Proctoring Process
Exam proctoring is an excellent way to increase the rigor and academic integrity in an online course. The College of Arts and Sciences Outreach online has a process in place for instructors needing proctoring services to administer online exams.
The College of Arts and Sciences Outreach online team currently recommends that exams worth 25% or more of the overall course grade be proctored.
Face-to-Face Proctoring
Testing Center
Students will need to find a proctor/testing center by the first week of class.
Students will select proctor by using the College of Arts and Sciences Outreach proctor database. Once student has completed selecting an approved proctor, students contact the approved testing center to schedule their examination day and time.
The OSU Testing Center charges $20 for 0-2 hour general exams and $10 for each additional hour for OSU students. The full pricing for the OSU Testing Center can be found on their website.
Find your own Proctor
If a student would like to select a proctor/testing center that is not listed on the approved list, complete the proctor form in the database. The request will be sent to CAS Outreach team to verify, then student will work with their approved proctor to schedule their examination date, time and location.
It is permissible to allow students to find their own proctor in order to avoid proctoring fees, should the instructor allow it as acceptable. The proctor must be a trusted/reputable faculty or staff member at a local college or university or a public-school administrator. It is the responsibility of the designated proctor to ensure that academic integrity is upheld.
Instructor Proctoring
Some instructors schedule a designated time on campus where students can come and complete their exams. This is acceptable as long as attending the on-campus exam is not required. A class that is designated as 100% online (not officially defined as a hybrid/blended course) cannot require any activities on campus without having an equal online equivalent accommodation for truly distance learners. Therefore, instructors can provide an option for an on-campus exam, but appropriate proctoring options must be provided for students who cannot attend the face-to-face session.
Online Proctoring
External Proctoring Vendors
There are many companies who provide online proctoring services. We encourage anyone who wishes to have their exams proctored through an external service to use Meazure Learning (formerly known as Examity). OSU has a working relationship with this company, so we have a single point contact for setup, training, troubleshooting, and additional assistance. Nearly any style of assessment can be proctored through Meazure, including paper-based proctoring (not available with the other proctoring services). Additionally, Meazure has multiple levels of proctoring giving the instructor more options based on the needs of the students. By using the same proctoring service across online courses, we hope to reduce technological stress and frustration and provide consistency for both students and instructors.
Find more information about Meazure on the ITLE website.
All online proctoring services come at a cost to the student. Students are charged when they sign up for the exam. Be sure to inform your students the first week of class about additional fees associated with proctored exams, as well as including this information on the course syllabus.
Exams Administered Through Canvas
Keeping in mind the 25% rule for proctoring exams, it is perfectly acceptable to use our learning management system to administer exams without formal proctoring. In order to uphold academic integrity, quizzes created through Canvas can be timed, with a randomized question bank. Additionally, all written responses can be submitted through TurnItIn to avoid plagiarism. It is of the utmost importance that we hold high academic integrity standards among our online courses. If your exams are worth less than 25% of the overall grade and you would like to administer them through Canvas, contact an instructional designer to discuss strategies for upholding our high academic standards.
Alternative Options to Proctoring
Don’t like proctoring? Many instructors opt to avoid proctoring services for a variety of reasons. If you find yourself adverse to either online or face-to-face proctoring, there are alternative options for you. In this instance, it is best to rethink the way you assess your students’ learning. Discover alternative assessment styles here.