We have all been there, having to go to school and learn with the eventual knowledge of having to take a test where you, the student, has to be assessed in some form or another. Assessments and examinations are apart of many learning environments and online learning environments are not excluded. But how do instructors or proctors effectively invigilate online exams whilst still maintaining academic integrity and fairness. Cue, Respondus Monitor and Lockdown Browser. These online proctoring software tools provide “cost effective, scalable, and convenient solutions for protecting the integrity of online exams” (Respondus, 2016, 3:10). The Lockdown Browser software does not allow students, or those individuals taking the exam, to access other browser content such as google or other programs that promote cheating. The Respondus Monitor software tool allows for proctors and instructors alike to watch students take the exam and identify students accordingly to maintain academic credibility/integrity of the class…arguably the institution as well. In conjunction, the two programs tandemly working together are a formidable technological tool to be used within online learning environments.
When analyzing the technology first hand, through the Respondus learning tutorials and videos, I was able to grasp the importance and difficulty of maintaining academic integrity principles and practices within online learning environments. However, I must ask, is this type of proctoring online technology a necessity for all online environments? The answer in my opinion, no. It is reasonable to surmise that summative assessments may be a good candidate for such protective software programs, in that, these assessments must take student identify verification, student hardware, student software, and bandwidth into consideration (Benson & Brock, 2010).
After analyzing the merits of the Respondus program, I had to decide what my critical focus or individual topic will be in this course. I intend to focus on: Feasibility of Online Assessment in High Stress Learning Environments: An Air Traffic Control Perspective. Most individuals consider air traffic control to be a high-paced, demanding, and stressful job. In the general sense, most people would be accurate in this description. But as an air traffic controller myself, the true stressful part of the job was the training. The training environment was highly difficult to navigate and complex. But if one can get through the training, most controllers succeed with a bright career in a very unique field of work.
Please comment and help me in general thoughts or questions in regards to my topic I have chosen. Thanks.
Reference
Benson, R., & Brack, C. (2010). Online assessment. Online learning assessment in higher education: A planning guide (pp. 107-151). Whitney, UK: Chandos Publishing Oxford. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.royalroads.ca/lib/royalroads-ebooks/reader.action?docID=1582338&ppg=128
Respondus. (2016). Respondus monitor: Protecting the integrity of online exams [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=197&v=hv2L8Q2NpO4&feature=emb_logo
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