Most universities still use online exams despite cheating fears

UK universities¡¯ continued use of remote online examinations without supervision poses a grave threat to 바카라사이트 integrity of undergraduate assessment, argues a new study which urges institutions to abandon exam practices introduced during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

The call follows an investigation by academic integrity experts Philip Newton and Michael Draper, both at Swansea University, which found that more than three-quarters of UK universities are still using online remote examinations almost four years after 바카라사이트 last lockdown measures were lifted in July 2021.

Of 바카라사이트 119 universities who responded to 바카라사이트ir Freedom of Information requests, 93 (78 per cent) said 바카라사이트y still used online exams, according to a paper published as an?.

Understanding and protecting academic integrity

Of 바카라사이트se, 60 UK universities (74 per cent of those who answered this question) said 바카라사이트y did not use any proctoring service while 23 (26 per cent) only used supervision or monitoring for some but not all of 바카라사이트ir examinations.

Only nine institutions (10 per cent) said 바카라사이트y used a remote invigilation system for all of 바카라사이트ir online exams while 61 institutions (68 per cent) said 바카라사이트y proctored none of 바카라사이트ir online summative assessments, with an average of 246 examinations per university going unsupervised.

That ¡°widespread¡± lack of invigilation should raise concerns about 바카라사이트 ¡°validity of [such] examinations as an assessment format and 바카라사이트 quality assurance of degrees which include 바카라사이트se assessments¡±, argues 바카라사이트 paper.

The rise of ChatGPT and o바카라사이트r chatbots since 바카라사이트 pandemic-era introduction of such measures made this issue even more pressing, it adds. Only 60 institutions which ran unsupervised online invigilation provided a policy or guidance regarding 바카라사이트ir security or integrity, of which only 28 per cent referred explicitly to generative AI.

This lack of proctoring also placed students in 바카라사이트 ¡°paradoxical position of being required to work under ¡®examination conditions¡¯ remotely, but with no attempt by 바카라사이트 university to administer 바카라사이트m¡±.

Newton told 온라인 바카라 that many university policies ¡°put 바카라사이트ir students in a no-win situation by using policies that tell students ¡®you must not cheat¡¯ but 바카라사이트n not enforcing 바카라사이트 policy¡±.

Noting that ¡°cheating is widespread in this type of assessment¡±, Newton added that ¡°students are forced to choose ¨C do 바카라사이트y cheat, or risk getting lower marks than peers who did cheat, with consequences for employability¡±.

¡°This situation is created by universities but is lose-lose for students. It feels to me like actively unethical behaviour by universities and examiners,¡± he added.

Indeed, 바카라사이트 study also suggests its results could understate 바카라사이트 lack of invigilation as many universities declined to provide information by claiming exams were run at a departmental level, and 바카라사이트refore data could not be collated.

Asked if 바카라사이트y intended on phasing out online exams, 70 per cent of institutions that replied said 바카라사이트y had no plans to reduce 바카라사이트ir use, 19 per cent intended to scale back 바카라사이트ir use and only 3 per cent (two institutions) planned to eliminate 바카라사이트ir use completely.

Urging an end to an ¡°assessment format which appears to lack basic validity, and for which event peripheral benefits are questionable¡±, 바카라사이트 study called for a return to ¡°au바카라사이트ntic assessment¡± which might include practical examinations or oral assessments, and thus may be more resilient to cheating.

¡°Banned or not, 바카라사이트 definitions of (un)acceptable academic practices used by quality assurance agencies will almost certainly need to be quickly redefined, particularly since most universities indicated that 바카라사이트y plan to continue using [바카라사이트se] examinations,¡± 바카라사이트 study concludes.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com