How UF Realized a Substantial ROI With Honorlock’s Remote Proctoring

Challenge

To uphold academic integrity with a sudden shift to online assessment, the University of Florida (UF) required scalable and effective remote proctoring.

Solution

For their entire FTE, UF turned to Honorlock for a reliable, comprehensive, scalable, and secure proctoring solution.

Results

By partnering with Honorlock, UF realized substantial cost and time savings, pleasing both faculty and students, while upholding academic integrity.

Key insights

  • $1.14 million cost savings over three semesters
  • 8.5 hours faculty time savings per semester, per course
  • Proctoring is allocated in their central budget alongside the LMS
  • Scaled to remotely proctor exams for more than 63,000 students across 5,000 courses in a matter of days
  • Contracted for remote proctoring of exams for full FTE

UF at a glance

  • Top 5 Public University in the U.S. News & World Report
  • The only university in Florida that belongs to the Association of American Universities, the top 64 research institutions in the U.S.
  • No 1 in the U.S. News & World Report for best online undergraduate program in the nation
  • 55,781 enrolled students
  • 94 undergraduate programs
  • 228 graduate programs

Challenge: Ensuring academic integrity amidst uncertainty

The University of Florida (UF), like many academic institutions, faced significant challenges when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional education models. 

With the sudden need to move 5,000 courses online and administer exams to more than 63,000 students, UF initially leveraged a mix of proctoring solutions. 

However, the challenges presented by the global pandemic required a more comprehensive and scalable proctoring solution.

Solution: Honorlock remote proctoring for Full FTE

For their entire FTE, UF turned to Honorlock for a reliable, comprehensive, scalable, and secure remote proctoring solution.

UF’s decision to partner with Honorlock for their entire FTE was driven by several key factors: scalability; effective, secure proctoring tools to protect exam integrity; cost savings; and the convenience and flexibility needed by both students and faculty.

Three years later as learning returns to campus, UF continues to use Honorlock for all students.

Results: Enormous ROI, an essential partnership

Scalable, affordable, proctoring for all

One of the primary considerations was the ability to scale affordably without passing the cost onto students, according to Brian Marchman, University of Florida Assistant Provost and Director of Distance & Continuing Education. Marchman led the charge and emphasized the importance of finding a remote exam proctoring solution that wouldn’t burden students financially. 

“We had not planned in our budget for any way to pay for this, so we had to find the funds and not put it on the backs of students, and they [Honorlock] were able to make it work for us. We were over a barrel, and they didn’t take advantage of that,” Marchman noted.

The issue of how institutions budget and allocate resources to support online learning is crucial for the future. According to Marchman, rather than seeking additional funding, UF evaluated existing budgets and found ways to redirect funds from outdated or unnecessary facilities and programs to online learning solutions. This allows them to fund online learning innovations with their existing central budget, without requesting additional money.

Honorlock enabled UF to scale affordably without passing the cost onto students.

Cost & time savings

The partnership with Honorlock not only provided a scalable solution but also resulted in substantial cost savings for UF.

Over three semesters, UF saved an impressive $1.14 million, a significant achievement that earned recognition from Florida Tax Watch.

“This would not have been possible without an effective partnership between Honorlock and the university,” Marchman said.

“This would not have been possible without an effective partnership between Honorlock and the university. Honorlock allows faculty to focus on what they do best, teach.”

Brian Marchman
University of Florida Assistant Provost and Director of Distance & Continuing Education

“Honorlock allows faculty to focus on what they do best, teach,” Marchman said, “The
time savings reaped by faculty is an estimated 8 1/2 hours per semester per course. That’s nearly three weeks worth of class time returned to the faculty member to focus on instruction and student engagement rather than monitoring assessments or reviewing incident reports.”

Protecting exams & upholding academic Integrity

Honorlock’s innovative approach to remote exam proctoring, which blends human proctors with AI monitoring, played a significant role in its selection by UF because it’s secure, non-invasive, and offers various tools to protect exams from start to finish.

Honorlock’s artificial intelligence monitors exam sessions and alerts a live proctor who can review the situation and intervene if necessary. Otherwise, the student won’t be interrupted and they do not feel like they are being watched while they take their exam, “eliminating the ‘creepy’ factor of live proctoring.”

“We don’t just say we’re proctoring exams; we mean it. We don’t just give it lip service and partial effort. We want students to know their stuff and be able to prove it. Honorlock has been able to help us make that a reality,” Marchman explained.

Convenience & faculty satisfaction

Continuing with online assessments and remote proctoring beyond the pandemic was driven by flexibility and convenience for both students and faculty. Faculty members observed the success of the proctoring system, even those who were initially skeptical, according to Marchman. 

It also allowed faculty more time for teaching, eliminated support wait times, and addressed privacy concerns that UF had previously experienced with another remote proctoring service. Students enjoy the flexibility and convenience of remote testing.

An essential partnership, not just a nice-to-have

The University of Florida’s ongoing partnership with Honorlock serves as a testament to the proctoring platform’s effectiveness, scalability, and cost-efficiency. Honorlock’s commitment to ensuring academic integrity and its seamless integration with UF’s learning management system has made it an essential tool for the university’s long-term assessment strategy.

Brian Marchman sums it up, stating that online proctoring with Honorlock isn’t a “nice-to-have add-on,” but an integral part of their educational infrastructure, just as important as their learning management system (LMS).

UF’s experience with Honorlock serves as a compelling example of how a proactive and innovative approach to online assessments can benefit students, faculty, and institutions.

