Proctoring for exams
1. Proctoring by video
The student may take the exam while being watched on video, and must provide verification of identity with a government-issued form of identification. Students must have a camera connected to the computer, such that the student can be observed by GCS personnel while the exam is being taken. (The webcam and video connection is not needed at other times, but will need to be tested before the exam, to allow time to resolve problems if they arise.)
a. You must have a camera connected to your computer. Some computers have a camera and microphone built in. Or you may purchase a small webcam with microphone and connect it to the computer. You may purchase a webcam from many electronic stores. If you allow a few weeks for delivery, you can purchase an inexpensive webcam for less than $10 from dx.com. Inexpensive cameras sometimes work best because there are fewer adjustments to make – just plug it in, and it will work, if you have a recent version of Windows. A small number of pixels is often better because it takes less bandwidth.
b. There are various ways to activate a video connection, including the free programs Zoom and Skype. We can work with either of these – just let us know if you have one of them, and if you don’t, we can help you set one up.
c. We need a color copy of a government-issued photo ID, such as a drivers license or passport. (Most students have already submitted that with their application for admission.) With a scanner or a digital camera, copy the ID and send it to registrar@gcs.edu. Or you may mail a color photocopy to us.
d. Test the video connection to make sure it is working properly. Do this in advance, so that any problems may be resolved before the actual exam begins.
e. For the exam, you will make the video connection before you begin the test. The proctor will communicate with you to confirm that the connection is working. Then begin the test. You will keep your webcam and microphone on, but the proctor will turn the camera and microphone off. You will no longer be able to see the proctor, but the proctor will still be able to see and hear you. (The proctor may have other work to do at the same time, and we don’t want you to be distracted by what we are doing.) We may record the video transmission to watch at a later time, if necessary. This recording will not be used for anything other than academic verification.
f. When the exam is over, just talk to the proctor, and hopefully the proctor will be there to turn the camera and microphone back on and confirm with you that the process has been successful. If the proctor has stepped away from the desk and does not respond, just end the connection, and send us a message saying that you are done.
g. You should alert other people in your home that you are taking a video-proctored exam. This means that they should not interrupt you, and be aware that they are not in visual or verbal privacy.
2. Proctoring with a third party
a. If students do not wish to be proctored by video, they should inform us that they want to be proctored by a third party. Each student must select a proctor well in advance and verify that the person is willing and able to proctor the exam during the approximate time period in which the exam must be taken.
b. The proctor may be a librarian, a professional educator (a teacher or administrator from primary, secondary or tertiary schools), or an ordained person.
1. The person cannot be related to the student by marriage or by birth. Second cousins and more distant relationships are permitted, as long as the person meets the other qualifications.
2. The proctor cannot be under the supervision of the student in any capacity, either on the job or in the church. (However, the proctor may be a supervisor over the student.) Lead pastors cannot be proctored by anyone in their congregations.
c. One more factor involved in selecting a proctor: The proctor does not have to watch every minute of the test, but should be able to see the computer monitor at all times, and can testify that the student did not access unauthorized materials while taking the exam. (This does not apply if the exam is open-book.)
d. Once the student has identified a possible proctor, the student should send us the proctor’s name, qualification (e.g., teacher or pastor), email address and phone number. The proctor must have an employer-issued email address; accounts at Gmail and Verizon, for example, are not verifiable and therefore not acceptable. We must be able to visit the website that corresponds to the email address of the proctor to verify the identity and validity of the proctor.
e. GCS will then contact the proctor to verify that the person meets the qualifications, and is willing to proctor the exam during the time period that the exam should be completed.
f. GCS will then notify the student whether the proctoring arrangement is acceptable, and if so, will leave it up to the student to set up a more specific time for the exam. This will most likely be done about a week before the exam. The student must then send the Registrar, the instructor and the proctor an email confirming the appointed time, location, and whether you will use your own computer, or one belonging to the proctor.
g. GCS will send further instructions to the proctor.
h. The student will take the exam at the appointed time. Our website records the time and the computer’s IP address.
i. All programs should be closed except for the internet browser and a word-processing program, with only a blank document being open. (Turn off email notifiers, instant messaging, etc.) Unless the exam instructions allow the student to use other websites, only one window or tab should be open on the browser – the GCS website on which the exam is being taken.
j. Some proctors charge a fee; that is the student’s responsibility.
k. Even if the proctor knows you personally, you must show a government-issued photo ID, and the proctor must sign a statement that the ID has been shown.