Improvements to Proctorio online testing platform for spring
UTSA makes changes to Proctorio online testing platform in an effort to enhance the student experience while continuing to support academic integrity
UTSA has introduced changes to the Proctorio learning integrity platform to simplify its use for UTSA students and faculty. One of several digital tools purchased and implemented in the spring of 2020 to improve the online teaching and learning experience, Proctorio is UTSA’s official proctoring tool for online courses.
After receiving student and faculty feedback about how Proctorio was being used, UTSA Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kimberly Andrews Espy asked Vice Provost for Academic Innovation Melissa Vito to convene a group and to evaluate what, if any changes were warranted.
This team of faculty, students, Academic Innovation staff and Proctorio recommended three key changes to the online testing platform in an effort to enhance the student experience beginning this spring, while continuing to support academic integrity.
The following features have been updated:
- Intelligent Room (Desk) Scan. This optional feature is now only available before starting a test, to help remove mid-exam distractions and allow students to better focus on the test itself.
- ID Verification. This feature has been removed to make the testing environment more inclusive. The duo-authentication for logging into Blackboard and the video settings in Proctorio are alternative ways that identity will be validated.
- Prevent Re-entry. This feature has been removed, preventing technical issues created by unstable wireless internet connections and reducing stress for students who lose connectivity while taking a test.
"The updates were made to increase inclusivity and eliminate any distractions for students, keeping them fully engaged and in the flow of an exam," said Chad Mahood, associate professor of communication and chair of the UTSA Faculty Senate.
UTSA’s division of Academic Innovation holds regular webinars and virtual office hours to train and assist faculty with teaching strategies to best utilize the technology available to them. A live webinar, Understanding Proctorio and Proctored Exams, was held on February 4 to help faculty develop their assessments to be more engaging and meaningful, and to ensure faculty understand how to successfully utilize Proctorio. This and other webinar recordings are available to watch on-demand via the Spring 2021 Faculty Webinars playlist in Panopto.
This week, Academic Innovation also launched the online training module, Academic Integrity & Proctoring. This module includes an overview of Proctorio and how to use it, important considerations, recommended settings, and will include a mock test (utilizing Proctorio) to help faculty better understand the student experience.
Academic Innovation at UTSA brings together experts in teaching, technology, and virtual learning to champion innovative and transformational practices that enhance the academic experience of our students and faculty.
by Kelly Holguin
