Faculty FAQ on Proctorio

The University, faculty, and students all have a strong interest in ensuring academic integrity and that exams are graded fairly, impartially and expeditiously. Proctorio uses software, not people, to observe test takers for over 20 behaviors and prepares a report for the instructor to review.

For online education, institutions need to be sure that the student who registered for courses is actually the person completing the work. According to the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008: “all institutions in the United States that participate in Title IV student aid programs must verify the identity of students enrolled at their institution.”  Under federal regulations, our institution's accreditation agency, WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), states in their Distance Education Review Guide:

In keeping with federal policy, WSCUC requires institutions that offer distance education to have processes in place through which the institution establishes that the student who registers in a distance education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the course or program and receives the academic credit. To meet this requirement, the institution must employ, at its option, methods to verify the student who participates, such as:

• A secure login and passcode
• Proctored examinations
• New or other technologies or practices that are effective in verifying student identification.

In so doing, the institution must make clear in writing at the time of enrollment or registration that it uses processes that protect student privacy and notifies students of any projected additional charges associated with the verification of student identity.  

Proctorio works within your web browser while taking an exam in Bb Learn to observe behavior which may include recording of video, audio, screen activity, navigation or similar activities. The system behavior is dependent on the exam settings chosen by the instructor. There is not an individual watching live. Suspicious behavior is flagged in a report for faculty review. Information on Proctorio can be found here: https://proctorio.com/

• Proctorio does NOT see or collect anything on the clipboard. It may paste into the clipboard.
• Proctorio does NOT see or collect web browser history. It monitors web activity DURING the test taking and consent is requested.
• Proctorio does NOT see or collect info from the cache. It clears the cache at the end of the exam so no exam content can be used to share with others.
• Proctorio does NOT see or collect information from the hard drive.
• Review their privacy policy.

Proctorio licenses are purchased by the institution on a per student per semester basis in each activated course section that uses the tool. These licenses are charged back to the college dean. 

Please see Proctorio system requirements. An updated version of Chrome, Opera, Edge or Brave Browsers is required as well as a webcam and reliable internet access.

It is very important that both faculty and students understand how Proctorio works.  There is required faculty training before the tool will be turned on in a course section. For example, faculty wanting to use Proctorio in a fall course, must complete training in advance of the Fall semester. Proctorio will not be turned on in the middle of a semester. (An exception has been made for the COVID period since we moved to remote instruction.)

• The semester BEFORE using Proctorio, faculty sign up for Proctorio training 
  • Contact Jim Aird, Instructional Technology Consultant in TLP
• Take the training
• Complete the training by taking a final assessment in Bb Learn using Proctorio (This ensures that faculty have used the tool as a student themselves to experience how it works.)
• Faculty add student communications to their course syllabus (more information below on that)
• Faculty add student support materials in Bb Learn or Canvas course
• A request is made from TLP to have the LMS Administration turn Proctorio on for the faculty's appropriate course section(s) 
• Proctorio is ready for use

The 90-minutes (or less) workshop will cover the preliminary steps, skills and information necessary to effectively leverage Proctorio.  Faculty will work inside a Bb Learn/Canvas course shell for demonstration and experimentation with Proctorio. The training will focus on communication required before using Proctorio with students and how to best set up the tests to ensure academic integrity inside the test-taking environment.

Support materials and sample language will be provided during the training such as these:

• Syllabus info and instructions
  • Sample departmental statement on proctoring
  • Sample student "opt-out" language
  • Sample student communications about proctoring (transparency and expectations)
  • Links to student support materials and tutorials
• Sample statement to have placed into the campus schedule
• Computer system/browser requirements
• Standard/recommended settings for tool use inside Blackboard Learn

Students need to be notified that Proctorio will be used during selected assessments as early as possible. Notification should be in the course syllabus, the course description, and throughout the Bb / Canvas course by the student load date or student access date.  A sample syllabus with the referenced language may be required BEFORE Proctorio is turned on within the instructor’s courses.

Example syllabus language (required element)

After registering for a Proctorio workshop faculty will be added to a Blackboard/Canvas course called, “Proctorio”.  In this space they will find sample syllabus language:  

See also:  https://www.csuchico.edu/cob/about/commitment-to-quality/cob-faculty-resources.shtml

Example course schedule language (required element)

Working with a department administrative assistant, a statement is included in the schedule similar to the one below, with a link to your own department’s policy.

‘To maintain academic integrity of online exams, this course uses online proctoring software called Proctorio. For more information about Proctorio, please go to https://www.csuchico.edu/tlp/proctorio/student.shtml'

Student Support Information (required element)

Provide students with Proctorio’s support:

• Proctorio virtual chat - help link https://proctorio.com/support 
• Proctorio Help Desk phone number (480-428- 4076). 

