13 Ways to Prevent Cheating on Online Tests

13 ways to prevent cheating on online tests:

    1. Detecting cell phones
    2. Blocking unauthorized AI chatbots like ChatGPT & Claude
    3. Catching remote access software in contract cheating
    4. Finding leaked test questions on the Internet automatically
    5. Locking the browser down
    6. Using AI that listens for voice commands to activate voice assistants
    7. Implementing hybrid virtual proctoring (AI + humans)
    8. Verifying ID and monitoring student behavior with a webcam
    9. Creating explicit test rules & instruction
    10. Reducing test anxiety
    11. Emphasizing academic integrity and the honor code
    12. Analyzing reports to identify exam trends that may highlight dishonesty
    13. Use reporting to identify exam trends that may highlight cheating

Here are 13 ways to stop 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 our proctored exam violations involve cell phones or other secondary devices.

Most 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 Honorlock’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 unauthorized AI, like chatbots & browser extensions

ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Bard—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: Honorlock’s Analytics Hub shows the locations where exams were taken based on IP addresses. If exams are coming from countries without known test takers, this might suggest the use of proxy test-taking services, which may require further investigation.

    They could use a VPN to mask their IP address, so you’ll also want to secure your exams from remote access software in other ways.
  • Record their screen 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 Honorlock’s proctoring software can be used to block remote access applications.

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 & DestroyTM 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 online exam proctoring delivers a much less intimidating and non-invasive testing experience because a proctor will only intervene if the AI detects potential misconduct. 

7. Use hybrid virtual proctoring to secure exams

If you’re looking to protect exam integrity, you need a hybrid proctoring solution that combines AI, human review, and a secure browser, rather than just one of those methods.

Honorlock’s hybrid virtual proctoring uses AI to monitor each test taker and alerts a live proctor if potential misconduct is detected. Once alerted, the proctor reviews the situation and intervenes if misconduct actually occurred. If misconduct didn’t occur, the test taker isn’t interrupted. This is a smarter proctoring approach that delivers a much less intimidating and non-invasive testing experience.

8. Use video to monitor behavior and verify ID

Use video proctoring to verify ID, scan the testing room, and monitor student behavior during the exam.

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

Writing test rules and instructions can be tricky because they need to be written in a way that removes any ambiguity. 

Here’s an example:

  • Poor example: Don’t talk to your friends during the assessment.
  • Better example: No speaking during all assessments.

Some, while it’s a stretch, may interpret this as, “Well, I can’t ask my friends, but my roommates aren’t my friends, they just live here, so I can talk to them.”

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. Provide flexibility to take exams 24/7

It’s proven that students are more likely to cheat when they’re tired. Honorlock’s on-demand proctoring services and live support are available 24/7/365 so that even if it’s at 2 am on a holiday weekend, they can take exams when they’re ready. If they feel most alert and prepared at 2:00 a.m., 2:00 a.m. is when they can take the test and get support from a real person in a matter of seconds.

12. Create an honor code and remind learners of the disciplinary procedure

Create your own honor code in addition to the institution’s. Studies show that the act of writing “I pledge that this is my own work,” or something similar, actually helps reduce cheating on exams.

Ensure that test takers know the importance of academic integrity along with what consequences will be enforced for exam misconduct.

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

Use reporting and recordings from online proctoring software to better understand how students are approaching your exams.

Here’s how a lecturer from the University of Florida used Honorlock 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… Honorlock 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

Honorlock’s online exam proctoring software collects extensive data and provides actionable reports and time-stamped recordings within the LMS dashboard. The exam reports appear in an easy-to-read format that includes relevant student activity such as violations and any suspicious behavior.

Common reasons for cheating on exams

There are many different reasons why people cheat on online exams. Some do it because they can. Others do it because they feel they have to. Here are some of the common reasons behind cheating on exams:

Pressure

Whether it’s a college student who needs to maintain a scholarship or an employee who needs to pass a certification exam to get that salary bump, pressure is a key reason for cheating on exams.

