Honorlock Elevates the Experience for Students, Faculty & Staff Protecting the Integrity of All ASU-Beebe Online Programs

Challenge

Growing online programs necessitated reliable, accessible proctoring that didn’t drain ASU-Beebe resources.

Solution

ASU-Beebe selected an Honorlock full institution license for live proctoring enhanced by AI to eliminate its previous proctoring challenges.

Results

Honorlock improved accessibility, eliminated friction, and strengthened integrity for all online courses.

ASU-Beebe At-A-Glance:

  • Arkansas State University - Beebe: A two-year, comprehensive community college serving Central Arkansas
  • Campus locations: Beebe, Heber Springs, Searcy, and Little Rock Air Force Base as well as Online and Lonoke Business Academy
  • Serving nearly 4,000 students annually, including both college and high school students
  • Established in 1927, ASU-Beebe is the oldest community college in the state of Arkansas
  • 120+ transfer agreements that guarantee a seamless “2+2” major transfer to a 4-year colleges and universities
  • 2nd largest college in the Arkansas State University System
  • Nearly a century of transforming lives and building futures across Arkansas

Challenge: Growing Online Programs Necessitated Reliable, Accessible Proctoring That Didn’t Drain Resources

With more than half of its courses delivered online and a growing enrollment of fully online students, Arkansas State University-Beebe required a reliable and efficacious proctoring solution. Students needed a solution that would work with low bandwidth as they struggled to initiate and sustain access to proctored exams due to bandwidth limitations. Additionally, because many students relied on Chromebooks due to affordability and access, Chromebook compatibility was essential. Finally, the distance education team was stretched thin, spending an overabundance of their time supporting students and faculty in facilitating secure assessment.

Solution: Honorlock Live Proctoring, Enhanced by AI, Full FTE License

To overcome these serious challenges, Stephanie Ungerank, Director of Distance Education, searched for a different solution. She recalled, “When I asked my friends at other colleges, Honorlock kept coming up.” To ensure their growing online student population could successfully access and complete proctored exams using Chromebooks and relying on low bandwidth and to reduce the massive support burden on the distance education team, ASU-Beebe chose Honorlock.

Results: Improved Accessibility, Eliminated Friction, and Strengthened Exam Integrity

Honorlock Passed With Flying Colors

The ASU-Beebe Distance Education team put Honorlock to the test. Ungerank shared, 

“Honorlock offered a pilot to prove it would work exactly as promised, and it did. I wasn’t expecting that to happen as we didn’t think there would be a solution that could address all of our needs.”

ASU-Beebe intentionally included several math and science instructors who like to proctor nearly every exam, not just midterms and finals. According to Ungerank, they also included faculty who “didn’t like proctoring at all and who weren’t on board” to be part of the pilot.

“100% of pilot participants recommended that we move forward with Honorlock. I was shocked. We tried to break the system. We tried things that normally didn’t work well with students due to internet bandwidth and we had zero issues,” 

recalled Ungerank. 

Beyond the pilot, she was thrilled with the decision to move to Honorlock. After years of what she described as an “around-the-clock challenge,” directly troubleshooting and supporting students with bandwidth issues, she was finally relieved.

So dramatically different, the incredible experience Honorlock provided was hard to believe. She added, 

“I actually wondered, how can Honorlock be this perfect after struggling through years of challenges?”

“Between January and May, we proctored almost 7,000 exam sessions. We had no issues, none. We never had a student reach out because they couldn’t get in or it dropped them.”

Stephanie Ungerank
Director of Distance Education
Arkansas State University-Beebe

A Huge Bonus They Never Saw Coming

After the full implementation of the new solution, the immediate relief Honorlock provided was a pleasant surprise for Ungerank and her team. Her team had become accustomed to working around the clock, especially during final exams. Said Ungerank,

“This final exam period was the first time we did not have to work nights and weekends. We went from troubleshooting hundreds of issues to none with Honorlock. We are thrilled to partner with Honorlock. This was the best decision we could have made.”

Ungerank elaborated, 

“Before Honorlock, a lot of work went on behind the scenes to try to make proctoring work for our students. It was just part of what we had to do to drive student success.”

The distance education team chose a solution with which they could empower faculty to configure proctoring themselves, including managing student accommodation needs on a one-by-one basis. Ungerank contrasted her new experience,

“With Honorlock, we don’t have to set up one-off proctoring to meet accommodation needs. We simply include any accommodations within the proctoring settings.” 

The level of effort, time, and resources the distance education team had to devote to proctoring was simply not feasible with a growing student population. This all changed with Honorlock. 

What is the most significant impact of the dramatic change in experience due to Honorlock? The unexpected gift of getting back one full-time employee! Ungerank explained,

“With Honorlock, we’re paying for a service that just works. We’re getting a full-time position on the distance education team back. Now that she doesn’t have to spend 100% of her time making proctoring work, she can focus on value-added work for our students. There’s so much more we can do.” 

“With Honorlock, our instructors can set up proctoring themselves with minimal training. It’s easy. It’s pretty self-explanatory and it only takes a couple of minutes to set up an exam. Instructors like the freedom, autonomy, and ease of use. We don’t have to be involved. It’s a huge win for us.” 

Stephanie Ungerank
Director of Distance Education
Arkansas State University-Beebe

Responsive, Reliable, and Consistent Support

Honorlock’s support exceeded the expectations of the distance education team, faculty, and students. From the start, ASU-Beebe noticed a big difference. Ungerank described their onboarding experience, 

“Honorlock took the time to make things right and get us started on the right foot. It went a long way for our faculty.” 

Honorlock provides a dedicated and responsive Customer Success Manager, as a reliable single point of contact, which changed the game for the distance education team. When ASU-Beebe encountered a bump in the road with Canvas new quizzes, Honorlock stepped up in a big way troubleshooting directly within their Canvas instance, and resolved the issue within a week. Ungerank recounted, 

”I was floored by the responsiveness of the Honorlock team. They went above and beyond. It was totally unexpected.” 

