10 Ways to Improve Emotional Intelligence in Online Classes

Becoming emotionally intelligent is essential for everyone, but particularly for educators and students. But how can you apply emotional intelligence in your online courses and what is its role in higher education?

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence, sometimes referred to at EI, is the capability to be aware of and regulate emotions while handling and building interpersonal relationships with self-awareness, good judgment, and empathy.

Can emotional intelligence be learned?

Contrary to what many believe, emotional intelligence can be learned and continually developed over time.

“We often think that emotional intelligence is something you have or you don’t have, but the good news is that isn’t necessarily true. It’s a skill that we can develop.“

– Bethany J. Adams, MA, SHRM-SCP, Villanova University Instructor and Associate Director of the Graduate Programs in Human Resource Development

10 strategies to improve emotional intelligence in online classes

1. Create psychological safety for your student

“One of the most crucial, fundamental things we can do to help our teams work better together is creating psychological safety,” said Adams. 

What does psychological safety mean for students in an online class?

It means that your students are confident that they can make mistakes, ask questions, or say the wrong thing without being punished or ridiculed. 

Why is psychological safety important for students and online learning?

Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety is the most important factor in an effective team. Whether it’s a discussion with the entire class, group work, or just a one-on-one conversation, your students need to know that they’re able to take risks.

Students that feel psychologically safe often share ideas and information, collaborate and help others, and express trust and interest. 

How to create psychological safety in your online course

Make it clear that your online course is a safe space for risk-taking, asking questions, and collaborating with others.

  • Answer students with thoughtfulness and respect 
  • Ask students for their input and opinions
  • Encourage others to share information
  • Understand that your communications matter regardless of the context – whether it’s providing feedback to an essay, replying to an email, or talking through a webcam – every  response matters and helps create psychological safety

2. Be aware of your emotions and understand how you’re feeling

Before you can improve your emotional intelligence and help others, you need to be aware of your emotions and understand how they may be influencing your thoughts and behavior.

3. Communicate to connect

Connect with your students by using clear communication and having a true dialogue with your students.

4. Develop a better emotional vocabulary

The ability to identify your emotions and accurately speak about them gives better information to yourself and others.

Be specific about what you’re feeling

  • Don’t say, “I’m happy with this group project.”
  • Be specific and say, “I’m excited and comfortable with this group project.”

5. Embrace healthy conflict

Simply put: healthy conflict is a good thing that challenges teams and brings better results.

“We may think, ‘I don’t want conflict on my team or my organization’ but actually, we do. We just want healthy conflict,” said Adams explained.

This doesn’t mean that no conflict is a bad thing. However, a group or organization with no conflict can mean operating in a comfort zone that doesn’t encourage thinking outside the box or challenging ideas in order to improve.

Healthy conflict focuses on the task, not the person. This focus on task conflict challenges students to focus on the idea, share what they don’t like about it, and discuss what can change and be done differently.

“It makes us better together because we can talk about it,” Adams concluded.

6. Actively listen to your students’ words and behavior

This communication also means actively listening and paying attention to their body language.

7. Take a step back before responding

Before you respond, pause for a moment to collect your thoughts to help you better communicate your message to others instead of reacting to difficult conversations and conflict.

8. Practice makes perfect

Learn and practice techniques to manage your emotions. There’s no perfect path to managing your emotions because everyone’s different, but a few methods include listening to your body and physical symptoms, positive self-talk, exercise, and finding ways to relax (deep breathing, reading, etc.)

9. Put yourself in their shoes

Empathize with your students and understand how they’re feeling, their perspectives, and be able to relate. 

10. Accept that you’ll make mistakes

Applying emotional intelligence also means adapting to a variety of situations and people. So be patient with yourself and learn how you react in certain situations. Understand how you might have spoken or acted differently to achieve a more favorable result—not just for you, but for everyone involved, online and in person.

How to use emotional intelligence in online classes

Schools and faculty who offer online classes have a distinct challenge to apply emotional intelligence in an online learning environment to serve the needs of their students:

  • Are the online courses designed to engage students and inspire learning? 
  • Are instructors effectively communicating and connecting with students?
  • Can instructors genuinely understand how students are feeling and read body language through a webcam?
  • What communications work best? Video chat? Email? Chat?
  • Are instructors building trust and rapport with students?
  • How is academic integrity protected in an online learning environment? Is an honor policy encouraged? Are you using online exam proctoring?