Opportunity

Surveys tell us that people are more likely to cheat on online exams than they are in a classroom or testing center. 

Some treat it like that proverbial moment when the teacher has to step out of the classroom during a traditional test, and suddenly, it’s a free-for-all. Many who would otherwise be honest find cheating harder to resist when it seems easy to do without getting caught.

Competitiveness

School and the workplace are competitive for everyone involved. And the desire to outperform others can motivate those who believe they can’t “win” fairly to employ questionable tactics.

Lack of Preparation

Cheating can sometimes result from not feeling prepared for an exam, which may be due to completely normal, valid reasons, such as working long hours, engaging in extracurricular activities, or spending time with family.

Honorlock’s online proctoring services and software prevent cheating on online exams while improving the experience.

Instead of making the testing experience a hassle like most proctoring companies do, Honorlock makes everything easy.

From software that’s extremely easy to use and customize to no exam scheduling and live support that responds in seconds, Honorlock is ready when you are.

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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.

Proctored Essays & Written Assignments

proctor essays and written work

Proctored essays are a thing now, thanks to generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini. These chatbots can generate content on virtually any topic in a matter of seconds. They write well, and with the right instructions, they can write just like us.

AI and plagiarism detection won't cut it

AI detection and plagiarism detection are similar, but different. Both aim to detect unoriginal content, but their focus is different.

  • AI detection looks for writing patterns, like word choice and sentence structure, to identify AI-generated text.
  • Plagiarism detection compares text against huge databases of content to identify copied or paraphrased content from other sources.

Why won't they work?

Plagiarism detection is irrelevant at this point

Most aren’t copying text word-for-word, and there are plenty of AI writing tools that can paraphrase text for them. Adding to that problem, AI chatbots don’t plagiarize.

AI detection is improving, but still waaaaay behind

They aren’t very accurate, and they’re easy to deceive—we tried it. 

That isn’t just our opinion, though.

A recent study1 tested 14 AI detection tools—12 publicly available & two commercial—against ChatGPT, and here are the findings:

AI detection tools are inaccurate: they often mistakenly identify AI-generated text as human-written, and struggle to detect AI content translated from other languages.

Manually editing responses reduces the accuracy of detection tools: swapping words, reordering sentences, and paraphrasing decreased the detection tools’ accuracy.

Prompts can help generate human-like content.

Another thing working against AI detection tools is that using specific prompt details (writing instructions) helps AI chatbots “write” like humans do.

Here are a few examples (not nearly an exhaustive list) of prompts that can help the AI write more like a human:

  • Write in simple terms and avoid technical jargon
  • Use contractions and a mix of short and long sentences
  • Keep responses clear and concise
  • Break down complex topics into smaller sections (use headers) and include analogies, similes, and metaphors for better understanding when necessary.
  • Use casual discourse markers and conversational transition phrases, like “but,” “besides,” and “in the long run,” instead of more formal ones such as “however,” “moreover,” “in conclusion,” or “ultimately.”

Try it out

First use a generic prompt like this: Summarize what photosynthesis is and why it’s important in 100 words or fewer.

Then try that same prompt, but add the examples above.

See any differences?

When would you be willing to take action?

With those inaccuracies in mind, what if the software indicates that 50% of the text is AI-generated. Would you take action at that point? Or would you require a higher percentage as for more “proof”? If so, what’s your threshold?

How to proctor essays and written assignments

Whether it’s a 1,500-word research paper or a series of short answer responses, Honorlock’s exam proctoring system makes it simple to secure essays and other written assignments, whether they’re typed or handwritten.

To sum up the process, Honorlock proctors essays just like online exams, meaning learners WON’T be able to do the following while writing:

  • Access other websites, applications, books, or their notes, unless permitted by the instructor
  • Paste content they copied before starting the essay
  • Use generative AI to answer questions or write content
  • Look up information on their cell phones
  • Ask Siri, Alexa, and other voice assistants for help

Honorlock online proctoring features to secure essays

Locks the browser to restrict access to other sites & applications

Our BrowserGuard™ feature lets you block all applications and websites except the one being used for writing, like Microsoft Word, or you can allow access only to specific applications and websites, such as research journals, while blocking everything else. This secure browser also records their screen and limits them to using one screen.