Finally, Honorlock’s unmatched support provides peace of mind and newfound confidence for faculty and the distance education team alike. Ungerank shared, 

“Our faculty truly cares about their students and their success. Now they are confident Honorlock will take care of their students when issues arise. They know their students will be successful, able to do it, and not have a panic attack when they are running low on time because Honorlock is just working. That’s been a really big thing for faculty.“ 

Elevated Academic Integrity

Not only has their proctoring experience been improved for all stakeholders, but efficacy has also improved. Ungerank added,

“Faculty are actually catching students cheating. That’s not what we are after, but the solution works.” 

Now ASU-Beebe is having productive conversations with students regarding flagged behaviors during exams. They know when a student uses a secondary device or attempts to use a prohibited plugin or tool. Even students have reported the difference in these conversations. Often responding,

“I just didn’t expect you to catch it.” 

Thanks to Honorlock, ASU-Beebe now has proof of what prohibited behaviors students are attempting during exams and how their proctoring solution protects their exams’ integrity. For example, in the spring of 2024, the number one violation for ASU-Beebe students was using a secondary device.

They also learned that Honorlock prevented students from:

  • Navigating away from the exam in 817 exam sessions 
  • Copying and pasting exam content in 1,580 exam sessions
  • Using 729 different browser extensions in 394 exam sessions (including the #1 attempted extension for ASU-Beebe, Grammarly)

Actionable Insights Tell Their Story

Finally, being able to “tell their story” is the icing on the cake. The distance education team has long argued that ASU-Beebe has truly ‘online students.’ They don’t all live in Arkansas and they can’t all come to campus. In addition to serving a large military population with a nearby base and frequent deployments, Ungerank is proud to serve online students of all types who,

“… are truly pursuing an online degree because, without that option, they couldn’t.” 

Many ASU-Beebe students are juggling children, activities, and full-time employment but still taking online classes and being successful. They’ve proctored exams for deployed military in an armored car in the field. Ungeranks gushed,

“The Honorlock Analytics Hub™ has helped us tell our story. It truly tells the story of where our students are and what their needs are.”

For the first time, Ungerank and her team can leverage real data—from usage to efficacy—to inform proctoring best practices, improve processes, and ultimately boost student success. ASU-Beebe’s Vice Chancellor for Academics, Dr. Jason Goodner, shared,

“Students who earn their education at a distance at ASU-Beebe experience seamless transitions with our LMS and the software packages our faculty use to deliver course content. Honorlock is no exception. We view Honorlock as a partner in meeting our student success goals.”

Looking back, Ungerank has no regrets. She concluded, 

“Partnering with Honorlock was the best proctoring decision for student success.” 

Want to see how Honorlock works?
Reach out to our team to schedule a demo.

UC Davis Selects Honorlock to Improve Its Online Testing Experience

The University of California Davis affirms Honorlock’s online proctoring service is the best solution for its faculty and students.

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Oct. 22, 2024) – Honorlock, a cloud-based proctoring solution that is transforming how education institutions protect the academic integrity of assessments, has been awarded a contract by the University of California Davis, a top 25 ranked tier one public research university serving nearly 40,000 students in California.

UC Davis has grown its virtual course offerings, or V Courses, this past year, supporting several key initiatives around equity and student success. These fully online courses are available to students at UC Davis and at any of nine campuses across the state of California. 

In early 2024, UC Davis began searching for a new proctoring solution to meet their stringent data security and privacy requirements for their online course program. “We have a very thorough and rigorous process to vet potential partners and Honorlock met every requirement, provided every necessary document, and answered all of our questions in a timely manner,” said Steve Faith Educational Technology Service Manager, UC Davis.  

In addition to meeting data security and privacy requirements, UC Davis selected Honorlock because it frees their students and instructors from the burden of scheduled exams.  Instructors like that they can provide a two-hour window for an exam instead of working through multiple windows to ensure proctors are appropriately staffed.  Students appreciate the freedom from scheduling, missing, and rescheduling exam appointments. Additionally, the Canvas integration is seamless, it’s easy to use, and configuring proctored exams is simple.

“It has gone exceedingly well,” Faith reflected.  “The transition for our faculty was like butter, and many of them reported that it was so uncomplicated and easy to use and administer compared to our previous proctoring solutions.  The folks at Honorlock have been really great on the support side, and have eagerly and quickly addressed all of our implementation questions as well as eagerly providing training for our faculty. It has been a great experience and Honorlock is a model vendor. They provide personalized attention.”

“Our team was delighted to work closely with the UC Davis teams and show them how Honorlock was the right fit to not only meet their data security and privacy requirements but also scalable as their online offerings grow,” said Michael Hemlepp, CEO of Honorlock. “Our approach to online proctoring is to do what’s good for the institution and good for the learner.”

About Honorlock

Honorlock protects exam integrity for higher education institutions and professional credentialing organizations by combining human proctors with AI to deliver scalable, on-demand proctoring. Honorlock delivers secure assessments while supporting test takers and empowering them with the flexibility and convenience of taking their online proctored exams without scheduling whenever they feel ready.

Media Contacts

Heidi Murphy
PR for Honorlock
Heidi.Murphy@PadillaCo.com

Honorlock Helps Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice Renew ANAB Accreditation of Certification Program

Honorlock selected to deliver ANAB accredited national certification exam 

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Sept. 24, 2024) – Remote proctoring company Honorlock played a key role in helping the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP) renew its ongoing accreditation with the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) for its Certified Lactation Counselor® (CLC®) program under the ISO/IEC 17024 standard.

ALPP is a non-profit organization that offers professional certifications in breastfeeding and human lactation for nurses, physicians, dietitians, WIC personnel, peer counselors, independent lactation counselors and others. Individuals who earn their CLC certification are recognized as professional lactation support providers. This designation helps families looking for professional resources easily identify individuals with advanced training. More than 3,500 individuals take the CLC® examination every year.

In 2024, ALPP set out to renew its ongoing accreditation with ANAB for its CLC program, which ALPP has maintained since 2013. As part of accreditation, companies must prove that exams conform to professional standards and demonstrate validity. Delivering the CLC examination through Honorlock helped ALPP ensure test validity, reduce test interference and meet the standards set by the accreditation board. Accreditation, which is voluntary, indicates an exemplary level of credibility, integrity and trust.