The benefits of emotional intelligence in higher education

The benefits of teaching emotional intelligence to students

Emotional intelligence benefits virtually any subject – from business, management, and nursing to humanities subjects and social sciences such as psychology, law, and social work.

Teachers can promote emotional intelligence in their students by serving as role models and by framing their coursework in such a way that students have opportunities to develop EI skills and patterns of thought.

The importance of emotional intelligence for teachers

Teachers with high EI know that students want to be challenged so that they can learn and grow.

Teaching emotional intelligence can help instructors connect with students in ways that last a lifetime. They create a safe environment in which students feel free to openly communicate, collaborate, and build relationships.

EI can help improve student success

Developing emotional intelligence is crucial for success in school and better relationships in life. Self-regulating is key to keeping emotions from holding us back. Students higher in EI tend to be more engaged in school and more resilient during exam periods and other stressful moments.

Emotional intelligence can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression

Depression, anxiety, and stress are increasingly prevalent among students. A 2019 survey of undergraduate students by the American College of Health Association showed: 

  • Over 1 in 4 students reported depression that negatively impacted their academic performance 
  • 43% of students reported feeling overwhelmed by anxiety

However, studies show that emotional intelligence can play a key role in helping students manage anxiety and stress. Whether it’s juggling education and a career, preparing for exams, or adjusting to uncertain times, studies show that EI and its adaptive strategies can help students cope in various stressful situations. 

Student test anxiety survey

Along with applying emotional intelligence, educators and institutions can help support students in other ways, such as reducing test anxiety. A 2020 student survey reported that over 60% of students expressed that tests make them nervous. 

While testing can be inherently stressful, there are ways to help support students and reduce their test anxiety such as: 

  • Providing practice exams 
  • Explaining what to expect
  • Using online proctoring 

A common assumption is that online proctoring is only used to catch students cheating on exams, but the same 2020 study showed that online proctoring can help reduce student test anxiety. 

If done correctly, online proctoring is a resource for students – not just a way to catch them cheating.

Once students understood what to expect from a proctored exam and interacted with a live proctor, test anxiety decreased.

“The proctor popping in was different than I expected – in a positive way. I imagined them being more strict. I felt that the proctor was helpful and a lot less intimidating than I thought.” – Student quote in a post-exam interview

Training was key

A key factor in this survey was the remote proctor training. The full-time online proctoring staff was trained by a nationally certified counselor and educator to support students who are experiencing test anxiety.

The training taught the online proctors to:

  • Recognize symptoms and signs of test anxiety and stress
  • Encourage appropriate behavior and deescalate problematic behavior 
  • Increase positive interactions with students and help them learn to self-regulate behavior

Emotional intelligence myths and truths

Adams provided these myths and truths of emotional intelligence to clear up common misconceptions:

Myths

  • Emotional Intelligence is something you have or you don’t have.
  • Emotional Intelligence means suppressing or hiding your emotions.
  • Emotional Intelligence is a touchy-feely thing focused only on feelings.

Truths

  • Emotional intelligence is a set of skills that can be learned and improved over time. 
  • Emotional Intelligence is learning to perceive & manage one’s emotions, not suppress them. 
  • Emotional Intelligence is more about action than feelings.

5 Components of Emotional Intelligence

According to Daniel Goleman’s work, the five key components of emotional intelligence are:

1. Self-awareness

  • The benefits of emotional intelligence include the ability to look internally and evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. 
    • People with high EI notice when their emotions are influencing their thinking, communication, and decision-making and have the ability to take the necessary steps to adjust.
  • By isolating and understanding where negative feelings come from, individuals with well-developed EI also make more rational and impartial decisions. 
  • People with EI are more aware of how they communicate nonverbally and the impact it has—the signals of body language and facial expressions. 

2. Self-regulation

  • Highly emotionally intelligent individuals can adapt to changing circumstances and are also able to contain their reactions and avoid impulsivity. 
    • This ability to adapt could be especially helpful in uncertain situations such as rapidly moving to an online learning environment due to COVID-19
  • They keep calm, think logically, and handle challenges with poise.
  • Being able to self-regulate helps students cope better in an academic environment. 
    • The success that it brings them can instill confidence to continue to achieve greater successes in and out of school.

3. Motivation

  • Those with higher EI take initiative, know that their actions speak louder than words, and are capable of making better-informed decisions.
  • High-EI individuals understand sharply that their emotions can influence their behaviors and those of others.
  • Optimism and perseverance are qualities of those with high EI. 
    • Seeing the way forward in even trying situations gives insight into what’s necessary to achieve greater aspirations and to understand the self-motivation required to attain them.