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Point Loma Nazarene University Online Proctoring Testimonial

Sign that says "Point Loma Nazarene University"

Katie Jacobson

Director of Instructional Technology and Adjunct Faculty

Embracing online proctoring for in-person, online, & blended learning at PLNU

Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is a Christian liberal arts college located in San Diego, California. It has approximately 2,700 undergraduate students who primarily learn in-person, nearly 500 adult learners, and 1,100 graduate students in online and hybrid programs.

In 2018, Katie Jacobson, Director of Instructional Technology and Adjunct Faculty at PLNU, received a number of requests to look into online proctoring solutions. After a successful pilot with Honorlock, some instructors started proctoring exams online, but others maintained their “tried and true” methods of using pencil and paper tests in the classroom. Instructors either hand-graded the tests or used an ancient Scantron machine in an attempt to speed things up.

When the pandemic hit, PLNU administrators were glad the institution already had a proctoring solution in place that could support the nearly overnight shift to remote testing. They quickly added the pop-in proctoring service, which was simply a per-test cost above their existing contract.

PLNU uses Canvas as their LMS for in-person, hybrid, and online learning. Jacobson quickly discovered how easy it was to integrate Canvas with Honorlock’s online proctoring platform, which helps create a more seamless instructor and student experience.

Even with the new online learning tools, most administrators and instructors assumed they would only need to use online proctoring for the year they had purchased, and then they would go back to paper and pencil tests as the pandemic subsided.

But Jacobson had a hunch. “I was fairly certain that once instructors got their classes and exams set up and became familiar with the ease of access, security, and academic integrity safeguards that the combination of Canvas and Honorlock provide, that there would be no going back to the old ways. They would finally recognize how much better it could be!” 

And her hunch was correct. The majority of instructors kept their tests in Canvas and continued using online proctoring and she was able to make an institution-wide purchase of Honorlock. This purchase gave PLNU access to all of Honorlock’s proctoring features and functions, including on-demand automated proctoring software and live proctor support.

Online proctoring different course formats: in-person, fully online, and blended courses

PLNU instructors use Honorlock’s online proctoring solution for tests in the classroom, fully online courses, and blended courses. Regardless of the format, instructors have full confidence that their tests are secure and protected while still providing students with a fair and equitable experience. 

Online proctoring for in-person testing

It’s often assumed that online proctoring is just for remote exams, but it works just as well for tests taken in-person, and it’s surprisingly simple to set up. 

To do so, PLNU instructors simply build their exams in the LMS like they normally do and then choose the proctoring tools they want to use. After that, students can take the proctored test right there in the classroom.

All of Honorlock’s online proctoring tools are available for in-person tests, like video monitoring and detection of cell phone use, but there are two that are important to highlight: BrowserGuard and ID authentication. Honorlock’s BrowserGuard prevents access to restricted websites and applications and it disables copy and paste keyboard shortcuts and printing. Honorlock also makes it quick and easy to authenticate the students’ identities. While PLNU has relatively smaller class sizes, ID verification is especially important for institutions conducting tests in-person for a large number of students. This way, instructors have confidence that the person taking the test is the person getting credit in the course.

The Honorlock Canvas integration allows tests to be automatically graded, which saves instructors significant amounts of time. “We have the ability to automate the proctoring and instructors don’t need to review video to check for any behaviors flagged by the automated monitoring, which also saves them time.”

Proctoring exams for hybrid and fully online courses

Instructors of fully online or hybrid courses also have Honorlock’s blended proctoring tools at their disposal. 

Instructors of fully online or hybrid courses can use Honorlock’s proctoring tools and Canvas’ settings to fully customize the testing experience for students without sacrificing academic integrity. This also saves instructors time because grading can be automated with Canvas and they’ll have access to in-depth exam reports with timestamped recordings within Canvas.

Putting students first

Point Loma Nazarene University strives to shape critical, thoughtful, and engaged individuals. Along with its vibrant and diverse community of instructors, faculty, and staff, part of what makes PLNU’s reputation for academic excellence so exceptional is its curriculum, which strikes the perfect balance of theory and real-world practice.

PLNU is dedicated to creating learning experiences that foster vigorous and rewarding academic opportunities. One component of this effort is the use of online proctoring, which serves as an extension of PLNU’s commitment to academic rigor and an investment in their people and programs.

Regardless of the test environment, many students need accommodations. These could be alternative ways to complete the test or flexible scheduling. Between the customizable settings and the option to provide proctors with instructions for the entire class or even just one student, Honorlock offers the flexibility needed to accommodate student needs.

Additionally, students can take proctored online exams anytime, day or night, without scheduling, and get live support if they need it. This removes scheduling issues for teachers and students; they don’t need to coordinate times to come to the classroom or find time to take make-up tests.

Online proctoring that passes the test

According to Jacobson, Honorlock has been extremely easy for faculty to understand and use. “I find that our instructors really enjoy trying it out on their own to practice how it can be used,” she said. “I recommend about 30 minutes of instruction to get them started out in the right direction. But we have not needed any extensive training.”

After the initial training, Jacobson then recommends a few as-needed training sessions. For example, the first time an instructor does a fully online exam, they walk through any notifications together and review video of any flagged behaviors. That way, she can help the instructor through their preferred process and answer questions along the way. 

This collaborative training also helps Jacobson define roles and set expectations for faculty. “I really try to impress upon our faculty that it is up to them to make decisions on any flags that the proctoring platform raises – we are here to uphold academic integrity and support the success of our students. The platform is just one tool and is not the only indicator of how we should make decisions on student behavior,” she added.

Reassuring students

Jacobson says that she also spends time reassuring students that online proctoring is secure and protects their personal data, working to help them succeed. “I think it’s really important to break down those myths,” she said. “There is a lot of inaccurate information on the web regarding how proctoring platforms work and I aim to make students feel comfortable with the reality of how proctoring benefits the entire testing process. This goes a long way in elevating student confidence and gaining acceptance.”

