Increasing Online Test Security in a Few Extra Steps

Technology is an essential part of all institutions and industries, including the educational sector. It is a must-have in these places because it can lead to a lot of efficiencies. It also helps to streamline the whole process, saving the institution a lot of time and money on simple tasks. People now use online exam software in educational institutions for several reasons but they can also create some challenges for the departments.

It is important to recognize the importance of security when it comes to this software. If the content of the tests leaks or gets hacked, it can create inefficiencies in the system. Test makers now come with different layers of security that you need to enable to protect the testing process. It also helps to prevent cheating and other forms of fraud while testing the students.

It is really important to secure tests since at least 43% of cybercrime targets smaller institutions and businesses. This is because a lot of hackers assume that companies don’t have safety measures in place to avoid cheating and fraudulence during testing. This is why there are a few measures that every examiner needs to take to make sure the test remains fair and reliable.

Restricting Access

Most online exam software comes with a restricted login access that is limited to the students. This can act as a way to ward off and curb discrepancies during the test-taking process. The instructor can merely restrict the access to a lot of different portals and points, which ensures that other students cannot log in while the test is ongoing.

Lock the Screen

A lot of test makers also have lock screen options that allow the instructors to enable online security that can protect the process of the test. It can perform a lot of functions, which help the company safeguard their documents.

•        It prevents copy and pasting onto the test slots

•        It prevents the students from going back through “forward only” options

•        It prevents students from modifying or changing old answers

•        It automatically switches the number sequence of the questions and answers, which discourages cheating

Using Test Makers to Design Secure Tests

While designing the test, online exam software can also be easily used to create tests that automatically discourage cheating through the test design itself.

Ø  Enabling the shuffle option discourages cheating on MCQs and true and false questions

Ø  Some tests also have only one question on screen at a time, which means that it is really difficult to cheat for students since they don’t have a true sequence of questions

Ø  It changes the order of the question so that no test is the same in terms of a sequence. It makes it entirely impossible to cheat off other people since you can’t share the answers.

 

Ø  Open-ended questions also make it really hard to cheat for students since they require a detailed understanding and analysis of questions.