4. Empathy

  • Empathy means understanding the feelings, needs, and concerns of others.
    • Empathetic people notice and interpret even subtle emotional cues (verbal and non-verbal) that indicate how others are feeling.
  • Empathy and EI require people to step out of their own mindset, set aside extraneous thoughts, and be present in the moment. 
    • Empathy can be trained by listening to others and noting how you react in real-time.

5. Social skills

  • Individuals with high EI can better anticipate and respond to others’ feelings.
  • They express themselves clearly, feel comfortable in social situations, and understand the power dynamics in groups and organizations they encounter.
  • EI helps to gauge the motives of others.
    • People with EI are sensitive to others’ feelings, even during uncomfortable conversations.
    • Those with adept social skills are curious about others and tend to foster more meaningful relationships.

Submit your email below to download our 5-part DEI eBook

 The eBook covers everything you need to know about establishing and using diversity, equity, and inclusion in your online classes.

Part 1: Addressing the need for DEI in online education

Part 2: Strategies to develop diverse, equitable, and inclusive online courses

Part 3: How to create accessible online courses (with real examples)

Part 4: Tips to improve your connection with students in an online learning environment

Part 5: How to use educational technology to create a fair testing environment

Tyler Stike

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

Comparing Face Detection to Face Recognition

As face detection and facial recognition software become increasingly dynamic, people are understandably concerned about their privacy, and those taking online proctored exams have reported various negative experiences.

There are key differences between face detection and face recognition, and it’s important to be able to distinguish between the two, as both are used to varying degrees by online proctoring service providers.

For example, some online proctoring services use face detection while others use “continuous facial recognition” throughout the entire exam, which may be invasive and pose privacy and data issues.”

Comparing face detection and face recognition

Face recognition vs face detection comparison chart of differences

What is face detection?

Face detection uses AI technology that can determine when human faces appear in images. It uses algorithms to analyze and to separate faces from all the other features that may be present in an image—the baseline goal is to distinguish your face from a stop sign, for example, or from the adorable mug with your dog’s face on it.

Broader than face recognition

Face detection as a concept includes face recognition in some instances. If a system can isolate a face from the rest of an image, then it qualifies as “face detection.” But facial recognition is more specific and is just one of a range of capabilities under the rubric of face detection. Facial recognition uses biometric technology not just to recognize when a human face is present, but also to determine the identity of the person.

How face detection works

Our eyes, standing out as they do, are the first objects that face detection algorithms usually search for. The algorithm will then seek other features of our faces, and when it finds them it compares what it thinks is a face to large databases that definitely contain faces—as well as non-face images to make sure the algorithm is working properly.

The AI is essentially “trained” to identify whether images and videos contain faces or not. This training uses a seemingly endless number of images and video – some containing faces while others don’t – to help ensure ongoing improvements and overall accuracy.

What is face recognition?

Face recognition is one of the most significant applications of face detection. It’s able to capture someone’s image and know exactly who that person is. The technology isn’t 100% perfected yet, but if your image is already in a database, there’s a good chance that the owner of the database will be able to identify you.

What are the differences between how they work?

The steps below highlight the differences between how face detection and face recognition work. You’ll notice that face recognition goes beyond simply identifying that a face is present.

Face detection

Steps of how face detection works

How is face detection used in online proctoring?

If you are concerned about the implications of facial recognition technology when it comes to proctoring online exams, we at Honorlock understand. 

Honorlock does not use face recognition

We use face detection, which only detects that there is a clear human face in the webcam.

We do NOT identify any individual face, store facial elements, or match the face to a database. If no face is detected, however, or if multiple faces are detected, AI will flag the incident and a human proctor may intervene.

Safe for everyone involved

We take data privacy seriously. All data is secured. Data in transit and data at rest is encrypted and stored on the cloud in an Amazon (AWS) data center.  Amazon’s data centers are SOC 3 certified, U.S. Privacy Shield, and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant.

Facial detection is just one of the many online proctoring features that Honorlock uses to make sure test takers have a positive and secure remote testing experience. When you compare online proctoring services, be sure to check whether face detection is being used, rather than the more problematic face recognition. 

Speak with our online proctoring experts to see how Honorlock works. 