Block generative AI tools during proctored essays

Blocking AI is challenging, but Honorlock’s online proctoring system effectively prevents the use of generative AI by disabling copying and pasting, locking the browser and blocking extensions, listening for voice assistant activation commands, and detecting cell phones.

Detect cell phones & other devices

Honorlock proctoring technology detects cell phones from all angles, so you won’t need to rely on a proctor seeing a phone in real-time to know that they aren’t using them to look up information while writing their essays. Our AI detects when learners use cell phones to look up information, and it detects the presence of Apple devices in the testing area.

Detect voices to make sure Siri & Alexa aren’t helping

Honorlock’s AI proctoring technology listens for “Alexa” or “Hey Siri” and other specific commands that activate voice assistants. If any suspicious activity occurs, it alerts a live proctor to review it, records what was said, and provides a transcript for review.

This allows learners to talk through their essays without being flagged for irrelevant sounds like doorbells or coughing.

But what if a learner accidentally triggers our voice detection by saying a phrase that’s also a command for a voice assistant, such as “Okay Google”?

Our AI would notify a live proctor, but the proctor doesn’t immediately intervene. Instead, they review the situation in an analysis window, and if they determine no cheating occurred, they won’t intervene or disrupt the learner.

Block copying & pasting

Honorlock’s secure test browser prevents keyboard shortcuts, like copying and pasting. This also blocks them from pasting text they copied from another source before the test.

Scan the room for unauthorized resources & other people

Instructors can require a room scan before starting the proctored essay. This ensures that no unauthorized resources, like cell phones and books, or other people are in the room. 

Verify who they are

Quickly authenticates their identity—it takes about a minute or less— to ensure the person writing the essay is the same as the person getting credit.

Additional settings to proctor handwritten essays (or math) using pen/pencil and paper

Adjust proctoring settings

The instructor turns on Scratch Paper Allowed within Honorlock’s proctoring settings, and the AI won’t flag learners for looking down at their paper. 

The learner simply shows the blank paper before they start writing and uploads the written essay after they complete it.

Give the live proctor instructions & rules allowing handwritten essays

Providing the proctor with instructions that allow handwritten essays and rules for learners helps keep the review process organized.

Essay rules can include things like:

  • Only use a black or dark blue pen and blank/lined white paper
  • You can write on both sides of the paper
  • Before you begin writing, hold the blank paper up to the camera and show both sides
  • Write the question number in the top left corner of the paper
  • Hold the paper up to the camera after you finish writing your response to each question

How does Honorlock work?

Honorlock’s hybrid proctoring software and services combine AI with live proctors and 24/7 live support.

Unlike other online proctoring services, Honorlock makes the entire experience smooth and hassle-free. Remotely proctored exams can be taken 24/7 without the need for scheduling, and learners can get technical support from a real person. During proctored essays and assessments, learners won’t struggle with old, slow software or feel uncomfortable because a live proctor—a stranger—is watching them the entire time.

AI monitors behavior

The AI proctoring software monitors behavior during online exams and other course activities, like essays.

Detects misconduct?

The AI alerts a live proctor to review potentially problematic behavior in an analysis window.

No misconduct, no intervention

The proctor intervenes only if misconduct occurs.

Otherwise, the learner won’t be interrupted, and instructors and admins won't need to review irrelevant flags.

Access exam reports & recordings

After proctored tests are complete, test admins can filter reports and review recordings to focus on important flagged behavior. Test sessions are recorded in HD video and include easy-to-read summary reports with human-validated violations.

Ready for a demo? Get started

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1Weber-Wulff, D., Anohina-Naumeca, A., Bjelobaba, S. et al. Testing of detection tools for AI-generated text. Int J Educ Integr 19, 26 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40979-023-00146-z

Future AI Trends in Online Education

AI tools to improve online education

While some of the AI tools you’ll see aren’t widely used in online learning yet (they’re mostly used by businesses) we’ll explain how they work and the ways they can be adapted for online learning.