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Katie Jacobson, Director of Instructional Technology and Adjunct Faculty at Point Loma Nazarene University

Katie Jacobson came to PLNU in 2008 with instructional design experience from an array of industries including software development, US defense, healthcare, and retail.  As an instructional designer, she has designed and developed a variety of soft skills training programs on topics such as team building, listening, conflict resolution, sexual harassment, customer service, change management, leadership styles, and other organizational development topics. Ms. Jacobson began her career at PLNU by leading a team of instructional designers in the Office of Instructional Technology (OIT). Over the years, she expanded the services that OIT provides to PLNU faculty and students. This broadened scope of services includes faculty development opportunities, administration and support of Canvas (the campus LMS), and support for a variety of other instructional technologies such as Turnitin, Honorlock, Pronto, and Canvas Studio. She believes the best training opportunities also allow participants to get “real work” done while learning! She also oversees the Student Technology Assistance Resource (STAR) program which employs technology-savvy students to assist faculty in the use of technology. In 2015 Ms. Jacobson also began serving as adjunct faculty in the Organizational Management program and Communication Studies department.

Education
  • M.A. Educational Technology
  • California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
  • B.A. Developmental Psychology

Tyler Stike

Tyler has over a decade of experience in ed tech and higher education. He focuses on creating relevant and useful content for educators, institutions, and technologists.

University of Florida Student Testimonial

Honorlock Video Student Testimonial from the University of Florida
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Madi Kuokos, University of Florida graduate

“Honorlock was a lot less invasive and less glitchy. It felt way more seamless and creates an easier testing experience. It just lets you take your test without any interruptions.”

Recent University of Florida graduate, Madi Kuokos, used several online proctoring platforms during her education and encountered similar issues that ultimately increased her test anxiety:

  1. Clunky software that was difficult to use
  2. Distractions and an invasive experience
  3. Support wasn’t readily available when she needed it most

When UF went fully remote in 2020, Madi used Honorlock’s online proctoring platform for the first time, and she realized quickly that Honorlock wasn’t like the others. “I’ve grown to like using Honorlock as a proctoring tool. We’ve really come to appreciate it now because it’s a lot less invasive than other proctoring platforms.”

Online proctoring doesn’t have to be invasive

“Honorlock was less invasive than other proctoring software. I didn’t have a live proctor hounding me before the test, which would heighten my anxiety… It just lets you take your test without any interruptions,” Madi said.

While many online proctoring companies just aim to catch cheating, Honorlock does more. Honorlock is proof that preventing cheating and creating a better testing experience aren’t mutually exclusive efforts.

With Honorlock, students won’t be hounded by a proctor. In fact, a live proctor will only intervene if absolutely necessary. That’s because the AI monitors exams and alerts a live proctor if it detects potential cheating. The proctor can review the situation before deciding whether to intervene or not. Otherwise, students won’t be interrupted.

Now, Madi prefers online testing over in-person, “Honorlock is my favorite proctoring platform… It allows me to perform my best and has definitely improved the online testing experience to the point where I now enjoy online exams more so than in-person ones.”

Easy-to-use online proctoring software means one less thing to worry about

Exams can cause anxiety, especially when different technologies are used, like online proctoring software. Now, students are concerned about their performance and how to use the proctoring software. “Other online proctoring systems felt really invasive and super glitchy to the point where they would affect the performance of my computer. But fortunately, Honorlock never did anything like that, which I was really appreciative of,” Madi said.

While other systems performed poorly, Madi noted that Honorlock’s proctoring platform created a seamless experience for her, “Honorlock being way less glitchy has helped decrease my test anxiety. It just feels really easy and integrates with the online testing platform.”

Honorlock’s proctoring platform integrates directly with the LMS directly, which means that students don’t have to download bulky software, extra logins and passwords aren’t needed, and it’s pretty much the same test experience they’re already comfortable with.

To take a proctored exam with Honorlock, students simply:

  • Log into the LMS like they already do 
  • Authenticate their identity
  • Launch the exam from the LMS

On-demand exams & live support offer flexibility & convenience

Like many other students, Madi had a busy schedule and needed the ability to take online exams at a time that worked for her. With Honorlock, Madi could take proctored exams and get live support from a person when she needed it — 24/7/365. “Honorlock definitely makes test taking a lot more flexible and convenient. I personally think that students enjoy the flexibility. I know I do. I don’t like having to take a test at a certain time and place when I can take it in the comfort of my own home.”

She also noted that getting support was just as easy as using Honorlock’s proctoring platform: “Honorlock support was super easy to contact. All I had to do was click the little chat bubble, and within five minutes I was on my way to retaking the exam.”

Honorlock’s value is clear

“I think it’s important for the University of Florida to uphold academic integrity because we’re a top-five institution and we value the caliber of education. And honest students will turn out good leaders, educators, and people of tomorrow.”

Schedule a Demo

Tyler Stike

Tyler has over a decade of experience in ed tech and higher education. He focuses on creating relevant and useful content for educators, institutions, and technologists.

University of Florida Student Testimonial Video

Honorlock Video Student Testimonial from the University of Florida
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Recent graduate, Madi Kuokos, used several online proctoring platforms during her education at the University of Florida and she encountered similar issues with each:

  • The online proctoring platform was difficult to use
  • They were invasive and distracting
  • Getting support was a hassle

Then, she used Honorlock for the first time and realized it was different than other online proctoring platforms. She found Honorlock easy to use, less distracting, and getting support was quick and easy.

“Honorlock was a lot less invasive and less glitchy. It felt way more seamless and creates an easier testing experience. It just lets you take your test without any interruptions,” Madi said.