Sign up below to receive more resources for tips, best practices, white papers, and industry trends

 The eBook covers everything you need to know about establishing and using diversity, equity, and inclusion in your online classes.

Tyler Stike

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

What is Academic Integrity?

Students hear a lot about academic integrity from their colleges and universities, especially at the beginning of each term and during the lead-up to final examinations. Fall orientations include information about honor codes and syllabi that refer students to handbooks for guidelines to avoid academic dishonesty. Academic integrity is a serious topic and worthy of periodic examination. 

What does academic integrity mean?

Academic integrity is a code of ethics for students to follow in their courses, exams, and overall behavior. Each student’s work should be their own. Students complete their own assignments, take their own exams, and earn their own grades.

Why academic integrity is Important

In our competitive world, academic integrity is important to ensure that students have a fair and equitable learning experience. Cheating not only hurts the student because it’s an unearned, hollow achievement, but it also robs honest students of the standing that they truly deserve and puts an institution’s reputation at risk.

Academic integrity protects the institution’s reputation

Institutions have a responsibility to safeguard the value of the degrees that they award. Reputation is everything, and no credible educational organization wants to be known as a diploma mill. Universities and colleges want to know that their students honorably earned their grades and possess the knowledge and skills required for their field.

When academic integrity is protected and the educational experience is fair and equitable, everyone wins.

How to create an honor code to deter academic dishonesty

One effective way that colleges and universities can deter academic dishonesty and create an environment of academic integrity is to institute an honor code, sometimes known as an “integrity policy” or “honor policy.” 

Honor codes have been shown for decades to reduce cheating by creating a community in which every student knows the standards and feels like a part of an institution that cares about them and their peers. 

Honor codes are built on a baseline of trust and students who learn in schools with them are known to encourage each other to be honest in their work. This way, potential academic dishonesty is deterred by their peers, which can help strengthen the bonds of community for students and faculty alike. 

Once an institution knows what its values are, it can write them down and make the honor code known to the entire community.

How to protect academic integrity

As online learning becomes more common, another way to protect academic integrity and prevent cheating is online exam proctoring.

Most students seem to understand that there has to be some way for schools to keep their online exams fair when the internet has made it easy for students to look up test answers. It’s important that students understand the type of online proctoring their school uses because it greatly impacts their online testing experience.

The advantages of online proctoring with Honorlock

Honorlock’s online proctoring software and services help create a fair and equitable testing environment that protects online exams and supports students throughout. 

Our approach to online proctoring blends the benefits of AI test monitoring software with live human proctors to create a less intrusive test environment that protects online exams and supports students.

We foster trust in students while protecting the academic integrity of degrees and programs. Our online proctoring software directly integrates with your existing LMS and allows instructors to customize college exams online, monitor performance, and generate robust analytics.

Students benefit from 24/7/365 scheduling of online proctored exams whenever and wherever they choose. 

How do Honorlock’s proctoring services work?

Honorlock upholds academic integrity with online proctoring that’s monitored by AI and reviewed by humans. Our software and live test proctors make the technical online exam proctoring experience simple, easy, and human.

Honorlock online proctoring provides:

A familiar testing environment
Honorlock’s direct LMS integration means that instructors will create exams just like they already do and students will take the exam in the environment they’re already comfortable with.

AI + live test proctors
If our AI test monitoring software notices possible academic dishonesty, it notifies our live test proctors who can intervene via chat to assess the situation and help the student get back on track. This approach to proctoring online exams can also help reduce student test anxiety. 

Detection of cell phone use
Our remote proctoring software can detect when a student attempts to access test bank content during the exam using their cell phone, tablet, and laptop. 

Video proctoring and voice detection
Our AI includes video proctoring using the webcam to monitor behavior coupled with our voice detection software which detects sound and listens for specific keywords or phrases, such as “Hey Siri” or “OK Google.”

24/7 proctored exams and support for students and faculty
Honorlock is on-demand, so students can take their proctored online exam when they’re ready and get support – any time, day or night.

60-second ID verification
Honorlock makes ID verification quick and simple by capturing a picture of the test-taker along with their photo ID and then they can begin their online proctored exam.

Test questions and content
Our remote proctoring software searches for leaked test questions and content and works with instructors to request the removal of the material. 

Access to reports and recordings
After the exam, we send a comprehensive report of potential incidents and a time-stamped recording to save time.

 We know that your reputation and academic integrity mean everything when it comes to attracting students and our online proctoring services play a critical role in your success. That’s why we’ve dedicated ourselves to continually innovating to bring integrity, humanity, confidence, and positive outcomes to the proctored testing experience.