“The dedicated and accessible Honorlock team listened to our needs and translated them into specific product requirements. They delivered features such as “Pro Mode” that exactly met our unique requirements to satisfy ANAB’s ISO/IEC 17024 standard,” said Ellie Mulpeter, Director, ALPP. “We appreciate the true partnership we have with Honorlock.”

“ALPP is the first ANAB-accredited certification provider to deliver its exams through Honorlock. This gives professionals looking to become certified a highly accessible channel through which they can take their proctored exam at any time, online, with no scheduling required and 24/7/365 support,” said Michael Hemlepp, CEO of Honorlock. “We’re proud to have played an important part in the re-accreditation of this program.”

About Honorlock

Honorlock protects exam integrity for academic institutions and professional credentialing organizations using a combination of its live exam proctors and automated proctoring platform to deliver scalable, on-demand proctoring.

With Honorlock, organizations can deliver secured exams from anywhere while empowering test takers to do their best work with the flexibility of taking their proctored exams without scheduling.

For more information visit www.honorlock.com.

Media Contacts

Heidi Murphy
PR for Honorlock
Heidi.Murphy@PadillaCo.com

Honorlock & Docebo Elevate Customer Education Programs & Protect Exam Integrity Through On-Platform Proctoring

Docebo clients and Docebo University to both leverage Honorlock remote proctoring to safeguard training and assessment programs

BOCA RATON, Fla. (Sep 11, 2024) – Honorlock has announced the integration of its remote proctoring software and service with Docebo, a leading provider of learning platforms with a foundation in artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation. Through the relationship, Docebo will leverage on-platform proctoring to elevate the testing and assessment experience for education and certification programs used to train enterprise workforce teams, customers, and related external communities. 

“Scalable, personalized learning is a highly effective way to support engagement, whether a company is educating customers on how to use products, delivering employee onboarding training or educating members for advanced certifications,” said Michael Hemlepp, CEO, Honorlock. “In each case, protecting the integrity of the learning experience is key – especially for certification and compliance training. Honorlock now allows Docebo clients to add proctoring to any test delivered on the Docebo learning platform, reducing the risk of test interference.” 

The integration will be used first by an existing mutual customer, a Big 5 U.S.-based global technology leader, and will soon be available to all Docebo clients. 

Additionally, Docebo will leverage Honorlock for its own Docebo University. As a customer experience education hub, Docebo University offers training and education to Docebo users on how to effectively build, launch, and grow customer education programs delivered on the platform. 

Travis Burke, EVP Corporate Development & Partnerships at Docebo, commented, “Our clients rely on us to make learning simpler and more effective. Today, we’re extending that by allowing our clients to add remote proctoring to exams seamlessly. Many of our clients have highly complex and proprietary education programs. By adding proctoring, we ensure that these programs are not compromised and that test takers all experience a fair and equitable learning landscape.” 

Through the integration, the entire remote proctoring experience occurs natively inside the Docebo platform. Honorlock’s proprietary in-browser technology leverages live human proctors paired with AI to monitor test-taker behavior. If Honorlock detects unauthorized behavior, a live proctor can intervene in real-time to assist the test taker and ensure the integrity of the exam.

About Docebo

Docebo (NASDAQ:DCBO; TSX:DCBO) is redefining the way enterprises leverage technology to create and manage content, deliver training, and measure the business impact of their learning programs. With Docebo’s end-to-end learning platform, organizations worldwide are equipped to deliver scaled, personalized learning across all their audiences and use cases, driving growth and powering their business.

About Honorlock

Honorlock protects exam integrity and improves the assessment experience for higher education institutions and professional credentialing organizations by combining live proctors with AI to deliver secure, scalable, on-demand proctoring. Honorlock delivers secure proctored assessments while supporting test takers and empowering them with the flexibility and convenience of taking their online exams without scheduling whenever they feel ready.

Get more resources for higher education, professional education, and online proctoring

Media Contacts
Heidi Murphy
PR for Honorlock
Heidi.Murphy@PadillaCo.com

Mike McCarthy
Docebo Vice President – Investor Relations
(214) 830-0641
mike.mccarthy@docebo.com

How to Talk to Students Suspected of Cheating

Make difficult conversations more productive and meaningful

Cheating happens.

It happens at all levels of education. From the anxiety-inducing timed multiplication test in 3rd grade to high-stakes final exams in college.

It happens more often during online exams. A survey1 found that students are about 50% more likely to cheat in online courses than in live classes.

It happens for many reasons. Sometimes students cheat because they want good grades or just because there’s little risk of getting caught. But it also ties back to factors like their perceptions of faculty and confusion about what counts as cheating and what’s just unethical behavior.

It happens in different ways. Whether it’s sneaking a quick Google search on their cell phones, whispering questions to Siri and Alexa, or having entire essays written by AI chatbots, technology makes cheating quick and easy.

At all levels of education.

From anxiety-inducing timed multiplication tests in 3rd grade to high-stakes final exams in college.

More often during online exams.

A survey1 found that students are about 50% more likely to cheat in online courses than in live classes.

For many reasons.

Sometimes students cheat because they want good grades or just because there’s little risk of getting caught. But it also ties back to factors like their perceptions of faculty and confusion about what counts as cheating and what’s just unethical behavior.

In different ways.

Whether it’s sneaking a quick Google search on their cell phones, whispering questions to Siri and Alexa, or having entire essays written by AI chatbots, technology makes cheating quick and easy.

Click below to skip ahead

How to prepare for the convo
Practical conversation strategies
Extra resources

Find what you need

Talking to students about cheating is difficult but necessary

No instructor looks forward to talking to a student about cheating (we really hope not). And while these are the last conversations you want to have with your students (and they feel the same), they’re necessary—no matter who, what, when, where, why, or how cheating happens.