That’s because, unlike many online proctoring companies, Honorlock is focused on more than catching cheating. Honorlock creates a better testing experience that supports students while protecting academic integrity. 

“Honorlock is my favorite online proctoring platform because it feels really friendly and not invasive. It allows me to be able to perform my best and not have any anxiety surrounding my exam.” 

Read more testimonials about Honorlock’s online proctoring software and services

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How UF Realized a Substantial ROI With Honorlock’s Remote Proctoring

Coastal Alabama College students

Coastal Alabama Community College Raises the Bar for Effective, Accessible, Live Proctoring with Honorlock

Sign that says "Point Loma Nazarene University"

Point Loma Nazarene University Online Proctoring Testimonial

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Learn more about the programs at the Warrington College of Business.

Allie Luker

Allie is an experienced marketing professional with an extensive focus in higher education technology. She is passionate about creative solutions that drive innovation and positive results for organizations.

University of Florida Warrington College of Business

Honorlock Video Customer Testimonial from the University of Florida
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The student experience means everything at the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business.

Exceeding the needs of nearly 2,000 graduate and 5,000 undergraduate students takes ongoing effort to learn, adapt, and improve. It’s even more challenging with different faculty needs and considering how educational technology changes each day.

But the online teaching and learning experience at UF’s Warrington College of Business hinges on four factors:

  • Flexibility – accommodates busy schedules and offer different ways to teach and learn
  • Usability – removes technology obstacles and creates a better learning experience
  • Credibility – protects the business program’s reputation and academic integrity 
  • Accessibility – provides an equitable learning experience for every student

“Honorlock helps us get to the core of our mission here at Warrington: being able to offer an MBA to just about anybody. Having a proctoring service focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion made choosing Honorlock an easy fit for us.”

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How UF Realized a Substantial ROI With Honorlock’s Remote Proctoring

Coastal Alabama College students

Coastal Alabama Community College Raises the Bar for Effective, Accessible, Live Proctoring with Honorlock

Sign that says "Point Loma Nazarene University"

Point Loma Nazarene University Online Proctoring Testimonial

Sign up below for more online proctoring and higher education resources.

Learn more about the programs at the Warrington College of Business.

Alice Cifuentes

Alice has several years of marketing experience within healthcare and most recently in higher education focused on social media growth, tradeshow management, and communication. She is passionate about creatively navigating new challenges and discovering innovative ways to connect with educators.

UF Warrington College of Business Proctoring Testimonial

University of Florida Warring College of Business Customer Testimonial

Naz Erenguc

Director of Admissions
Warrington College of Business, University of Florida

“Honorlock helps us get to the core of our mission here at Warrington: being able to offer an MBA to just about anybody. Having a proctoring service focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion made choosing Honorlock an easy fit for us.”

At the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business, student experience means everything.

As you can imagine, exceeding the needs of nearly 2,000 graduate and 5,000 undergraduate students, whether on campus or online, takes ongoing effort to evolve, adapt, and improve. And it’s even more challenging with various faculty needs and considering how quickly educational technology changes.

But for many at Warrington, the online teaching and learning experience hinges on four key elements:

  • Flexibility – accommodating busy schedules and offering different ways to teach and learn
  • Usability – removing technology hurdles to create a better learning experience
  • Credibility – protecting reputation and academic integrity 
  • Accessibility – providing an equitable learning experience for every student

Flexibility

“When you think about our education and how diverse our student population is, we need to be able to ensure flexibility so that students, who are coming from all different walks of life, thrive in our programs,” said Naz Erenguc, Director of Admissions for the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida.

Whether it’s watching a lecture during their lunch break at work or taking an online exam at 2 a.m. over the weekend, Warrington provides its students with flexibility that works with their schedule. 

While this flexibility is essential for busy students, faculty need to know that students can get the support they need and that academic integrity is still protected. 

To provide this, Warrington uses Honorlock’s online proctoring software and services. With Honorlock, faculty have flexible online proctoring tools that protect academic integrity, and students can take online exams and get live support 24/7/365.

“A support staff that you can contact 24/7 that has been trained in de-escalation has been an aspect of Honorlock that we feel has really set this proctoring service apart from others.”

Usability

With educational technologies today, online courses can replicate just about anything done in the classroom. But ease of use and usability are crucial for any technologies used in distance learning, especially online exams. 

“Taking the exam is already a super stressful environment for a student. So, how can we take any part of that stressful environment out of the equation?” Erenguc said. 

One way is with easy-to-use online proctoring software that integrates directly with the LMS and third-party exam platforms. This way, students don’t have to worry about downloading bulky software or having additional logins and passwords to remember.

But even if it’s easy to use, the wrong approach can lead to an invasive experience that creates unnecessary stress for students, “Many other proctoring services have a box where somebody is watching you actually take an exam. I can’t imagine anything more stressful,” she explained. 

But Erenguc said Honorlock takes a different approach to online proctoring, “it’s unique because it uses AI with human review… It’s geared toward the student experience. That in itself is a huge differentiator.”

What’s the proctored exam experience like for students and faculty using Honorlock?

  • Other than a few clicks, it’s basically the same experience they’re already familiar with.
    • Students install a browser plugin (no bulky software to download), then log into the LMS and launch the proctored exam.
  • Faculty create exams in the LMS like they normally do, pick which proctoring tools to use, and then review reports and recordings in the LMS after exams are complete.
  • Honorlock’s AI monitors student behavior during the exam.
  • If the AI detects any potentially problematic behavior, it alerts a live proctor.
  • Once alerted, the proctor can review the situation before deciding whether to intervene and address it or not.

Honorlock’s blended proctoring approach keeps the human touch by delivering a non-invasive testing experience that’s proven to reduce student test anxiety.