Speak with one of our experts to see how Honorlock works. 

Sign up below to receive more resources for tips, best practices, white papers, and industry trends

Tyler Stike

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

Higher Education Student Test Anxiety Survey

Test anxiety is common for students, especially in an online testing environment where online proctoring is used. But what if online exam proctoring can actually help reduce test anxiety? 

To understand how our approach to online proctoring can impact student test anxiety, we conducted a survey with the University of North Alabama (UNA) to learn:

  • What causes test anxiety?
  • Can test anxiety be reduced with online proctoring?
  • Ways instructors can help reduce student assessment anxiety

Test anxiety summary

Test anxiety summary

Test anxiety is any reaction that causes stress and anxiety for students. These reactions can be psychological, physical, and emotional.

What are test anxiety symptoms?

Test anxiety can be different for each person. It can mean panic attacks and severe anxiety for some or it can be sweaty palms and nausea for others. Regardless of the symptoms, it can negatively impact testing performance.

About the student test anxiety survey

Who was surveyed?

During a three-month period in 2020, UNA students across a variety of disciplines were surveyed before and after assessments to understand their baseline anxiety regarding proctored assessments.

These students were participating in mid-term and final exams from the summer and fall semesters for two different classes.

Survey findings

Student text anxiety survey results:
  • 64% agreed that “taking an online test makes me nervous”
  • 6% decrease in overall test anxiety between their first and second exams
  • 15% decrease in anxiety associated with the statement, “Thoughts about the proctor interfered with my concentration.”
  • 100% of students who interacted with an Honorlock remote proctor responded “Yes” to the interview question “Did the proctor make you less anxious?”
Get The Student Test Anxiety Survey eBook

Online testing causes stress

What causes student test anxiety related to proctored testing?

  • Technology concerns (worried their device won’t work or they’ll have internet issues)
  • Students don’t understand what behaviors may be flagged.
  • Students don’t know how interactions with a remote proctor will play out
64% of students, even when they’re well-prepared, agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “taking an online test makes me nervous.”

Online proctoring done correctly can help reduce test anxiety

Interacting with remote proctors can reduce test anxiety

The students were surveyed before and after assessments and we found that students who interacted with remote proctors during their exam had a marked decrease in anxiety for future exams. In fact, all of the students experienced a reduction in anxiety after they experienced a chat with a proctor.

Just being able to interact with a live test proctor helped students feel more confident. The conversations allowed them to identify different triggers for live support and experience a positive, supportive interaction. 

Students usually think that test proctors are only there to catch cheating. In reality, Honorlock proctors are a resource for students during the proctored exam.

“The proctor popping in was different than I expected – in a positive way. I imagined them being more strict. I felt that the proctor was helpful and a lot less intimidating than I thought.”

 – Student quote in a post-exam interview

More experience with proctored exams helps reduce anxiety

Students experienced:

  • 6% less overall test anxiety between their first and second exams
  • 15% less anxiety associated with the statement, “Thoughts about the proctor interfered with my concentration.”
  • 100% of students who interacted with a remote proctor responded “Yes” to the interview question “Did the proctor make you less anxious?”

Proctor training is important

During our study, we looked at whether or not better proctor training could result in an improved experience for students. 

We started by looking at existing research on physical signs of stress during tests including*:

  1. Lip licking 
  2. Excessive throat clearing 
  3. Propping the head up 
  4. Touching or rubbing the face 

Our test proctors were trained to spot these behaviors and proactively interact with students using a reassuring set of talking points.

Here’s a look at the talking points for test proctor interactions with students

Student test anxiety talk track with test proctor

Training proctors to better support students during times of anxiety

Our approach to online proctoring aims to improve the testing experience for students. Staying true to our word, our full-time remote proctoring team was trained by a nationally certified counselor and educator on support during moments of assessment frustration and anxiety to assist students and help them feel supported in their test-taking environment.

How instructors can help reduce student test anxiety

Use practice exams to help students get comfortable with proctored exams

By creating familiarity with online proctored exams, instructors can proactively help reduce student anxiety. 

Be sure to create multiple opportunities to complete practice exams, check technology requirements, and interact with a remote proctor at the beginning of the assessment.

“My professor set up a practice test the week before the first real test. The practice test listed out all of her expectations and requirements. On my first real exam, I was fully prepared for the online proctoring experience since I knew what to expect.” 

