Frequently Asked Questions

When an exam is “proctored,” it means that it is supervised by a neutral party (a proctor) who confirms the identity of the student and the surroundings of the environment in which the student is taking the exam. SmarterServices’ online proctoring service is called “SmarterProctoring.”

Unlike face-to-face proctoring where students schedule an exam to be monitored by a proctor in-person, an online proctored exam allows students the flexibility to take their exam whenever and wherever it suits them best.

There are three types of online proctoring: Live Virtual Proctoring, Hybrid Virtual Proctoring, and Automated Online Proctoring.

There are several misconceptions when it comes to proctoring. To review the top misconceptions, click on the following links to learn more:
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‍Misconceptions about Privacy and Security
‍Misconceptions about AccessibilityMisconceptions about Bias
‍If Proctoring Matters or Not
‍If Testing is Necessary

Hybrid Virtual Proctoring is a modality that is part of SmarterProctoring. Through the modality, institutions can easily control who acts as the remote online proctor while lowering the overall servicing costs.

The platform can be configured to allow instructors, testing center staff, or partners to deliver a seamless live online proctoring experience. Overall, it provides institutions greater control and flexibility over how their online proctoring services function and is the only proctoring platform that gives institutions the ability to deliver live online proctoring solutions using a set of shared resources.

Hybrid Virtual Proctoring works through combining face-to-face proctoring modalities powered by the technology of Automated Virtual Proctoring. With this, the artificial intelligence (AI) of SmarterServices’ Automated Virtual Proctoring monitors the test taker and their environment for anomalies such as a second face appearing, voices being heard, attempts to open other browser windows, attempts to cut and paste, and others.

While the AI is running in the background, a live person from the institution like a professor or trusted testing center proctor can also watch and review the AI-detected anomalies in real-time to ensure academic integrity.

Both students and institutions have brought up multiple concerns about virtual proctoring, including the lack of trust students had when not knowing who’s remotely proctoring them, the cost burden of virtual proctoring for both institutions and students, and/or the lack of cheating deterrent when being proctored online.

Hybrid Virtual Proctoring takes the inherent flexibility of the SmarterProctoring system and applies this to how online proctoring services are delivered. Through Hybrid Virtual Proctoring, institutions can easily control every aspect of online proctoring, including those who act as the remote online proctor while lowering the overall servicing costs.

No. Regardless if the testing center is serving as the proctor or an instructor, multiple exams can be proctored in the same virtual room, as rooms are not exam dependent.

If Hybrid Virtual proctors are not available when students want to take their exams, there are two things that can happen:
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1. The student would not be able to continue until they are connected to a live proctor.

2. The student would fall back to Automated Proctoring in the event that a live proctor is not online or loses Internet connection during a proctoring session.

Yes. Proctors are allowed to give additional instructions at the end of the exam if the exam notes indicate such steps should be taken.

‍Example: If instructions are given in the exam notes that indicate students need to photograph their scratch paper and upload it onto Canvas for their instructor, the proctors inside Hybrid Virtual Proctoring can pass on those additional instructions to the students.

These additional actions and exam instructions can also be monitored by the Hybrid Virtual proctors to ensure academic integrity

Automated proctoring is a remote exam monitoring system that uses advanced, secure, and reliable artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor and review students’ remotely proctored exams.

Upon students starting a remote exam, the automated proctoring system’s AI will record the students’ screen, webcam, and microphone to ensure the integrity of the exam. Throughout the exam, the AI will detect and determine whether portions of the exam should be flagged for further review by the instructor.

Automated proctoring is an easy-to-use online proctoring platform for students to use. Check out our short video demo to learn how automated proctoring works for students.

• Students failing to make eye contact with the screen
• Students talking during the session
• People walking in and out of the webcam view
• Students leaving the view of the webcam for a long period of time
• Students visiting another webpage outside of the exam

Enabling automated proctoring can help achieve the privacy and security that your students need and want. All data that is transmitted from a student’s device through SmarterProctoring is fully encrypted and secure. As soon as data arrives in our network, it remains encrypted as it is stored on the file system. Only authorized users at your institution can access your data.

Students’ identities can be verified through SmarterProctoring. Verification method would be by webcam and a government-issued ID. If the online SmarterProctoring exam is set up to verify students’ identities, the students will be prompted through a series of steps on how to complete the verification.

For typing biometrics verification:
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‍With verification via typing biometrics, no webcam is necessary to authenticate a user. Everyone types differently. By using typing biometrics, students will be identified by their unique typing patterns. Not only does this keep the students’ surroundings confidential, but it also provides students with another option to authenticate themselves. This plays an important part in online learning accessibility due to the potential lack of access to a webcam, are unavailable to access a webcam due to a disability, or if the students experience performance anxiety while appearing on a webcam.

For webcam and government-issued ID verification:
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‍With verification via webcam and government-issued ID, students will be required to have a working webcam to verify their identity.

First, they would be prompted to take a picture of themselves via their webcam.

Next, they would be prompted to hold up their government-issued ID in order for the software to confirm the person on the webcam is the same as the person in the ID.

All students’ data is kept confidential and is never sold or shared with outside third-party vendors. Typically, videos, IDs, and other personal information are stored within the SmarterProctoring System for 6 months. However, it is up to the individual school to decide and configure their historical records.
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With Live Virtual Proctoring, a human proctor will watch students via their webcam during the exam. Proctors can see both the students and their screens during the exam. The proctor is given the ability to stop the exam and make spot checks if they feel that any academic dishonesty has taken place. The session will typically be recorded for review by the instructor.

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