How to use online proctoring for business school exams

Credibility

Warrington is one of the best business colleges in the nation, and its online MBA and bachelor’s degree programs are ranked in the top five. 

Why does Warrington’s online programs achieve this ranking? By providing a rigorous, forward-thinking curriculum within an online environment that is engaging, innovative, and accessible. 

One component that helps ensure the academic rigor of Warrington’s online courses is the use of Honorlock’s remote proctoring services, which create a fair test environment that protects reputation and encourages academic integrity.

In addition to all the benefits of blending AI with live proctors, Erenguc highlighted two features that differentiate Honorlock from other proctoring services.

Search & Destroy to protect test content

Faculty spend a lot of time and effort developing quality test questions, and they need to know that questions aren’t being shared on the internet. “Speaking from personal experience as a faculty member, there’s nothing more nerve-wracking than when you see an exam or exam questions have been leaked,” Erenguc said.

Honorlock’s Search & Destroy technology searches the internet for leaked test content and gives faculty the ability to send a takedown request with a single click.

“Having that quick ability to make sure that when you’ve uploaded an exam, none of those questions have been compromised is important to the teaching and learning process.”

Advanced exam reports to better understand student engagement

“From a faculty perspective, it’s really important to understand what questions students are spending more time with or less time, and figuring out at what point students are having hiccups.”

Honorlock’s remote proctoring platform collects extensive data during the exam and provides faculty with easy-to-read reports and time-stamped recordings within the LMS dashboard.

Accessibility

“It’s important that every student that comes through our doors understands that we’re committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access,” Erenguc said.

From online course design to any software and technologies used, Warrington ensures accessibility and access from all angles. 

Erenguc noted that Honorlock’s online proctoring software plays a vital role in these efforts, “Honorlock helps us get to the core of our mission here at Warrington: being able to offer an MBA to just about anybody.”

Aside from meeting and conforming to accessibility compliance standards like ADA, Section 508, and WCAG 2.1 AA, Honorlock also provides faculty with customizable exam settings and the ability to provide student accommodations. 

All of this means that every student, regardless of condition or situation, has equitable access and the ability to take online exams.

“Having a proctoring service that is also focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion made choosing Honorlock an easy fit for us because it was already so integral within the culture here at the Warrington College of Business.”

Continuing to improve the learning experience with Honorlock proctoring

Warrington continues to use Honorlock online proctoring because it complements and improves online teaching and learning as a whole, “It was an easy selection for us. From the student experience, from the faculty experience, from our teaching and learning center, Honorlock is something that we continue to use because we believe in the product.”

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About the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida

The Warrington College of Business is one of the nation’s premier business schools. As a part of a Research 1 institution, Warrington is dedicated to an extensive research agenda in addition to cultivating the young minds of our future leaders of industry. The College is comprised of the Heavener School of Business, the Fisher School of Accounting, and the Hough Graduate School of Business. Together, these three entities provide a full and enriching business education experience that not only prepares our students for business success, but enables them to thrive in the global economy.

Tyler Stike

Tyler has over a decade of experience in ed tech and higher education. He focuses on creating relevant and useful content for educators, institutions, and technologists.

Seton Hall University’s Online Proctoring Experience

Seton Hall proctoring testimonial with Paul Fisher

Paul Fisher

Associate CIO & Director of the Teaching & Learning Technology Center

“What sets Honorlock apart is the ability to customize online exams to meet the differing needs of our faculty… They really get to decide their own rules for the exams rather than institution-wide rules.”

Building a culture of academic integrity while securing & affordably scaling online exams

Paul Fisher started at Seton Hall in 1997 when “online learning” meant shipping cameras out to students and watching them take exams. Technology has come a long way since then, and Seton Hall has been at the forefront by thoughtfully using technology to improve teaching and learning online and in the classroom.

As Associate CIO and Director of the Teaching and Learning Technology Center, Fisher leads efforts to strategically integrate learning technology across the university. An important component of online assessments at Seton Hall is the use of online proctoring to protect academic integrity and support students and instructors throughout the assessment process

Moving to remote learning in response to COVID

Seton Hall transitioned to fully remote learning when COVID started. During this time, they piloted three online proctoring platforms and gathered feedback from faculty and students to determine which should be used moving forward.

However, the feedback from the pilots highlighted issues:

  • Cost and scalability
  • Lack of exam flexibility and customization
  • Privacy and security concerns
  • Leaked exam questions and answers

That’s when Seton Hall tried Honorlock and made the switch.

Scaling from a cost perspective

The cost of online proctoring services is always a key component of the evaluation process. “Other solutions were not scalable from a cost perspective,” Fisher said.

Scalability issues with online proctoring services are usually caused by two things:

1. The approach to proctoring online exams isn’t efficient
Proctoring services that only use live proctors are generally more expensive and scheduling can be an issue.

2. Variable costs that some proctoring companies charge
Variable costs can add up quickly if the proctoring service charges per hour and exams have varying lengths. However, Honorlock’s flat-rate cost per student or exam helps institutions predict testing costs and avoid variable costs.

Quick and simple implementation

“The implementation of Honorlock was one of the easiest implementations of technology I’ve ever done,” Fisher said.

Part of what streamlines the implementation process is the quick and simple LMS integration. Whether it’s Blackboard, Canvas, D2L or Moodle, implementation only takes about an hour to complete. In addition, Honorlock’s team project manages the implementation to help ensure success. After implementation was complete, faculty members were trained and prepared to start proctoring tests with Honorlock.