But to make these conversations effective, you need to approach them thoughtfully. Talking to a student about cheating requires careful planning, consistency, emotional intelligence, solid evidence from the online proctoring software, and a deep understanding of disabilities and accommodations, which are often overlooked.

The ripple effect of addressing academic dishonesty

Responding to cheating the right way helps build a culture of academic integrity among your students.

“Instructors at our partner institutions have told us that addressing suspected cheating has an impact beyond each individual case,” said Jordan Adair, VP of Product at Honorlock. “Providing consistent feedback to students on their proctored exam results helps reduce future incidents and sends a clear message to students and their peers that academic integrity is valued at their institution.”

So, what's next?

  • How do you start the conversation?
  • What should you say, and what should you avoid saying?
  • What evidence do you need to prove they cheated during the proctored exam?
  • What if their story is believable, but you still have concerns about academic dishonesty?
  • Have you considered how disabilities may play a role?
  • Are your test rules as objective as they should be?
  • How do you start the conversation?
  • What should you say, and what should you avoid saying?
  • What evidence do you need to prove they cheated during the proctored exam?
  • What if their story is believable, but you still have concerns about academic dishonesty?
  • Have you considered how disabilities may play a role?
  • Are your test rules as objective as they should be?

This article provides strategies for preparing for a conversation with a student about cheating, practical approaches for discussing it effectively, and templates for what to say in different situations.

Preparing to talk to a student about cheating

Review the institution’s academic integrity policy

Even if you’re familiar with your institution’s academic integrity policy, it’s important to review it again, as the policies and procedures related to acts of academic misconduct may have changed since you last checked.

Determine the purpose of the conversation

What do you want out of this conversation? Be more specific than just “to discuss cheating.” Establishing a clear goal helps guide the conversation and your preparation for it.

Do you want to…

  • Inform the student that the exam proctoring software flagged certain behaviors and discuss how to avoid them next time?
  • Determine if the student needs additional support and resources?
  • Hear their side of the story before deciding how to proceed?
  • Discuss the next steps in the academic misconduct investigation process and potential consequences?

Notify the student via email

Send the student an email notifying them that you need to meet with them because of concerns about potential academic misconduct.

Instructor note: If multiple students are involved in the same instance of misconduct, email each student individually and do not mention the other students’ names. This protects student privacy and addresses each situation individually.

Templated email to request a meeting with the student

Subject line: Meeting Request: Important Discussion Regarding [Course Name]

Dear [Student First & Last Name],

I am writing to inform you of my concerns regarding your recent submission for the [exam/assignment name] in [course name] this semester (Semester 20__). 

During the [exam/assignment], the proctoring software flagged behavior that appeared inconsistent with the provided rules and academic integrity policies at [Institution Name].

To ensure a fair process, I would like to meet with you to discuss the software’s findings, hear your perspective, and clarify any questions before taking further steps.

I am available [virtually or in my office] on [list dates and times]. Please reply with a date and time by [date and time].

I’ve included [links/attachments] to [Institution Name]’s Academic Integrity Policy and the course syllabus:

  • [Institution Name] Academic Integrity Policy [link and/or attach document]
  • [Course Name & Number] Syllabus: [link and/or attach document]

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

EMAIL TIPS

Example from email: “… the proctoring software flagged behavior that appeared inconsistent…”

Example from email: I would like to meet with you to discuss the software’s findings, hear your perspective, and clarify any questions before taking further steps.

Example from the email: I am available [virtually or in my office] on [list dates and times]. Please reply with a date and time by [date and time].

Example from the email: I’ve included [links/attachments] to [Institution Name]’s Academic Integrity Policy and the course syllabus:

  • [Institution Name] Academic Integrity Policy [link and/or attach document]
  • [Course Name & Number] Syllabus: [link and/or attach document]

Templated email for other conversation purposes

Use this to inform the class of commonly flagged behavior:

The proctoring software flagged several behaviors among quite a few students during the last exam. I wanted to share these issues with you all and offer some tips on how to avoid them in the future. Please take a look before your next exam. [Add a bulleted list after this of the behaviors with specific tips to avoid them]

Use this text at the beginning of the email if the purpose of the conversation is to determine if the student needs additional support and resources:

“To provide a fair process and identify any support you might need, I’d like to discuss the software’s findings and hear your perspective.  I can also help address your questions about future exams and academic integrity policies.“
Use this text at the beginning of the email if the purpose of the conversation is to discuss the next steps in the academic misconduct investigation process:
I want to meet with you to discuss the findings, the next steps in the academic misconduct investigation process, and potential consequences, as well as to clarify any questions you may have.

Review your test rules and instructions

Writing clear test rules and instructions that leave no room for subjectivity is tough. While they seem straightforward, any ambiguity can complicate discussions with students.

Two example test rules that aren’t as objective as they seem:

1. Do not use any AI chatbots to write any portions of your essay.

This rule work because it includes “any” chatbots writing “any” portions of their essay, but students might think:

  • I can’t use AI chatbots to write my essay, but I can use them to edit it.
  • I can use Grammarly to rewrite and improve my essay because it’s an AI writing assistant, not an AI chatbot.
Improved version of example #1

Do not use any artificial intelligence (AI), including chatbots, voice assistants, writing assistants, or editing software, to write, edit, or improve any part of your essay. All essay content must be your original work, created entirely by you, without assistance from any external electronic technologies.

2. Do not use a cell phone, tablet, or other computers during the proctored exam.

Seems pretty clear, right? Well, students might think:

  • I can’t use my phone, tablet, or another computer, but it doesn’t say I can’t use my smartwatch.
Improved version of example #2
During the proctored exam, only authorized resources and exam materials are permitted on your desk or workspace in the testing area. Unauthorized electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, calculators, or other electronic equipment, are not allowed.

With those examples in mind, play devil’s advocate as you review. This helps prepare for the conversation and refine your test rules. If updates are needed, inform students via email and LMS tools like messages, forum posts, and announcements.

Instructor Tip

You can use an unscored question at the beginning of the next test to confirm their acknowledgment of any updates to test rules and instructions.