– Student quote in a post-exam interview

Provide important information about how proctored exams work

Give your students upfront information about how proctored exams work so that they know what to expect beforehand. 

Be sure to include information about:

  • What online proctoring is, how it works, and why it’s used
  • What can trigger a “flag” and what to expect during an interaction with a test proctor
  • Test rules to help avoid any confusion
  • Minimum system requirements (a device with functioning webcam and microphone, internet connection, etc.)
  • The role of a remote proctor
  • Available support options and how to access it
  • Accessibility options and accommodations

A Better Approach to Online Proctoring

Honorlock approaches online proctoring in such a way that what’s good for the institution is also good for the learner.

Our purpose isn’t just to prevent students from cheating – we aim to create a testing experience that supports academic integrity in a non-invasive and fair test environment.

Honorlock strives to build confidence and trust with students that will strengthen their relationships with your faculty and institution.

Get The Student Test Anxiety Survey eBook

Tyler Stike

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

Webinar: Reducing Student Test Anxiety During Online Proctored Assessments

Get The Student Test Anxiety Survey eBook

In the ever-evolving world of online education, students are finding themselves testing under new circumstances that can add to their already existent test anxiety. Honorlock and the University of North Alabama partnered to conduct a detailed study on test anxiety and online proctoring. Learn about test anxiety drivers, how we can mitigate the impact of anxiety during exams, and help promote student success.

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

  1. How the average student experiences test anxiety (even when they feel well prepared) and how to reduce test anxiety
  2. What role online proctoring has on your student’s emotions
  3. The vital role of the proctor and how they engage/interact with students
  4. The basic steps and information you can provide to students for test anxiety prevention and reduction.

Speakers

Jordan Adair

VP of Product @Honorlock

Jordan began his career in education as an elementary and middle school teacher. After transitioning into educational technology he became focused on delivering products designed to empower instructors and improve the student experience.

Jill Simpson

Instructional Designer/Technologist,
University of North Alabama

Prior to her role as Instructional Designer/Technologist, Dr. Jill Simpson taught computer software courses for 15 years, with 10 of those years spent in the online environment. Now serving as the Instructional Designer/Technologist for the College of Business at the University of North Alabama (UNA), Dr. Simpson continues to teach online computer software classes for the BBA program, as well as an online foundational course for the MBA program. With an entirely online MBA program and many online BBA courses, the College of Business at UNA frequently strategizes how to optimize student learning and student satisfaction while maintaining the academic integrity of our online courses. Dr. Simpson’s role in this strategy is to research available technologies to determine which will meet our needs and then train faculty how to use it.

Jan Wilson

Organizational Development and
Learning Consultant

As an organizational development and learning consultant, Jan has provided strategic planning, process alignment, change management, curriculum development, and planning, as well as learning solutions to a variety of clients in pharma, healthcare, and state governments. Jan earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in information technology from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as a Master of Education in Human Resource Development from Vanderbilt University, also in Nashville, Tennessee. Additionally, she has served as adjunct faculty at the Peabody School of Vanderbilt University.

What is Honorlock?

Honorlock provides easy to to use, secure online proctoring services to protect your exams and support students. 

We combine AI proctoring software and live test proctors to protect academic integrity with a human touch. 

Our online proctoring software monitors each student’s exam session for potential problems and alerts a live, US-based proctor to join the session in real-time to address possible dishonesty.

In addition to our blend of AI software and live test proctors, our proctoring software directly integrates with your LMS and provides additional features such as detecting cell phone use and voices, video proctoring, browser lockdown, no exam scheduling, ID verification, and 24/7 support.

How to Get Student Buy-In for Online Exam Proctoring

An article from eCampusNews shared valuable tips from Honorlock to help higher education institutions reduce student anxiety and increase buy-in about online proctoring by educating, informing, and empowering students with accessible resources and information from trusted sources.

The article covers the following:

  • Building a foundation of student advocates for remote proctoring
  • Creating accessible help resources for students
  • Training instructors to build confidence and comfort
  • Encouraging practice tests and flexible settings

Online exam proctoring for university assessments has become a necessary tool to provide a flexible remote learning environment. But like any new process, people can be skeptical of the unknown. When students initially hear about remote proctoring, it can cause anxiety and stress. There’s typically a lack of information or there’s misinformation that circulates among the student population. 