Flexible, easy-to-use online proctoring software

Faculty quickly learned how to use Honorlock’s online proctoring software for customized exams in just a few clicks. “Honorlock gave faculty more freedom and the ability to do more and that’s the best part for them. They really get to decide their own rules for the exams rather than institution-wide rules,” Fisher said.
Fisher gave a common example that faculty encounter, “A student may tell the professor that they aren’t able to be alone in the room, or that they’ll have to sit on their bed during the exam because they don’t have a desk. Faculty can take that feedback into consideration as they make rules for their proctored exams.”
And thanks to the direct LMS integration, the test experience is basically the same for students and faculty with the addition of a few extra clicks. Faculty create exams in the LMS like they already do, click to choose which proctoring features to use, and review time-stamped reports afterward. And students simply log into the LMS, verify their ID, and launch the proctored exam.

Faculty spend more time teaching and less time testing

“Many faculty say they’ll never use class time for tests again,” Fished said. He explained that because Honorlock is available 24/7/365, students can take their proctored tests outside of class and get support if they need it. This way, faculty can spend more time teaching instead of testing during class.

Diverse teaching, testing, and proctoring

Part of Seton Hall’s status as a leader in education is its focus on creating a diverse, collaborative, and rigorous learning environment for its 10,000 students across more than 90 majors.

The focus on diversity and rigor is evident during online assessments as well.

Faculty at Seton Hall use Honorlock’s extensive proctoring features to test students beyond traditional test question formats, such as multiple-choice and true or false. “What sets Honorlock apart is the ability to customize online exams to meet the differing needs of our faculty,” Fished said.

An example of this customization and flexibility is highlighted with the ability to proctor nontraditional exams. “The accounting programs use Honorlock to proctor tests where students are using software to fix balance sheets and other similar documents, while other programs use it for short answer and essay questions,” Fisher explained.

The ability to offer these nontraditional alternative assessments, sometimes referred to as authentic assessments or competency-based assessments, proves that students are prepared to apply what they’ve learned in the real world and gives students different ways to show what they know.

Fished explained that while the assessments can be rigorous, they’re crucial for success, “They have a purpose. If students aren’t going through those kinds of things, they may not be prepared for the next level or applying it in a real situation.”

Reducing privacy concerns

With any educational technology, students, faculty, and institutions have questions about privacy and data security – and rightfully so. They want to know what data the proctoring software has access to, how it’s collected, and what’s done with their data.

“Educating students as to why we use Honorlock and that their data is kept under the strictest confidence helps students,” Fisher said.

This continual security education assures students that their data will never be sold or shared, the only information required to proctor an exam is collected (name, course number, etc.), and the proctoring software doesn’t have access to students’ devices, operating systems, or networks.

Academic integrity is about more than technology

At Seton Hall, creating a culture of academic integrity is a comprehensive effort that includes more than online proctoring and other educational technologies. Faculty encourage genuine, open communication with students to help build a connection and develop trust.

“Faculty are ultimately responsible for creating a culture of academic integrity in the classroom. Technology is a tool that helps maximize academic integrity efforts, but faculty are the leaders,” Fisher said.

Fisher recommends a few tips to help establish academic integrity:
  • Communicate the impact and importance of academic integrity from day one
  • Explain what is expected of students and what they can expect from you
  • Take measures to help students prepare for online exams

“Talk to students about academic integrity from the first day of class and keep infusing it into your language. Educate them about what proctoring is and why it’s used. It isn’t used because faculty don’t trust students; it’s to create a level playing field,” Fisher explained.

Fisher recommends using practice exams to help students prepare for what to expect. Practice exams should mimic the format of a real exam, but they shouldn’t be graded. This allows students to get set up and get comfortable with the technology used during the assessment and see how it works. And Fisher appreciates the fact that Honorlock does not charge for practice exams.

As Seton Hall continues to advance in online teaching and learning and scales online assessments, Honorlock is a clear part of their strategy moving forward.

“Honorlock has become a part of our basic toolset and the need for it is obvious to our technology professionals, instructors, and even students,” Fisher said.

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

About Seton Hall University

One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall University has been developing students in mind, heart and spirit since 1856. Home to over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous majors, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Tyler Stike

Tyler has over a decade of experience in ed tech and higher education. He focuses on creating relevant and useful content for educators, institutions, and technologists.

University of Cincinnati Instructor Testimonial

Honorlock Exam Proctoring Customer Testimonial

Peter Burrell, Associate Professor at University of Cincinnati and Business Attorney

“Honorlock is an incredibly user-friendly platform – very intuitive… Very easy to get it launched. It was great, we had no problems launching it and making it work.”

A rapid shift to online learning in 2020

Like many other educators and students across the country, Peter Burrell, who’s an Assistant Professor for business-related graduate and undergraduate courses at the University of Cincinnati, was abruptly pushed to online classes in March 2020 due to COVID.

And like many other educators, Burrell primarily taught in-person classes and had minimal experience with teaching online courses. 

Adjusting and adapting to online teaching and learning

With the rapid shift, Burrell was faced with a two-fold dilemma: adjusting to teaching online courses with a large number of students and protecting assessments. 

“I started talking to some of my colleagues and they had used Honorlock and I was like, well, I’m going to do it. So, I did a training program and found Honorlock is an incredibly user-friendly platform – very intuitive,” Burrell explained. 

After quickly getting familiar with Honorlock’s easy-to-use online proctoring software, Burrell was ready to get started – even with a large number of students taking his courses’ online exams. Burrell typically has around 70 to 300 students in each course, but a particular course in Fall 2020 was a little more daunting, “I had 500 students in one class but the first assessment with Honorlock went smoothly,” Burrell said.

Setting up online proctored exams was quick and simple

Part of the reason Burrell was able to learn how to use Honorlock’s online proctoring software is because of the direct LMS integration. Honorlock’s integration with the LMS creates a familiar testing experience for both instructors and students because it all occurs within the LMS they’re already using. 