Consider disabilities when reviewing evidence from the proctoring software

If the evidence (exam reports and video recordings from the remote proctoring software) shows suspicious behavior, it’s natural to assume it’s cheating. However, this “suspicious” behavior could be related to disabilities and accessibility needs.

For example, a student might be repetitively looking off-screen during the exam.

At face value, this behavior seems suspicious—like they might be looking at notes or receiving help from someone off-camera.

But what if the student has a condition, such as Tourette Syndrome (TS) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), that causes involuntary head movements?

Another thing to consider is that many college students don’t disclose disabilities to their instructors2, often due to unawareness3 and stigma4:

  • Unawareness: many students don’t know they need accommodations, aren’t aware accommodations are available, and/or don’t know how to find help at their institution.
  • Stigma: fear of judgment and being treated differently by peers and instructors prevents students from disclosing disabilities; some are even ashamed to seek accommodations.

If the evidence (exam reports and video recordings) from the proctoring software shows suspicious behavior, it’s natural to assume it’s cheating. However, this “suspicious” behavior could be related to disabilities and accessibility needs.

“Understanding ADA guidelines and different accommodations that students need is invaluable in education and academic integrity,” said Dr. Lee Conerly, Director of Academic Instruction at Coastal Alabama Community College, “Students’ behaviors during exams may look like cheating, even when they absolutely are not cheating.”

Dr. Conerly gave an example of how the behaviors of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), like repetitive head twitching and fidgeting, can be mistaken for cheating, “I watched the exam recording, and the student was repeatedly looking off to the right, which makes it easy to assume they were looking at something or someone for answers. But I recognized signs of ADHD in their behavior. So, instead of jumping to conclusions, our conversations with the student focused on the human elements to learn more about them and their accommodation needs.”

However, the student didn’t disclose this information to the instructor before this conversation, which is common among college students2, mainly due to unawareness3 or stigma4.

  • Unawareness: many students don’t know they need accommodations, aren’t aware accommodations are available, and/or don’t know how to find help at their institution.
  • Stigma: fear of judgment and being treated differently by peers and instructors prevents students from disclosing disabilities; some are even ashamed to seek accommodations.

Tips for instructors to increase awareness and reduce stigma related to accommodations:

Tips for instructors to increase awareness and reduce stigma related to accommodations:

1. Talk about accommodations often

Engage in open conversations with students to increase awareness and understanding of disabilities and accommodations. Discuss accommodations before each assessment and encourage the use of campus support services. Share anonymous examples (to protect students’ privacy) of students who have successfully used accommodations in your courses.

Be very clear: accommodations are support, not special treatment.

2. Make it easy to find support

Provide links to campus support services in various areas of your online course, such as Announcements, Discussions, Chat, and syllabus.

3. Use anonymous surveys

Ask students to complete an anonymous survey in your LMS or through a tool like SurveyMonkey. This helps identify common challenges without revealing specific student needs.

For example, if several students report mobility disabilities that impair typing, you could allow talk-to-text dictation options for tests and other assignments.

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How to talk to a student about cheating

There’s no way around it: talking to a student about suspected cheating is inherently awkward, challenging, and even emotionally draining for both of you.

While we provide practical strategies and scripts for various situations, it’s important to recognize that each case is unique and rarely straightforward. However, being direct and sticking to the facts—firm and factual—keeps emotions in check and the discussion focused.

Focus on the objective information

Remember that the conversation is to address the situation, not to confront the student or debate about what’s morally acceptable or what cheating is or isn’t.

Prevent opinions and biases from getting in the way by focusing on objective information:

  • The evidence you’ve gathered from the online proctoring software
  • Your course policy and the exam/assignment rules
  •  The institution’s academic dishonesty policy

Explain the flow of the conversation

Thank the student for meeting with you, then tell them that you’ll discuss your concerns, present evidence from the online proctoring solution, and review academic integrity policies for your course and/or institution.

You also need to tell them they’ll have an opportunity to share their side of the story and ask questions. After that, the conversation can be similar to the email you sent them.

In the example conversation throughout the next few sections, we’ll imagine the student was flagged for using a cell phone out of view of the camera.

Discuss your concerns

Tell the student exactly what your concerns are. Be specific and concise.

Example: “During the [exam name], the test proctoring software flagged you for [specific behavior, such as using a cell phone off-screen], which is against academic integrity policies.”

Present the evidence

Before presenting any evidence from the exam proctoring solution, confirm that the student knows which solution you’re referring to (they may use multiple during their education) and understands how it works. If they don’t, offer to provide an overview and answer any specific questions they have.

Instructor note: be prepared to discuss how the proctoring solution works, especially related to the specific behavior you’re addressing with the student.

Then, you can transition to presenting the evidence:

“I watched a recording of the behavior, which the remote proctoring software flagged and was reviewed by one of their trained proctors. We can watch the recording together right now if you’d like.”

Instructor note: some students will want to watch the recording, and some will not. Be prepared to respect their decision either way.

If they want to watch the recording:

“I have the video ready. Feel free to explain your actions as we watch. Let me know if there are times you’d like to pause or parts you’d like to rewatch.”

Instructor tips:

  • Have the video cued and ready
  • Write down the timestamps of important parts to watch
    • e.g., The student’s cell phone is visible at :20, :33, :45
  • Ask open-ended questions instead of leading questions
    • For example, instead of asking a leading question like, “Were you looking at your cell phone here?” ask, “Can you describe what you were doing here?”

If they don’t want to watch the recording:

  • Acknowledge their decision
    “I understand you’d rather not watch the video of the proctored exam, and that’s perfectly okay. We can discuss the flagged behavior based on what I observed.”
  • Be highly descriptive (and accurate) when describing the flagged behavior

Always be direct and concise, but give as much detail as possible when describing the flagged behavior, like in the examples below.“During the exam, the proctoring platform flagged several instances where you…”

    • covered your mouth and asked Siri for answers, which can be heard in the video. I’ll read them from the transcript provided by the Voice Detection software within the proctoring platform, [read transcript].