But there are steps that academic institutions can take to put students at ease. By providing students with all the necessary information early in the process, universities can garner student buy-in and create a student body that supports online proctoring to help limit the number of questions and detractors.

Build student advocates for online proctoring

Fair and equitable online exams validate the time-honored academic agreement between an institution, its instructors, and its students. Students generally understand that creating a level playing field is necessary to support the integrity and value of their degree, but we shouldn’t assume that it’s top of mind for them. 

One way to help remind students that online proctoring benefits them is to build a student advocacy team. These students can be involved early on in the process, even helping to test and choose the university’s proctoring solution. These students can advocate by talking to students or classes, sharing information on university social or news channels, or acting as liaisons for instructors.

By creating and empowering a base of student advocates who can inform their peers, other students can more readily understand the need for online proctoring for university assessments and that it isn’t simply to prevent cheating. This can reduce feelings of anxiety and misinformation and reinforce the university’s commitment to a fair and equitable experience.

Have answers about online proctoring readily available for students

Helping students feel comfortable with any new technology requires openness and access. Students need information, and they want the information from a source they already trust and have a relationship with, not the company that manages the product. 

One best practice is for schools to create a central location for online testing information. For example, a page on the school website with information that students need about proctored exams and university policies. 

Information can include:

  • What hardware and software do I need to have to take a proctored exam?
  • How is my personal data secured? 
  • How does the proctoring software verify identity? 
  • What if I have an accommodation request? 
  • What happens if the proctoring software flags concerning behavior during a test?
  • How does the proctoring service ensure that all students are treated fairly/equitably?
  • Who do I contact if I have a problem or concern? 
  • What support is available for test takers?
  • How do I schedule a proctored exam? 

Make sure that your instructors can comfortably use the proctoring software

Students can pick up cues from their instructors.

If instructors are uncomfortable with the proctoring software and cannot vouch for it, students will notice. 

Teaching online can be intimidating for instructors, whether they are experienced in online instruction or teaching online for the first time. To mitigate that, give instructors time to get to know the proctoring software. Similar to how a university can create an information hub for students, the same can be done for instructors. If resources don’t allow for that, universities can hold a town-hall-style meeting in partnership with student representatives and the proctoring partner to answer questions.

The last thing a university wants is for students to feel like they can’t trust their instructors. Make it clear that proctoring is not designed to weed out cheaters, but to create a safe space for all students that encourages honorable exam-taking. If instructors can confidently answer students’ questions and concerns about the intent of online proctoring, students may be more open to the process. 

Encourage practice tests and offer flexible exam times

Online exams may be new to students, and even if they’ve taken online exams, this may be their first time using remote proctoring. 

Practice tests are a great way to ensure that students understand how to use the online testing platform and are clear on instructor expectations for online exams. The more experience students have with remote proctoring, the more comfortable they will feel with it. It also allows for greater exam flexibility. By providing different times to take an exam, students can choose a place and time that suits their needs – whether in a dorm, at home, or on the road.

Online exams are a great alternative to traditional in-person university assessments because they’re flexible and efficient. The right online proctoring service will offer students key benefits — comfort, convenience, and academic rigor. With so many advantages, it is important that remote proctoring is introduced to students in an approachable and understandable way.

Tyler Stike

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

Responding to Academic Dishonesty: Why and How to Use a Developmental Approach

Honorlock online proctoring platform LMS integration

Consider taking this approach to protecting academic integrity to prevent academic cheating while empowering students.

Considerations on a Punitive versus a Developmental Approach

To say that coronavirus was a major disruption to colleges and universities across the country could not be more of an understatement. Since Spring semester 2020, colleges and universities have been tasked with completely turning their worlds upside down in order to keep students engaged and learning while simultaneously keeping them safe. 

More than 1,300 colleges and universities in all 50 states canceled in-person classes and/or switched to online instruction as the pandemic accelerated.1 At least 14 million students have been affected.2

Delivering and consuming instruction was not the only challenge. The pandemic also altered nearly every aspect of college life. Students and faculty made it through canceling events, closing dorms and the demise of all the things that make college life enriching including peer groups, student/faculty dynamics and athletics just to name a few.

As students left campus and online learning increased, institutions also needed to ensure academic integrity for this enormous initiative. Testing paradigms had to shift – and shift quickly.  Honorlock alone provided over 6 million online proctored exams in support of higher ed during this time.

Making it through the pandemic

It has been over a year since the pandemic hit. The good news is the undergraduate grades have held steady and even improved at a number of universities that offered most courses remotely.3 That’s something to be proud of, considering all the fear of the unknown and plain hard work it took for faculty and students alike.