Instructors create exams like they normally do and then select the online proctoring settings they’d like to use, and it’s just as simple for students. Students can simply log in and launch the online proctored exam from the LMS.

It’s quick and simple to integrate Honorlock’s proctoring platform with an LMS, whether Canvas, Blackboard, or D2L, “The integration between Canvas and Honorlock was really seamless. Very easy to get it launched,” Burrell said, “It was great, we had no problems launching it and making it work.”

Preparing students for success and reducing test anxiety

Part of Burrell’s success is how he prepares students before the proctored online exam ever starts. Assessments can inherently cause students to experience test anxiety. In fact, a recent university student survey found that most student test anxiety ultimately relates to not knowing what to expect and technology concerns.

To help reduce student test anxiety, Burrell provides students with ongoing practice exams to help students acclimate to using the online proctoring software and to ensure that there are no technology-related issues. “Students are more used to online proctoring, but I still do the practice quiz just in case they’ve never used the platform.”

Educating students about the benefits of academic integrity

“As professors, we’re here to help them become better students…There’s certainly a want for a fair playing field and punitive action is necessary, but it’s an educational opportunity,” Burrell said about his approach to encouraging students to have a genuine understanding of the importance of academic integrity.

Burrell has transparent conversations with students about the impact of academic integrity, “I tell my students a story and relate it to the real world. I tie it to why this is important for the student and in their future… If you cheat, you cheat yourself.” 

Finding a supporting partner to protect online exams

In addition to making online exam proctoring quick and easy, Honorlock provides 24/7/365 support for both faculty and students. “The responsiveness I got from Honorlock was second to none,” Burrell emphasized, “The product and the service I got was really just superlative and it made the experience, especially test-giving and the test-taking experience from a students’ perspective a lot more palatable.”

Dedicated to creating a better online learning experience

It’s clear that Burrell is dedicated to creating a stronger online learning experience for his students that will prepare them for the future. And just like he develops engaging online courses and has thoughtful conversations with students, Burrell aims to create a better online testing experience for each student – one that’s fair for all and ensures equal opportunity and measurable progress. 

Does Peter Burrell plan to use Honorlock’s online proctoring platform in his future courses? “Absolutely. No question about it,” he confirmed.

About Honorlock’s Online Proctoring Software and Services

Honorlock combines the benefits of AI test monitoring software with human review to make online proctoring simple, easy, and human.

While other online proctoring companies just try to catch cheating, Honorlock’s approach is to do what’s best for students, faculty, and the institution without sacrificing security or academic integrity.

Click below to read more Honorlock proctoring testimonials

Read More Honorlock Testimonials

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

 

About Peter Burrell

A 1984 graduate of Notre Dame Law School, Peter has been a lawyer for more than 35 years and a professor teaching law to undergraduate and graduate business students for over 25 years. In his law practice, Peter works with closely held and family-owned companies, advising them on employment matters, HR compliance, contract negotiations, business succession issues, and regulatory matters.

As a professor, Peter taught at the University of Cincinnati for over 25 years, starting as a part-time adjunct in 1993 and teaching full-time as an associate professor teaching business law to undergraduates and corporate social responsibility to graduate students from 2013 – 2022. In 2018, he was honored to receive the Michael Dean EXCEL Teaching Award. This is considered the top teaching award the University of Cincinnati’s business college gives out to one professor each year. Peter also served on the Teaching Excellence committee and Faculty Senate during his tenure at UC. 

Indian River State College Proctoring Testimonial

Honorlock Remote Proctoring Customer Testimonial

Steven Daniello, Director of Assessment Services
Indian River State College

“When COVID hit, we realized we had 45 days to start with a completely new company and to have a proctoring system up and running, and not just for a small pilot, but for the entire faculty.”
– Steven Daniello 

Evaluating and Implementing Remote Proctoring on a Tight Schedule

In only 45 days, Indian River State College (IRSC) evaluated and implemented Honorlock remote proctoring across the institution.

Over its 60-year history, IRSC has continually evolved to meet the unique needs of the citizens and businesses in its four-county service district. What began as a one-building junior college has grown into a state college serving nearly 30,000 students annually on five campuses with five testing centers. 

Before March 2020, about 30% of IRSC classes were online. However, like many educational institutions across the country, IRSC was forced to a fully online learning format due to COVID. This rapid transition was cause for concern for both students and faculty.

“We experienced the ups and downs of a roller coaster. Our proctoring solution at the time could not keep up with the demand,” explained Steven Daniello, Director of Assessment Services at IRSC. 

As you walk away from our webinar, you will have a clearer picture of:

45 Days to Evaluate and Implement Remote Proctoring

“When COVID hit, we realized we had 45 days to start with a completely new company and to have a proctoring system up and running, and not just for a small pilot, but for the entire faculty,” Daniello said.  

With the clock ticking, Daniello and others at IRSC began the remote proctoring evaluation process. “We previously piloted four or five different online proctoring solutions, without finding one that we felt we could use across the entire college that also met our requirements for cost and training.” 

IRSC planned a highly organized evaluation process of online proctoring services to determine needs, develop a rubric, and begin demonstrations. 

While there were many remote proctoring functionality features needed across the college, the group prioritized five rubric items:

1. Proctored Testing Security

“There’s no point in giving a test if your faculty don’t feel secure,” Daniello said. IRSC needed proctored testing that not only prevents and deters academic dishonesty but also protects student data and privacy. Daniello found that Honorlock provided exclusive features that differentiated the remote proctoring software from others, such as safeguarding online exam questions, blending automated proctoring and live proctoring, and allowing instructors to customize what students can use during their online exams such as scratch paper for math tests.

