Automated Online Proctoring as an Alternative for Administering Online Assessments
Abstract
Cheating during educational assessment is a global issue, it occurs in both online and face-to-face classrooms, and it is typical among students in unproctored online exams. However, little has been done to prevent and deter cheating in online courses. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether the use of automated online proctoring technology based on activity theory can be an effective alternative for proctoring online assessments. The quasi-experimental research design was used to answer the research questions whether there is a difference in scores between proctored and unproctored sections of the same course, whether there is a relationship between knowledge of academic integrity and cheating prevention, and whether the knowledge of academic integrity predicts cheating prevention. Factorial ANOVA was used in comparing the archival scores of 148 students who completed the Principles of Marketing online course and received a letter grade from a small university in the Midwest region of the United States. The Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis were also performed on survey data completed by 127 students who completed an online course that used automate online proctoring. There was a significant difference in scores between unproctored and proctored assessments. The results showed significant relationship between knowledge and prevention. Moreover, knowledge was found to be a good predictor for cheating. Further investigation that includes scores from traditional classrooms was recommended. Implications for positive social change include promoting academic integrity and securing online assessments at all colleges and universities.