1. Understanding emotion in different ways

Understanding emotions is complex because we all feel and express them in different ways. While emotion AI isn’t perfect, it can help instructors improve engagement and support learners where they need it most.

What is emotion AI?

Emotion AI, sometimes called affective computing, detects and interprets human emotions by analyzing text, voice (audio), and video and associating specific components with related emotions.

How can emotion AI be used in online learning?

Emotion AI technology can help learners with cognitive and/or physical disabilities communicate; detect signs of confusion and frustration; and pinpoint course activities that they are interested in or uninterested in.

What are the types of emotion AI?

Text Emotion AI

Analyzes written language to identify the sentiment and emotional tone of the content.

Example uses: analyzing written responses, like forum posts and course evaluations, to identify, understand, and address emotional states.

Voice Emotion AI

Identifies emotions based on vocal characteristics like volume, tone, pitch, and speed.

Example uses: monitoring learners’ spoken responses during online classes and virtual presentations to detect nuances in learner interest or distress.

Video Emotion AI

Observes body language, facial expressions, and gestures to determine emotional states.

Example uses: observing facial expressions and body language during video conversations and online exams to understand learners’ confusion and levels of interest or disinterest.

The images below illustrate how video emotion AI software might appear from an instructor’s perspective when reviewing, offering insights into learners’ interest and engagement.

“High Attention” highlights that learner attention increases when making eye contact.

“Low Attention” shows a decreased level of attention when they look away from the screen.

While eye contact with a webcam doesn’t necessarily mean they’re really paying attention, and looking away doesn’t mean they aren’t listening, when paired with other metrics, like how long they looked away, facial expressions, and other body language, it can help gain a broader understanding of behavior and emotion.

Educators can use these individual insights or similar data from all learners to understand certain activities that boost attention and engagement, which topics confuse learners, and more.

High Attention

Low Attention

  • High attention example for emotion detection AI

  • Example of low levels of attention in video emotion software

High Attention

Low Attention

  • High attention example for emotion detection AI

  • Example of low levels of attention in video emotion software

2. AI language tools that go beyond translations

Newer language-related AI can understand the nuances of languages like slang, accents, and dialects to build truly global dialogues in online courses.

Accent Recognition AI

“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”

Even if you’re a native English speaker, you’ve probably heard this or something similar from voice assistants. They’re about 95% accurate, sometimes more or less depending on which one you’re using, which is pretty good, right?

Sure, but that still means every 20th word is wrong, which is the exact length of the sentence you’re reading.

However, the accuracy varies depending on your accent… even if you’re a native English speaker. 

Question

Answer


  • Which two U.S. accents are voice assistants more likely to understand?

    1. Southern

    2. Midwest

    3. Western

    4. Eastern


  • 1 & 3

    Southern and Western accents were understood more often than Eastern and Midwest accents.

    Source: Washington Post, 2018 research

The research also found that people with non-native accents experienced 30% more inaccuracies when using voice assistants, with Spanish and Chinese accents being the least accurate. Imagine how frustrating that would be.

But there’s good news: accent recognition AI tools are available that are trained on extremely diverse data that allows it to better understand accents. They analyze and interpret speech patterns, intonations, and pronunciations specific to different accents. 

Accent recognition AI can help improve the operability of voice-controlled technologies and generate more accurate live captioning and transcriptions.

Name Pronunciation AI

What’s an easy way to stifle a sense of inclusion and belonging? Mispronouncing someone’s name.

Even if it’s an innocent mistake, it’s probably something that person encounters daily. But there’s a solution that can help: name pronunciation AI.

How does name pronunciation AI work?

  • Integrates throughout your online courses within the LMS, SIS, and other platforms to ensure that names are accurately pronounced.
  • Uses databases of audio name pronunciations and algorithms that recommend correct pronunciations.
  • Learners voice-record their names, and the recording is available throughout the platforms.