Ask for their explanation

Whether they choose to watch the recording or not, ask open-ended questions to get their side of the story, such as:

  • “Can you help me understand what was happening during when [specific behavior]?”
  • “Can you describe what you were doing when [specific behavior]?

Responding to different explanations

Some students may accept responsibility. Some may flat-out deny cheating, even when there’s clear video evidence from the proctoring platform. But some explanations may be plausible, so it’s important to keep an open mind during these discussions.

Responding when the explanation resolves the situation

“Thank you for explaining what happened. Based on your explanation, it seems this situation can be resolved. I appreciate your honesty and cooperation. Let’s continue to follow the guidelines to avoid any future misunderstandings.”

Responding when you’d like to seek guidance from another expert

“Thank you for your explanation. Hearing your perspective helps me understand the situation better. To ensure fairness and handle the situation appropriately, I’m going to consult with [specific expert, department, etc.] to better understand [specific topic]. I’ll follow up with you once I have more information.”

Responding when students accept responsibility for cheating

The conversation can be difficult even when the student admits to cheating and accepts responsibility. Your response may depend on the institution’s academic integrity policy, which could require you to report it, or it may be left up to you. 

“I appreciate your honesty in admitting to cheating. However, academic integrity is fundamental, and I’m required to follow the academic integrity policy, which means reporting this incident. The appropriate office will determine the consequences. I understand this isn’t ideal, but it’s necessary to maintain fairness for all students.”

Responding when students deny cheating

The best response when students deny cheating (even with clear evidence in the video recording) is to use neutral language, stick to the facts, and ask clarifying questions.

“I understand that you have a different perspective, but the video shows repeated instances where you [state the observed behaviors]. We can address each instance individually. Can you explain why you were [first observable action].”

If there’s little progress, explain the next steps: 

“Given the evidence and your explanation, I need to follow the university’s academic integrity policy. This involves reporting the incident to the academic integrity office for further review. They’ll evaluate the evidence, and you’ll have an opportunity to share your perspective and ask questions.”

Address the integrity policy, next steps, and consequences

Unless their explanation resolves the situation, you should review your institution’s policies for addressing acts of academic dishonesty, the next steps in the investigation and/or process, and the potential consequences for violations.

Instructor note: continue using neutral language, regardless of what you learned in the conversation.

For example, instead of saying, “Since you cheated on the exam, you’ll be [insert consequence],” say, “Violations of this policy can lead to these consequences…”

Dealing with cheating is difficult but worth it

Talking to students about suspected cheating isn’t easy, but it’s key to maintaining academic integrity and protecting your reputation.

Take the time to prepare: review your course policies, the institution’s academic integrity policies, the evidence from the online proctoring platform, the objectivity of your own test rules, and consider disabilities.

Consider the student’s perspective: these conversations can be stressful for students, so remember to give them the opportunity to share their side of the story while actively listening.

Every word matters: from the first email you send to request a meeting to the conversation itself, stay objective, focus on the evidence, and have a real dialogue with your student to keep the process fair and constructive.

Proctor online exams effectively: use the right proctoring solution to deter and prevent cheating while keeping the test experience fair, customizing exam settings to accommodate students’ needs, and making it as stress-free as possible.

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1 Newton, P.M., Essex, K. How Common is Cheating in Online Exams and did it Increase During the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Systematic Review. J Acad Ethics 22, 323–343 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-023-09485-5

2 Adam, T., & Warner-Griffin, C. (n.d.). Use of Supports among Students with Disabilities and Special Needs in College. Data Point. NCES 2022-071. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED618477

3 Driving Toward a Degree 2023: Awareness, Belonging, and Coordination – Tyton Partners. (2023, November 16). Tyton Partners. https://tytonpartners.com/driving-toward-a-degree-2023-awareness-belonging-and-coordination/

4 Herrick, S. J., Lu, W., & Bullock, D. (2020). Postsecondary Students With Disabilities: Predictors of Adaptation to College. Journal of College Student Retention, 24(2), 603–624. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025120941011

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Tyler Stike

Tyler is Honorlock's Director of Content and a doctoral student at the University of Florida focused on educational technology.

Honorlock Makes List of Top 10 Superstars in Emerging EdTech Companies for Higher Education by Emerge Education

Honorlock, the leading online exam proctoring service, earned a spot as one of the Top 10 Superstars for Higher Education on the 2024 EdTech 20:20 Vision list by Emerge Education. 

The list, compiled by Emerge Education with input from industry experts, analyzed over 1,000 companies to highlight the innovative edtech companies that can transform higher education.

Being selected as a Top 10 Superstar means that Honorlock and the other educational technology companies are well-established and well-funded, and each has a large customer base among higher education institutions worldwide.

List Methodology

Emerge Education’s Higher Education Edtech Advisory Board and Venture Partners compile this list through crowdsourcing and voting. 

To be considered, companies must meet the following criteria:

  • Range and quality of courses/content/teaching methods
  • Quality of features and capabilities
  • Industry presence, innovation, and influence
  • Strength of clients and global reach
  • Company size and growth potential
Logos of Top EdTech Companies for Higher Education Named by Emerge Education
Image Credit: Emerge Education & Medium.com

About Honorlock

While most online proctoring services sacrifice the entire test experience to catch cheating, Honorlock is different.

Our smarter proctoring approach combines AI and live human proctors to improve the testing experience for instructors and students while still protecting academic integrity. 

How does Honorlock work?

Pre-exam

It’s basically the same experience for instructors and students except for a few clicks.

  • For instructors: upload your exam to your LMS like you already do, choose which proctoring features you want to use, and set accommodations if needed.
  • For students: log into the LMS (no extra passwords/logins), verify ID and scan the room if the instructor requires, and then launch the exam.

During the proctored exam

  • If the AI detects potential misconduct, it alerts a live proctor to review the behavior. 
    • The proctor only intervenes if misconduct occurs. Otherwise, the student won’t be interrupted, and the instructor won’t have to review countless unimportant flags after exams are completed.

Post exam

Because Honorlock’s live proctors review exams in real time, instructors have significantly fewer exam sessions to review. 

Additionally, Honorlock offers filterable, easy-to-read reports with timestamped recordings, further streamlining the review process.

