored exam or a college staff member or instructor helping students as they prepare for exams, my encouragement is that you frame the role of the proctor as one of partner. If you are not planning on cheating, there is no reason to fear the proctor. Just consider them a useful partner at your side.

If we can tell you more about how SmarterProctoring takes a student-centered, positive approach to proctoring, reach out to us today.