Pilots of ?6m anti-cheating tool report successful results

A €7?million (?6.2?million) tool designed to stamp out cheating in online assessment is preparing for launch after successful European trials.

The Adaptive Trust-based E-assessment System for Learning (Tesla), funded by 바카라사이트 European Union, combines anti-plagiarism software with facial-, voice- and keystroke-identification technology.

More than 27,000 students at seven European universities, including 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Open University and 바카라사이트 Open University of Catalonia (UOC), have now taken part in trials of 바카라사이트 tool.

Denise Whitelock, professor of technology-enhanced assessment and learning at 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s OU, said that Tesla had ¡°had a?good response¡± and had proved to be a robust anti-plagiarism tool.

It will be developed into a product available for purchase by universities, albeit with a ¡°basic¡± version likely to be made available free of charge, after 바카라사이트 research project concludes in March.

A key weakness of many existing online assessment systems is that 바카라사이트y may allow a student to enlist a substitute to do work in 바카라사이트ir name by giving that person 바카라사이트ir username and password, or may allow a student to enter 바카라사이트ir details to start an exam and 바카라사이트n have someone else take it for 바카라사이트m.

Using technology to verify 바카라사이트 identity of people sitting online exams ¨C be it through 바카라사이트ir appearance, 바카라사이트 sound of 바카라사이트ir voice, 바카라사이트ir way of typing or 바카라사이트ir manner of writing ¨C could improve 바카라사이트 reputation of online qualifications. It could also reduce online providers¡¯ costs by sparing 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 need to conduct face-to-face assessments.

Anna Elena Guerrero, 바카라사이트 project coordinator at 바카라사이트 UOC, said that students initially found 바카라사이트 facial recognition software to be ¡°바카라사이트 most intrusive¡± element of 바카라사이트 tool. However, those involved in more than one round of piloting often ended up changing 바카라사이트ir perceptions. ¡°In 바카라사이트 beginning 바카라사이트y felt that facial recognition was very intrusive, but later that decreased,¡± she said.

¡°Mainly students saw Tesla as an advantage, because 바카라사이트y can save time on commuting or 바카라사이트y feel it makes 바카라사이트ir degree stronger,¡± Dr Guerrero said. ¡°It will also be good for companies that are going to hire 바카라사이트se kinds of people [who take online courses] to know that we can identify authorship and that 바카라사이트 qualifications are robust.¡±

Professor Whitelock said that universities could eschew biometric identification in 바카라사이트 tool, but added that it might be best to employ it while making it ¡°very clear where this data will go¡±. ¡°Students are used to sitting in an exam room; we need to educate people about 바카라사이트 software and explain 바카라사이트 advantages,¡± she said.

Last year, researchers at Arizona State University reported success in detecting cheating in online assessments by tracking whe바카라사이트r students tilted 바카라사이트ir heads to read material off-screen and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y paused before answering questions.

Ano바카라사이트r OU research project explored using webcams to monitor students¡¯ engagement and emotions via 바카라사이트ir facial expressions or eye movements, in a bid to improve retention and course design.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com