Take College Tests at Home

Want to go back to college but are too short on time to attend class regularly? Schools like the University of West Alabama are toying with a new technology that allows students to circumvent this issue.

The product that is allowing for this new development was created by a U.S. firm, Software Secure. Securexam, as the software is known, can transform any personal or lab computer into a test-taking terminal - without the need for Internet access during exams. It does this by locking down any web-based platforms and allowing students to connect to the Internet through a modified version of Internet Explorer. An accompanying software, Software Secure Classmate, allows faculty to monitor student computer screens while they take the exams to ensure they are focused on the task at hand and not checking their Facebook (News - Alert) account… or cheating.

Cheating seems to pose the most obvious threat to this kind of technology adaption. But there is a system of checks and balances incorporated in Securexam's functionality, designed to help prevent cheating. The Remote Proctor feature confirms the identity of test takers, monitors the exam environment and prevents unauthorized access to electronic resources during the exam.

School faculty members seem assured of Securexam's abilities 'We have conducted a thorough study of the industry for a solution that will authenticate student identity, ensure that cheating does not occur during exams, and allow the ease of use our students and staff demand,' said David M. Taylor, University of West Alabama provost.

Surprisingly, despite the ease in which Securexam allows students to take tests remotely, there may be some hesitance from the student body. According to a study published by The Journal of Online Learning and Testing, a survey was conducted in which students were asked whether or not they had taken an online test - or would consider doing so. Four students had taken online tests, and nine were considering it. Of the overall sampling, about fifty percent supported online testing, while 22 percent were not supportive and 30 percent expressed no opinion.

The point of Securexam is to make test-taking convenient, so why is there even any resistance from the schoolyard? According to a source quoted in the journal, 'The successful adoption of a new technology is frequently determined by two primary factors: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use (Davis, 1989).'

A mere lack of experience with the software may be intimidating students from using it.

And while students may be hesitant to move away from the time-honored college model, cost concerns could prove a major motivator. The College-Board's College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) has been available at nearly 3,000 colleges across North America. It costs a flat fee of $72 to take one exam -- an appealing option when compared to the thousands it can cost for a standard semester-long course. There's no additional cost for these online exams and colleges often give full credit for a passing grade.

Students interested in taking the CLEP report to their school's testing centers on a specific date and time slot. As they filter in to the centers, their two forms of personal ID are checked at the door. The internet is locked down so that students can't do anything but take the test. The exams are timed (usually lasting an hour and a half) and the testing centers will usually print out the results for the students upon completion. A survey given at the end of every CLEP exam helps gather feedback about the online test-taking experience.

The CLEP functions very similarly to Securexam and it is a sign of the times that both options are being adapted with regularity into the American educational environment.
Erin Monda is a TMCnet Contributing Editor. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Michael Dinan