About Emerge Education

Emerge supports early-stage EdTech startups globally, providing capital and access to a network of industry professionals who are committed to democratizing education and fostering new learning opportunities.

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Honorlock Named as Preferred Online Proctoring Solution for ACCS

Honorlock named as the preferred online proctoring service for Alabama community college system

Honorlock to support Alabama Community College System institutions with access to the leading proctoring solution to strengthen academic integrity, greatly improve accessibility and provide actionable insights

BOCA RATON, Fla. (July 2, 2024) – Honorlock, a leading online proctoring service for higher education and professional credentialing organizations, has been selected as the preferred proctoring solution for the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). This system consists of 24 public community and technical colleges, including the Alabama Technology Network, and Marion Military Institute – one of five junior military colleges in the nation.

Honorlock enables ACCS system members to easily implement remote exam proctoring that allows students to take exams from anywhere, whether they are on or off-campus. This provides flexibility, convenience, and increased accessibility while protecting exam integrity and the reputation of instructors and the colleges.

Honorlock secures assessments using a combination of human and AI proctoring technology, enables live proctors to assist and support test takers if issues arise, and allows candidates to complete online exams at their convenience from any location.

“The ACCS has a large footprint across Alabama with schools covering a wide range of student learners,” said Michael Hemlepp, CEO of Honorlock. “Honorlock is pleased to partner with them to provide an online proctoring solution that will uphold academic integrity while creating greater access for students in rural areas and providing flexibility for all student needs.”

The shift to Honorlock is part of a systemwide initiative focused on transforming and upholding academic integrity of the learning experience and increasing student success. This system includes community and technical colleges with 130 locations across the state, providing 2-to-4-year transfer programs, dual enrollment, technical training, adult education, and community education for Alabama residents. Some degree and certification programs within the system are available entirely online.

“As we continue working to modernize and strengthen our edtech tools for student learners, we’re pleased to add Honorlock to our tool kit,” said Ben Rosebrock, Vice Chancellor for Information Technology at the Alabama Community College System. “We evaluated several proctoring solutions and selected Honorlock as the best solution for our colleges to uphold academic integrity while supporting student success and outcomes.” 

Honorlock was already used by several ACCS member schools, including Coastal Alabama Community College. Since its implementation, Honorlock has improved remote testing, making it more effective, convenient, and accessible. It allows all students, from high school to fully online and on-campus students, to take tests securely and privately, including those in low-bandwidth areas or using Chromebooks. Honorlock’s proctoring software also streamlines identity and attendance verification for accreditation and federal funding requirements.

About Honorlock

Honorlock protects exam integrity for higher education institutions and professional credentialing organizations by combining human proctors with AI to deliver scalable, on-demand proctoring. Honorlock delivers secure assessments while supporting test takers and empowering them with the flexibility and convenience of taking their online proctored exams without scheduling whenever they feel ready.

About ACCS

Alabama’s community and technical colleges were merged into one system May 3, 1963, when legislators laid the groundwork for a unified system of institutions to focus on accessible training in “arts and sciences and in useful skills and trades” for current and future labor needs. Sixty years have passed, but that important cause remains the singular purpose of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). 

With 24 community and technical colleges in more than 130 locations and an economic impact of $6.6 billion, the ACCS is Alabama’s gateway to first-class, affordable education and technical training to compete in a constantly evolving workforce. An estimated 155,000 Alabamians benefit from the various certification, credential, dual enrollment and degree programs the ACCS offers alongside leading industry partners. The System includes the Alabama Technology Network, which provides extensive training and service offerings directly to business and industry, and the ACCS Innovation Center, which provides rapid skills training through its Skills for Success program. The ACCS is governed by the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees.

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13 Ways to Prevent Cheating on Online Tests

13 Ways to Prevent Cheating On Online Tests

13 Ways to Stop Cheating on Online Tests

  1. Detecting cell phones and other devices
  2. Blocking AI like ChatGPT
  3. Catching remote access software in contract cheating
  4. Finding leaked test questions on the Internet automatically
  5. Locking the test browser down
  6. Listening for voice commands to activate voice assistants
  7. Implementing hybrid virtual proctoring (AI + humans)
  8. Verifying ID and monitoring behavior with a webcam
  9. Creating explicit test rules & instructions
  10. Reducing test anxiety
  11. Prioritizing flexbility and accessibility
  12. Addressing students suspected of cheating
  13. Spotting trends in academic dishonesty through exam recordings and reports

How do these prevent exam cheating?

1. Detect cell phones and other devices

Most people have cell phones or other devices, like smartwatches and laptops, which could be used to look up answers during online exams.

In fact, 71% of online proctored exam violations involve cell phones or other secondary devices.

Most exam proctoring services rely on a proctor to see a phone in real time, which is unreliable when a proctor is watching a nearly dozen test takers at once. 

But some solution’s cell phone detection technology identifies when test takers attempt to use their phones and other devices to look up answers and when Apple devices are present in the testing area.

2. Block AI chatbots & browser extensions

ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini—all generative AI chatbots—are as controversial in online education as they are popular.

You tell it what to write about and it generates that content in a few seconds. They write pretty well overall, but they can be overly proper and generic sometimes. But with the right instructions, they can write like we (humans) do, and they’re really difficult for AI writing detection software to catch.

How to detect AI writing

Can plagiarism checkers help?

Nope. AI chatbots don’t plagiarize content. They create “fresh” text based on what billions and billions of resources they’ve been trained on.

Do AI writing detection tools work?

Not really. They’re helpful as a high-level gut check, but studies show that AI writing detection tools struggle when the AI-generated text is manually edited with a few small word swaps and paraphrasing. And, as we mentioned earlier, using specific prompts generates human-like content.

Can remote proctoring help?

Yes. Remote proctoring systems can prevent the use of unauthorized AI tools during online exams and even during essays and other written assignments by:

  • Blocking access to other browsers and applications so AI tools can’t be used
  • Listening for commands that activate voice assistants, which could be used to navigate AI
  • Preventing test takers from pasting pre-copied text into exams and assignments

3. Catch remote access software (contract cheating)

Has a technician ever remotely accessed and fixed your computer? That’s remote access software in action.

