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Students who have to take remote exams due to the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) epidemic continue to insist that there is a problem with fairness, and the three major test supervision systems are transparent. Is required to be improved.
The exam supervision system allows students to take exams remotely from home. Students are instructed to install the exam director software of their choice. This allows the system to gain deep access to the student’s computer, including webcams and microphones, and monitor student behavior to discover potential fraud.
However, from students that companies such as Proctorio, ExamSoft, and ProctorU, which provide test monitoring systems, are full of problems such as lack of fairness in their test monitoring technology. It has been criticized.
The most common complaints are that the test monitoring software cannot recognize the face of a person with dark skin or a religious headgear, and that the internet speed meets the standards of the test technology. It discriminates against students in low-income areas and students with disabilities who cannot.
Several US Democratic senators sent letters to Proctorio, ExamSoft, and Proctor U in December 2020, asking them to elaborate on their technologies and policies. According to the answer confirmed by TechCrunch, companies deny allegations of discrimination and say that it is the teachers who decide whether or not students cheat, not the companies themselves.
However, lawmakers believe that the company is not transparent enough and fear that teachers may judge student behavior based on more than technology conveys.
“Proctorio, ExamSoft, and ProctorU claim that there are no issues of injustice, but the alarming reports from students tell us that they are different,” said Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. Connecticut) told TechCrunch. “These answers from companies are just the first step in getting to know more about how they operate the system, but the system, which has the power to accuse student misconduct, Much more transparency is needed. I will work on every necessary fix to ensure that the students are protected. ”
Students across the United States have already urged schools to stop using proctoring software because of privacy and security risks.
We sent some questions to each company. Proctor U CEO Scott McFarland declined to comment on weekend holidays. Proctorio and ExamSoft did not respond.
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