UCD Enjoys Triple Win Outcome with Proctoring Solution

UCD Enjoys Triple Win Outcome with Proctoring Solution
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The COVID 19 pandemic affected regions differently and uncertainty around restrictions made it necessary for higher education institutions around the world to facilitate access to students that may not be able to leave their homes. Moving learning online was a learning experience for many students and teachers and ensuring integrity during online examination became another hurdle. 

The University College Dublin (UCD) is Ireland’s largest university with over 33,000 students and among one of the most prestigious universities in the country. With this distinguished standing, UCD needed an online proctoring solution to maintain a high standard of academic integrity and ensure an excellent student experience, privacy protection and accessibility.

Examinations in the past were completed in an exam center under the watchful eyes of invigilators. Students were required to present their Student Card for identity verification and asked not to bring cellular phones/electronic devices or any unauthorized materials (books, notes, etc.).

Integrity Advocate and UCD worked together to first educate and then implement a process that would allow for examinations to be done from home. UCD looked at the entire assessment process rather than simply trying to ‘monitor’ or ‘control’ the students and their devices. They considered the impact of their proctoring options on the stress level of students and the security concerns of installing a “surveillance" tool on a students device.

Additionally, UCD looked holistically at the assessment process and considered the manner of assessment best suited for remote examinations and ID authentication.

Once online assessments were proctored and completed, Integrity Advocate collected feedback from students and faculty alike. Darcy Chalifoux, Integrity Advocate Account Manager for UCD, explained that “the student-facing communication coupled with the use of reasonable discretion, rather than the strict use of inappropriate algorithms, resulted in an assessment experience where less than 2% of students reached out for support and we did not receive a single complaint".

Since moving learning and examinations online, many institutions have captured the benefits, both to institutions and students, of remote assessment and made it a permanent part of their assessment strategy. Remote proctored assessments can reduce institution costs, allow for greater scheduling flexibility as well as provide students with the option of more comfortable assessment environments and the ability to reach foreign students without the normal constraints.

Implementing a proctoring solution at a higher education institution is like any other project, in that you cannot just simply change out one process for another without considering the impact on the students, faculty and administration. Integrity Advocate’s involvement, openness and responsiveness was key to UCD achieving the success they did.

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