Instruct students to call the number when presented with any barriers to a test.  

Make it very clear and post in multiple places that tests with Proctorio will ONLY work in Chrome, Opera, Edge or Brave Browsers with the browser Proctorio extension. Include instructions on how to install the Proctorio browser extension, as this will ensure that the students have access to help (including online chat) and videos from Proctorio. 

There is also a Chico State Student Proctorio FAQ here.

Add student “Help Articles” folder to your Bb Learn or Canvas course 

A folder of student resources has been placed into the Blackboard / Canvas course shell called “Proctorio”.  Faculty copy this folder into their course to ensure that students’ questions and concerns can be answered without the instructor having to use class time or other means to explain the necessity of the tool and its privacy and security.

In-Course Student Notifications (required elements)

• Students will be informed that an online proctoring solution for assessments will be used and for which assessments it will be used.
• Students will be informed in advance how to access and use online proctoring through Bb Learn/Canvas.
• Students will be offered, and encouraged to complete, a practice test early in the course as a way to troubleshoot equipment and ensure they are ready before the higher stakes exams/quizzes.  Students who experience technical difficulties on an exam following a failure to complete the practice test may not be validated for an alternate testing option.
• Students will be encouraged to start their test(s) early to allow time to seek assistance and support if problems arise. 
• Students will be encouraged to take proctored exams in a quiet place with a strong internet connection free from distractions or high traffic.
• Students must have access to a computer with strong internet access, a video camera and microphone (web cam or laptop with camera and microphone built-in).

“Opt-out” Language (required element)

Students should work with their instructor for other options if there are issues or barriers to completing the Proctorio test. Students can be given an option for being assessed in another format but there are no guarantees on the availability of another section without proctoring.  In some instances, the online mode of a class is essential for progress toward degree and should not hinder such progress. Departmental policy around the use and options for opting out is referenced in the Departmental Statement on Proctoring, and is explained in the syllabus. 

Solutions for departments to allow options may include, but are not limited to:

• Other alternative option for test format, mode or location, worked out with the instructor
• Other sections of the same class offered face-to-face

Proctorio is VPAT certified, 508 compliant, and fully accessible to those with disabilities. However, the software captures eye, head, and mouth movements, talking to self, pacing, and may flag the use of a screen reader or other devices which may be reported as “suspicious.” Students with a disability that may manifest in these activities and/or may require accommodations, will contact the instructor and the Accessibility Resource Center. 

Practice Test 

Only use Proctorio for assessments AFTER the students have had a chance to configure their machines and ensure Proctorio readiness through a low-stakes practice assessment (like a syllabus quiz or other practice test) and after all students who reported difficulties with the tool have satisfactorily resolved all issues.

Adhere closely to the recommended Proctorio settings and choose carefully (with consultation) when electing to use Proctorio for other types of assessments (such as those with complex answers, or which allow groups, open note, open internet access.)

Recommended settings for test bank integrity

The final step in deploying a Proctorio test is the setting of the test options.  Within the set of “Test Options” are the Feedback, Presentation and Remote Proctor which contribute to test bank integrity.  Thoughtful consideration of these settings will provide a secure test delivery and feedback that does not lend itself to the creation of copies of the questions and answers.

After attempts have been completed, instructors will check the Proctorio report. The report sorts student attempts with “most suspicious” (red squares) on top.  Click a student name to review the report. Clicking on any of the tall red bars will advance the screen capture and the audio/video playback to the moment of suspicious activity.  Alternatively, you can play the video to scan for the behaviors that lend to the suspicion score. There are many options and advanced tools with regard to the reports. Feel free to take a look and work with the TLP on those settings.

If Proctorio reports that a student has engaged in activities that may be considered to be high risk, the instructor reserves the right to change the grade and/or require the student to come to campus to take subsequent examinations. In addition, egregious cases of behavior in conflict with the intent of academic integrity may be reported to Student Conduct, Rights, and Responsibilities. (https://www.csuchico.edu/scrr/integrity.shtml)

• Completion of Faculty training
• Inclusion of required communication elements
  • Appropriate language included in course syllabus 
  • Appropriate language included in Bb Learn course section
  • Student support information folder
  • Departmental Statement on Proctoring approved or on agenda
  • Appropriate language included in course schedule/catalogue
• Proctorio installed (by LMS admins) in the appropriate section(s) of the faculty’s course
• Deploy a practice test with Proctorio early
• Deploy test with Proctorio settings in Bb Learn course
• Review the Proctorio reports