Please reach out to your professors to clarify the type of exams they will be requiring. Your professor may require an online proctored exam and, depending on the service they use, there may be a fee (ProctorU: $20-40). These exams may require you to have access to strong wifi signal, webcam, etc. If you do not have access, check out the Hardware or Software Needs article or contact the UWG Online Help Desk as soon as possible.

Student Resources for Testing Options (check with your professor to verify which option they are requiring for your exam):

• Live in-person proctoring at a local testing center.
  • UWG Academic Testing Services Carrollton
    • Phone: 678-839-6435
    • Email: testwest@westga.edu
  • UWG Academic Testing Services Newnan
    • Phone: 678-839-2300
    • Email: newnantesting@westga.edu
• Respondus LockDown Browser & Monitor
• ProctorU
• Professor Self-Proctoring
• Once a student scheduled their appointment, they will also need to complete the UWG Online Student Exam Notification Form to ensure the exam and details are sent to the testing center / proctor.

You can reach a testing coordinator via the UWG Online Help Desk by email at online@westga.edu or by phone 678-839-6248.

Fall 2022

Challenges:

• Many *live* online virtual proctoring vendors may become overwhelmed by the increased demand across the country (including ProctorU, which is used by UWG).
• Instructors should notify students of the proctored exam requirement, including testing window(s), the potential cost ($20+ if live virtual proctoring via ProctorU is chosen), the method you will use, and the technology needs (hardware, software, internet connectivity), on the class syllabus. 
• There is no guarantee there will not be technical or connectivity issues, necessitating the instructor having to reset Quiz attempts, open exams back up, etc. Warning: Not all options work on all devices; Instructors cannot require both ProctorU and Respondus at the same time on the same exam.
• Students may be traveling and may encounter enhanced connectivity challenges.
• Please ensure your class is coded correctly, in the online Course Schedule, with Comments reflecting the possible cost and plans, to the extent which you are able to provide them ahead of time. 

 

Alternatives:

Here are some alternatives to proctored exams that you may find useful to assess your students’ knowledge of the course objectives (see guide at USG Keep Teaching). You can also reach out to the UWG Institute for Faculty Excellence for additional suggestions and help developing alternative assessments: ife@westga.edu / 678-839-5289.

• Keep Teaching USG
• Moving Quickly to Online Instruction: A Quick Guide for UWG (see section on assessing student work)
• Proctored Exams Alternative Guide (produced by USG)

 

Options:

If an instructor wishes to proceed with requiring an online virtual proctored exam, there are FIVE options:

• Option 1 (free option) REQUIRED: Your online sections may include students who do not live near Carrollton.To help keep costs to students low, instructors are asked to always offer at least one day/time when students may take the proctored exams on-campus with you for free.
• Option 2 (free for students): Virtual proctoring via lockdown browser and video recorder, using Respondus Lockdown Browser (RLDB) & Monitor. This option is free to the student and it would be up to the instructor to review the videos. For more information on how to set up RLDB, check out Respondus Lockdown Browser & Monitor on the Proctored Exams (Free Virtual Options) article. Note that students using Chromebooks may experience technical issues.
• Option 3 (free for students): Some instructors are proctoring exams themselves, ZOOM or other videoconferencing tools, or over the phone with individual students. It sounds time consuming, but if one considers that it might take 30 minutes to grade a single paper, a 20 minute exam-by-phone does not seem like such a daunting prospect. For more information on how to set up self-proctoring options, check out the Proctored Online Exams: Live Video (Faculty Info) article.
• Option 4 (cost for students): UWG Online can facilitate virtual proctoring services via UWG's ProctorU service (students pay a fee to ProctorU).  This is usually the best option for students overseas or in the midst of traveling. Please note: An exam MUST be set up in ProctorU before any student will be able to sign up to take said exam. This service is ONLY an option for online exams (no paper-based tests). Instructors may go and set up their own exams, directly at UWG's ProctorU site.  Or, if instructors would like UWG Online to set up the ProctorU exam on their behalf, this form should be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the date of the exam: Instructor Exam Request Form.  Usually, the course must be an "E" or "N" course (95% or more online) to use this service (contact UWG Online if an exception is needed). Students must also complete the UWG Online Student Exam Notification Form once they make their appts (it is the student's responsibility but we can help find a center close to them if they need assistance) in order for UWG Online to send the materials on to the testing center.
• Option 5 (cost for students): Proctored tests can be facilitated at an approved testing site (students pay a fee to that site), depending on availability.* Instructors coordinate this option independently, though UWG Online is happy to provide guidance and assistance as needed. 