2. LMS Integration

“You want an integrated system; you don’t want faculty and students to have separate sign-on. That was important for us.” Daniello also added that setting up the LMS integration with Honorlock remote proctoring was very smooth and took less than an hour. Now, IRSC faculty can enable Honorlock remote proctoring for their online exams, and neither the instructor nor the student has to leave the LMS or be hassled with a separate sign-on.

3. Customer Service

Education goes around the clock, and Daniello knew that IRSC needed an online proctoring service with 24/7/365 support for students and faculty. 

If any students or faculty have any questions or issues, they can access support directly in the proctored testing software in real-time. In other words, IRSC’s students and faculty don’t have to click out of the LMS to connect with a real person in just a few minutes. 

4. Price

During the online proctoring evaluation process, Daniello explored the benefits of different pricing models.

For example, some online proctoring services charge the institution per hour, which leads to varied costs and can even force instructors to shorten the length of their exams, which can negatively impact student performance. Honorlock’s flat-rate fee per online exam removed variable cost concerns for the college and helped to estimate remote proctoring costs during the evaluation accurately. 

5. Testing Accommodations

All online proctoring services must be able to work for students with approved special testing accommodations. 

At IRSC, the Assessment Services and Student Accessibility Services departments work closely together to ensure all students are accommodated during the testing process.   

IRSC Hit the Ground Running with Remote Proctoring

In just 45 days, Daniello and IRSC successfully evaluated various remote proctoring services and implemented Honorlock online exam proctoring across the entire college.

In fact, in Fall 2020 alone, IRSC administered over 24,000 proctored online exams with Honorlock.

While IRSC’s Honorlock remote proctoring implementation ran smoothly, Daniello emphasized the importance of on-going faculty training sessions facilitated by IRSC, “We do a 45-minute training session for faculty each semester.”

In addition to the training sessions, the IRSC Assessment Services Department created guides for faculty highlighting IRSC’s specific remote proctoring use case.

Evolving Education and Testing

“As a result of COVID, education and testing are at an inflection point. Being forced to make a change provided an opportunity to learn and create better testing and more access for students,” Daniello concluded.

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About Indian River State College

 Indian River State College offers high-quality, affordable, and accessible education to the nearly 30,000 students through traditional and online delivery. IRSC offers more than 100 programs and is accredited to award Baccalaureate Degrees, Associate Degrees, and Career and Technical Certificates. 

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Tyler Stike

Tyler has over a decade of experience in ed tech and higher education. He focuses on creating relevant and useful content for educators, institutions, and technologists.

Broward College Remote Proctoring Customer Testimonial

Honorlock Remote Proctoring Customer Testimonial

Daphnee St. Val, Senior Instructional Designer, Broward College

Ensuring Integrity and Privacy During Uncertain Times with Remote Proctoring

As one of the largest community colleges in the United States, Broward College faced significant challenges as they raced to transition to a fully online format due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

With roughly 67,000 students, Broward College needed a remote proctoring solution that could:

  • Reliably scale 
  • Maintain online exam integrity 
  • Ensure student data privacy 
  • Provide support for faculty and students 
  • Integrate with third-party exam tools

Data Privacy and Building Trust with Honorlock Remote Proctoring

While some faculty members and students were familiar with remote proctoring, there was a need to build trust around data privacy for students. “There was a lot of hesitation initially… about, ‘when I upload this extension (Honorlock), how much of my private material does it have access to?’” said Daphnee St. Val, Senior Instructional Designer at Broward College. St. Val assured that while there was initial hesitation, “Little by little, people are comfortable using Honorlock…When you download the extension, it’s not tapping into anything other than what you do during your screen sharing.” 

COVID-19 brought many challenges to Broward College’s faculty and students. However, with Honorlock’s quick implementation, efficient training, and 24/7/365 support, the College transitioned to a fully online format and implemented a remote proctoring system that maintained online exam integrity and ensured student data privacy.

“Having access to customer support 24/7/365 is huge. Especially during times like this when students may be taking exams at any time of day. You want them to have access to someone who can troubleshoot with them.” –Daphnee St. Val, Broward College

Remote Proctoring Support for Faculty and Students

Before the adoption of a technology platform can take place, users must overcome the learning curve. Honorlock partnered with Broward College’s faculty members to train and provide ongoing support to ensure a successful implementation. St. Val also added that Honorlock’s around-the-clock US-based support is crucial for reducing student exam anxiety and improving their overall experience with remote proctoring. 

Honorlock’s Differentiating Remote Proctoring Features

St. Val noted three features that differentiated Honorlock from other remote proctoring services. “We found that these were impressive as an additional layer to make sure that an exam is taken without any academic dishonesty.” 

  1. Live Proctor Pop-in 

This feature, in addition to saving Broward’s faculty a substantial amount of time when reviewing the assessment report because they don’t have to check false flags, also provides a less intimidating and non-invasive testing experience for their students. 

  1. Search and Destroy™

This exclusive feature provides Broward’s instructors with the confidence of knowing they won’t have to create new test questions each semester and grants the College with peace of mind that they are protecting their programs’ academic integrity.

  1. Multi-Device Detection

This function deters students from using external devices such as cell phones, tablets, or laptops that are out of view and allows Broward’s instructors to remote proctor beyond the webcam and protect the overall academic integrity of their online exams.

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About Broward College

Broward College is a public college with three locations and six centers in Broward County located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The College was established in 1959 and offers a variety of degrees and certificates in high-demand fields such as Business, IMCT, STEM, and more.

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Tyler Stike

Tyler has over a decade of experience in ed tech and higher education. He focuses on creating relevant and useful content for educators, institutions, and technologists.