Name pronunciation AI can be used in:

  • Online class discussions
  • One-on-one advising sessions
  • Virtual information sessions
  • Recruitment conversations
  • Student support

Realistic Sign Language Interpretation AI​

Instead of using cartoon-like avatars, newer sign language interpretation AI creates a more realistic experience by splicing together videos of real people signing.

Some sign language AI can also provide real-time translation of spoken language and text to sign language and vice versa, making content accessible to deaf or hard-of-hearing learners.

Cartoon signing help
Cartoon signing help
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3. Automatically finding leaked test content

Have you ever found your test questions leaked on the internet?

“Homework help” sites like Chegg and discussion forums like Reddit and Quora make it easy to find and share your test questions and answers. 

You have 3 ways to tackle leaked test content:

1. Manually searching the internet on your own

You search the internet for individual test questions and send takedown requests if you find any.

2. Manually searching but with AI’s help

You select individual questions that the AI will search for and send your own takedown requests.

3. Automatically searching with AI

The AI does all the work by automatically searching the internet for all of your test content in a few minutes and giving you the ability to send one-click takedown requests.

Automating this process is the best way, so here’s how it works with Search & Destroy™:
  • Search & Destroy™ automatically searches for all of your exam questions
  • Search results show where any of your questions are leaked
  • Send one-click takedown requests to sites displaying your questions

That’s it. No more leaked content concerns.

4. Large Language Models can help review college admissions essays without bias

Completely eliminating biases isn’t realistic, but they can and should be acknowledged and addressed, and AI can help,  even though it can be biased too.

How can AI be biased?

AI reflects the biases of the people using it, the data it’s trained on, and the ways it’s used.

For example, if AI is trained on biased data, such as data from underrepresented groups, there’s a ripple effect that can impact algorithms, outputs, and future models.

The good news is that AI biases, similar to human biases, can be recognized and addressed to help reduce them.

Which would you pick?

If you were in charge of admissions—and let’s pretend time constraints don’t exist—would you:

  • Only review objective data, like standardized test scores and GPAs
  • Review objective data and understand other areas of who they are, like their personal qualities

Generally speaking, most would choose to consider personal qualities like personality, character, leadership, and life experiences.

While personal qualities are more subjective than test scores, research shows that they can predict success in school and life. Reviewing these qualities takes more time than reviewing objective information, like test scores and GPAs. But Large Language Models can help.

Large Langage Models (LLM)

What are large language models?

Large Language Models are a type of AI that can understand, interpret, and generate human language by analyzing and learning from extensive datasets.

How do LLMs work?

LLMs are trained by “reading” billions of pieces of text from various sources, like internet articles and forums, scientific research, textbooks, newspapers and magazines, and more.

This training helps them learn patterns and understand how words and sentences are formed in different formats and contexts.

LLMs don’t actually understand language, they’re just really good at predicting what word should come next. The two models we’ll discuss are unidirectional and bidirectional

  • Unidirectional: predicts the next word based on previous words
  • Bidirectional: analyzes text from both directions to predict a word in context

RoBERTa vs. ChatGPT

Both are LLMs that share the same architecture but excel in specific tasks, similar to cars with the same frame but different tires and suspension systems for certain terrains.

  • RoBERTa (bidirectional) drives better in the city (understanding language nuances and context), but it can still make it on certain off-road trails (creating content).
  • GPT (unidirectional) drives best on off-road trails, but can navigate some city streets.

The University of Pennsylvania used a LLM, RoBERTa to review college admissions essays for personal qualities

Research published in October 2023 by the University of Pennsylvania indicates that certain LLMs, if trained properly and thoroughly, can review admissions essays for personal qualities that predict college graduation on par with human admissions staff.

The researchers and their team analyzed over 300,000 college essays and scored them on the absence or presence of seven traits: prosocial purpose (helping others), leadership, learning, goal pursuit, intrinsic motivation, teamwork, and perseverance.

Then they trained RoBERTa  to recognize and evaluate similar qualities and characteristics in essay submissions without showing biases toward race, gender, or socioeconomic status. RoBERTa was used because it excels at understanding the context and meaning of language, which makes it an effective tool for understanding emotions, text classification, and translations.