*Any single testing site may not be staffed or prepared to handle an influx of students, all required to take a test within the same time frame. Since a high proportion of UWG's online students may live in the Carrollton or Newnan area, it is imperative that instructors discuss their test dates with the Carrollton and Newnan testing sites before the beginning of the semester, to determine availability.

• UWG Academic Testing Services Carrollton
  • Phone: 678-839-6435
  • Email: testwest@westga.edu
• UWG Academic Testing Services Newnan
  • Phone: 678-839-2300
  • Email: newnantesting@westga.edu

 

Steps

1. Consider: Along with offering at least one time during which students may test with you, for free, which of the other options above will you provide to your students?
2. Choose your dates wisely and check with UWG testing centers (unless you are only offering the ProctorU option). Any single testing office may not be staffed or prepared to handle an influx of students all required to take an exam within the same time frame. For example, since a high proportion of UWG's online students may live in the Carrollton or Newnan area, space may be especially limited. Therefore, it is CRUCIAL that you coordinate testing windows with the Carrollton and Newnan testing sites before the beginning of the semester, to determine availability. Alternately, consider using the ProctorU option described above.
   • UWG Academic Testing Services Carrollton
     • Phone: 678-839-6435
     • Email: testwest@westga.edu
   • UWG Academic Testing Services Newnan
     • Phone: 678-839-2300
     • Email: newnantesting@westga.edu
3. Make sure instructions are clearly stated in your syllabus (See Best Practices & Considerations):
   • Provide a link to UWG Online in your syllabus for instructions or use and amend the text as needed
   • Make sure to communicate clear deadline and expectations 
4. If you need UWG Online's help, complete this Instructor Exam Request Form and send any offline exams or materials to Megan Roberts, meganr@westga.edu, and Meggie Miller, meggiem@westga.edu, at least 5 days prior to the exam date. Students must also complete the UWG Online Student Exam Notification Form once they make their appts (it is the student's responsibility but we can help find a center close to them if they need assistance) in order for UWG Online to send the materials on to the testing center.
5. If your test is paper-based & you are handling arrangements yourself:
   • Send the test and any further instructions to each testing site coordinator or proctor, at least two days prior. HINT: Our Instructor Exam Request Form gives you an idea of what info a proctor may need to know. You may want to cc UWG Online's testing coordinators: Megan Roberts, meganr@westga.edu, and Meggie Miller, meggiem@westga.edu, or submit this Instructor Exam Request Form if you'd like UWG Online to have this information on file in case our help desk gets calls.
6. If your test is online & you are handling arrangements yourself:
   
   • Send any necessary information to each testing site coordinator or proctor, at least two days prior. HINT: Our Instructor Exam Request Form gives you an idea of what info a proctor may need to know.You may want to cc UWG Online's testing coordinators: Megan Roberts, meganr@westga.edu, and Meggie Miller, meggiem@westga.edu, or submit this Instructor Exam Request Form if you'd like UWG Online to have this information on file in case our help desk gets calls.
   • If you have students using ProctorU, set up the exam in ProctorU or submit this Instructor Exam Request Form if you'd like for our department to set up the ProctorU exam on your behalf.
7. Access your student's completed test.
   • If your test was delivered online, such as in CourseDen, you will be able to access the completed test, in CourseDen, after the student's appointment date.
   • If your test was paper-based, be sure to make arrangements to obtain the completed test from the proctor
   • If you used ProctorU, you may also access additional data and any incident reports within the ProctorU admin portal. Contact meggiem@westga.edu if you need help.

NOTE: In cases of insurmountable technical or logistical issues, UWG Online may have to provide the exam in an alternate format. Staff may also have to adjust quiz settings, dates, or times. Instructors will always be notified of any changes. Our ability to assist may be limited to the knowledge we have been provided.

• Proctored Online Exams: Faculty Best Practices

For more information, contact UWG Online's testing coordinators:

• If you need help developing your test in CourseDen contact the Institute for Faculty Excellence at 678-839-5289 or email ife@westga.edu.
• If you need help creating a password for a CourseDen test or other CourseDen technical issues, contact the UWG Online Help Desk at 678-839-6248 or email online@westga.edu.

Warning: Not all options work on all devices; Instructors cannot require both ProctorU and Respondus at the same time on the same exam.

Students