Online Test Proctoring Tools
Before deciding to use proctoring for an online test, please consider the following:
- There are many alternatives to proctoring an online exam that may be more effective at determining whether students have met your course objectives.
- There are other strategies to address academic integrity, including considering the common causes of misconduct, designing activities that promote integrity, and utilizing strategies to prevent cheating.
- Students may find online proctoring to be invasive and creepy, particularly with a live proctor watching them. This will likely be reflected on course evaluations.
- Students may not have an appropriate computer and webcam for proctoring. They also may not have an environment that is quiet and free from interruptions by other members of their household.
- Per the Higher Learning Consortium, our accrediting body, any fees associated with online test proctoring must be disclosed to students before the course begins, so that they can make an informed decision as to whether they can afford them. This does not need to be an exact amount, as that may not be possible to determine, but at least an estimate should be provided while students still have the ability to drop the course with no penalty.
Test Proctoring Tools
NIU currently supports Respondus Monitor as the primary test proctoring tool available for faculty to use; it is the only proctoring tool available in Blackboard, as well. The table below is presented for comparison purposes to help faculty better understand the capabilities of Respondus Monitor relative to other tools they may have used in the past.
| Feature | Respondus | Examity | ProctorU |
| Available at NIU | Yes | No | No |
| Live Proctoring | No | Yes | Yes |
| Live Support Available | Chat only | Yes | Yes |
| Automated Violation Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blackboard Integration | Yes | Yes (but not at NIU) | Yes (but not at NIU) |
| Students must schedule an appointment to take their test | No | Yes, with live authentication or proctoring | Yes |
| Test session recording available to instructor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fully automated solution available (no live interaction) | Yes | Yes | No* |
| Faculty can access violation reports and video to review | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Proctoring session reviewed by human for violations | No | Yes, in top tier option | Yes, in top tier option |
| Browser Lockdown | Yes | No | No |
| Identity Verification | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | NIU site license through June 2024, no cost to students | $4-$29 per student per exam | $10-$42.50 per student per exam |
| Student Pay Available | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Institution Pay Available | Yes | Yes | Yes |
*ProctorU has an automated solution, it does not integrate properly with Blackboard
Respondus Browser/Monitor (Current NIU Site License, no cost to students)
Respondus Monitor is a proctoring solution that is built upon an in-person proctoring solution called Respondus LockDown Browser. Respondus LockDown Browser is a proprietary web browser (i.e. an alternative to Chrome, Firefox, etc.) that strictly limits students' ability to do anything but take an exam in the browser/PC. Monitor adds an automated proctoring service to the Respondus LockDown Browser in place of the in-person proctor. The University has a site license with Respondus through June 2021 that allows unlimited use of Respondus Monitor. While available at no cost students and functional, Respondus Monitor is particularly susceptible to technical, software, and Internet connectivity issues. Frequent online training sessions are available and highly encouraged for any faculty considering use of Respondus.
Learn More
Online test proctoring is just one of many options for delivering exams via virtual instruction. For more details on all the options available or to discuss further on how to implement online test proctoring in your course, reach out to the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, citl@niu.edu.
This work was created by the NIU Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.