The downside is that it’s also used for cheating on online exams. The person getting credit pays a service for an expert to secretly take the test for them while they appear on video as if they’re completing the test.

How to block remote access software during online exams:

  • Show locations by IP address: use proctoring software to show exam locations by IP address. If exams are taken in countries without known test takers, it could mean that proxy test-taking services were used and further investigation is needed.
  • Record screens and require keyboard commands: before the tests or written assignments begin, ask learners to use specific keyboard commands that display all active applications on their device.
  • Blocking applications: various settings within proctoring software can be used to block remote access applications, such as the browser lock.

4. Use software to find leaked test questions on the internet

Have you Googled your test questions? You should, because they’re often leaked on forums like Reddit, as well as sites that pretend to help with test prep and homework, but they’re really just repositories of test content alongside other avenues of cheating, like their “Expert Q&A” which is just hundreds of their “experts” answering questions 24/7 via chat.

The problem is that searching for your test content takes time… a lot of time.

The good news is that Search & Destroy automatically searches the web for your leaked test content in a few minutes and, if it finds any, gives you a one-click option to send a takedown request. 

5. Use a browser lock as an initial defense

While browser lockdown software shouldn’t be the only way to secure your exams, it’s a foundational tool to prevent cheating. It secures the test browser by restricting access to other sites and applications and disabling keyboard shortcuts.

6. Detect voices and sounds in the room

Use voice detection software that listens for specific keywords or phrases that activate voice assistants, such as “Hey Siri” or “OK Google,” to identify test takers who may be attempting to gain an unfair advantage. It then alerts a live remote proctor in real-time to review the situation and intervene if necessary.

This approach to makes proctored online exams less intimidating and non-invasive because a proctor will only intervene if the AI detects potential misconduct.

7. Use hybrid virtual proctoring to secure online exams

Hybrid proctoring solutions, which combine AI with human proctors and browser lockdown software, is highly effective to prevent cheating. But even with the same type of proctoring, the experience can vary widely depending on the company’s approach, for example:

  • Company 1: a remote proctor, visible in a box on students’ screens, watches around a dozen test takers at once while AI monitors their behavior.
  • Company 2: AI monitors behavior and pauses the exam for potential misconduct (even for innocent actions like sneezing), forcing a live proctor to step in unnecessarily.
  • Company 3:  behavior is monitored by AI, but instead of pausing the exam for potential misconduct, the AI alerts the proctor, who reviews the situation and only intervenes if necessary.

Based on these examples, it’s important to dig into how different companies approach proctoring, as it can seriously impact the entire test-taking experience and exam integrity.

8. Use video to monitor behavior and verify ID

Use video monitoring to verify identity, scan the room for unauthorized resources (cell phones, books, etc.), and monitor students’ behavior during the proctored exams.

9. Provide explicit rules and clear instructions for your online exams

Writing test rules and instructions can be tricky because they need to be clear and concise, yet comprehensive and objective. Even when rules are direct and clear, there could be room to make them more comprehensive and adaptable, like in this example:

  • Original test rule: Do not talk during the test.
  • Improved test rule example: Do not communicate with anyone during the test, whether verbal, non-verbal, or electronic.
The improved rule addresses potential loopholes by covering various communication methods, like gesturing or passing notes.
 
See more examples and templates to help write better test rules, instructions, and guidelines.

10. Take steps to help reduce test anxiety

It’s important to understand what causes test anxiety before taking steps to help reduce it. A student survey indicated that many feel anxious before an exam because they don’t know what to expect and they have technology concerns.

Two tips to help test anxiety:

  1. Provide frequent practice tests to help students understand what to expect and ensure that their technology works correctly.
  2. Use online proctoring software that combines AI with human proctors to help support students during the exam.

Learn more about how to reduce test anxiety using online learning technology.

11. Prioritizing accessibility and flexbility

It’s proven that students are more likely to cheat when they’re tired. That’s why on-demand proctoring services with 24/7/365 live support are so important. This gives students the ability to take proctored exams when they’re most alert and access real-time support if they need it.

12. Talking to students about cheating

Talking to a student suspected of cheating isn’t fun but, but it’s necessary to protect academic integrity now and in the future. When cheating is handled right—easier said than done—you set the tone for your students and build a culture of academic integrity.

Discussing cheating with students might seem simple, but it takes a lot of preparation and planning to make the conversation effective and to be ready for any situation that comes your way.

13. Use reporting to identify exam trends that may highlight cheating

Remote proctoring software collects extensive data, offering insights into how students approach exams through actionable reports and time-stamped recordings directly in the LMS. Ideally, the reports will be easy-to-read and include timestamped recordings of important behavior.

Here’s how a lecturer from the University of Florida used remote proctoring to identify trends and anomalies in test scores:

“After the second quiz in the third week of class, I had a ceiling effect that looked like a ski jump, with 80% of my students getting 100% on tests. I knew there was something seriously wrong. I began looking closely at who had missed which questions over the two quizzes. That’s when I realized I needed a proctoring solution of some kind. When I initially attempted to address the issue, I really didn’t even know enough to ask the right questions to get help… It was more than a tool to guard or block students from using inappropriate information. It was also a means to detect and determine many different ways that students approach the exams.” – Ryan P. Mears, PhD, Lecturer, University of Florida

4 common reasons for cheating on exams

  1. Pressure: whether it's keeping a scholarship or passing a certification for a raise, pressure drives many to cheat on exams.
  2. Opportunity: surveys tell us that people are more likely to cheat on online exams than they are in a classroom or testing center.
  3. Competitiveness: school and work are competitive, which can drive some to use questionable tactics when they feel they can't compete fairly.
  4. Lack of preparation: sometimes cheating happens because someone just isn't ready—maybe due to long work hours, extracurriculars, health issues, or family time.

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Tyler Stike

Tyler is Honorlock's Director of Content and a doctoral student at the University of Florida focused on educational technology.