Research results and takeaways

RoBERTa recognized personal qualities without bias

It recognized qualities like teamwork and intrinsic motivation in applicants from diverse backgrounds, without showing bias towards race, gender, or socioeconomic status.

RoBERTa’s predictions were accurate

Its predictions of the likelihood of students graduating were slightly more accurate than humans, but not by much.

The researchers recommend using AI with optimism and caution

“An AI approach to measuring personal qualities warrants both optimism and caution… We recommend AI be used to augment, not replace, human judgment. No algorithm can decide what the goals of a university’s admissions process should be or what personal qualities matter most for that community.”

5. Preventing remote access software contract cheating

Have you ever had a support technician take over your desktop and fix your computer from a remote location?

That’s basically how remote access software is used to cheat on exams.

A person pays a test-taking service to have one of their experts control their computer and take the exam from a remote location.

Even though the person getting credit appears to be sitting in front of the camera during the test, it’s the off-camera expert who is actually answering the questions.

And since the person getting credit stays on screen during the exam, ID verification methods won’t help.

How can you stop remote access cheating?

Honorlock’s remote proctoring platform has a few ways to help:

  • Recording the desktop and requiring specific keyboard commands immediately before starting the exam: Exam admins use Honorlock’s exam settings or test rules to require test takers to use keyboard commands, such as Ctrl+Alt+Del (Windows) or Cmd+Opt+Esc (Mac), to display the applications and processes running on the device.
  • Displaying countries: Honorlock’s Analytics Hub™ shows the countries that tests were taken in based on IP address. If any tests are taken in countries with no known test takers, it may indicate the use of remote access test-taking services.
  • Blocking applications: Honorlock’s proctoring platform gives exam administrators the ability to block specific applications that can be used for remote access.

6. Using AI for on-demand tutoring

Whether intentionally built for tutoring or adapted, AI tools such as intelligent tutoring systems, chatbots, and writing assistants offer 24/7 interactive tutoring and support, which enhances learning while building a more diverse and inclusive educational environment that accommodates various learning styles and needs.

They also offer real-time feedback, which is crucial for learners with intellectual disabilities because it helps them make connections between their work and the instructor’s feedback.

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS)

Intelligent Tutoring Systems simulate one-on-one human tutoring, offering tailored feedback and adapting course materials to meet each learner’s needs. 

They can guide learners through problem-solving steps, offer hints, break down complex topics, and recommend additional relevant content.

While an ITS can benefit any subject, it’s particularly beneficial for subjects like math, which require—for the most part—a lot of repetition.

Here’s how an ITS could work for an algebra course:

  • The ITS assesses the learner’s understanding of basic algebraic concepts and their ability to solve problems.
  • After assessing knowledge, it customizes learning activities and offers additional content based on their needs. 
  • If the learner struggles in a specific area, it provides extra help, like step-by-step explanations and practice problems.
  • If the learner excels in a topic, the ITS gradually progresses to more advanced concepts and activities.
  • The ITS provides immediate feedback and additional context, allowing learners to recognize errors and learn to correct them.

Chatbots

ChatGPT, Google Bard, and other chatbots can provide learners with instant tutoring and support anytime they need it.

Learners can use chatbots to dig deeper into complex subjects, brainstorm ideas, provide feedback on written work, translate text, and check writing quality.

AI writing assistants

Writing tools like Grammarly and Quillbot have been around for a few years now, but they’re evolving.

Initially, they just helped improve writing by correcting grammar, spelling, and style issues.

But now, they’re incorporating AI that can instantly make writing more concise, easier to understand, or sound a specific way, such as being more assertive.

These tools are particularly useful for individuals writing in a second language and for those with learning disabilities, as they can boost confidence and deliver different forms of corrections and feedback immediately.

Regardless of which AI tools you use, make sure that they’re used purposefully, ethically, and with full transparency. Always keep in mind that AI tools are just that—tools. They aren’t a replacement for the people using them.

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