But all is well. Beth McMurtrie in “Good Grades, Stressed Students” goes on to say:

 “…Averages can hide a lot. Some campuses saw a rise in the number of students on probation or dropping out after a semester, even if average GPAs did not decline. Some campuses reported a significant amount of cheating, which may skew grades and suggest deeper struggles for students.”

Many students struggled to adjust to remote learning

The data also suggests newer students unfamiliar with college life, students on a lower socio-economic scale and students in community colleges fared worse than others. A new report from the National Student Clearinghouse found summer enrollment fell the most at community colleges and among black students.4

In the “Good Grades, Stressed Out Students” article, we meet Jackie Bell, a sophomore at San Francisco State University. All but one of her courses are virtual, so she has spent hours in her bedroom each day without talking to anyone. Other than a 9 a.m. live class three times a week, she watches taped lectures, takes notes, and works on her assignments until 6 pm.  

Jackie also had difficulty figuring out her path through college. She met virtually with someone in advising, but later found out they had given her the wrong information. She also tried to make an appointment with a counselor, but they were either too busy or when she did connect, they suffered from technical issues.

 “I already don’t know anything about the system,” she said. “Online I have to dig even more. There’s nobody telling me, maybe you should check this out.”

In that same article, Allison Calhoun-Brown, senior vice president for student success and chief enrollment officer at Georgia State University added:

“First-year students just didn’t know how to do college. They didn’t have a sense of where they could get support, how all this works, how to organize yourself well enough to know the deadlines.”

She continued:

 “A lot of the best research said that these classes should be taught asynchronously, but we found that students performed much better if the class was synchronous. There was probably a stronger connection to classmates and students.”

One professor at UC-Santa Barbara had students tell him they were expected to help out at home more now than before, cutting into study time. Parents were impacted – if they could keep work at all – with all the childcare challenges that COVID brought, for example. So siblings were expected to pitch in.

COVID created a perfect storm of change and stress, coupled with the need for students to “make the grade” in uncharted territory.

The need for online exam integrity is growing to include non academic settings

As investments in the digital delivery of online learning content increased significantly over the last several months, so too has the focus on administering high-stakes online exams to allow test takers to take such exams from their homes without risking exposure to COVID-19.5

And as important as COVID was in shining the spotlight on academic integrity – for online proctoring, it is quickly becoming even larger than academia alone.

Testing organizations have introduced home-based online versions of exams, such as the Graduate Records Examination (GRE), the Advanced Placement (AP) exams, and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam.

Corporations learned lessons from COVID as well. The remote work phenomenon opened up a new frontier in how and where work gets done, and it has spilled over into how certification paths for workers are delivered and administered.

Certification paths for skills development are on the upswing in corporate America, and it really began to take off as COVID struck. Just as in academia, online proctoring improvements enabled organizations to move from more expensive in person formats and enabled corporations to continue offering certification tracks virtually.

And we will have learned the lessons of COVID (hopefully) in order to apply them to the next pandemic in what has become a global village.

Online proctoring software will continue to improve

So, while we may all wish to debate the privacy concerns with remote proctoring, the reality is, it’s here to stay. At the very least identities need to be verified and abject cheating will need to be flagged, whether you are in an academic setting or a corporate one.

Will online proctoring continue to evolve over time? Most assuredly so. Will it happen fast enough to assuage students who feel they have had this thrust upon them in a very demanding time. Probably not.

What can we do to help students adjust and still protect academic integrity?

So what can we do to help our students adjust to this new testing paradigm? First, we need to consider looking at “cheating” through a bit of a different lens. There are really two different approaches here.

First, rather than look at proctored online testing as a way to “catch” cheaters, consider it a tool for visibility into how and why the academic cheating may be happening.

Secondly, we need to figure out what we should “do” with cheaters and their need to cheat. That’s the harder one.

For these questions, we turn to the work of Tricia Bertram Gallant, who Honorlock had the pleasure of working with at a recent Academic Integrity Online virtual seminar in conjunction with The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Dr. Bertram Gallant is an internationally known expert on integrity and ethics in education. She is a long-time leader with the International Center for Academic Integrity (ICAI). She is also the Director of Academic Integrity at UC San Diego.

In a recent UC San Diego newsletter article, entitled “Does Remote Instruction Make Cheating Easier”6 Dr Bertram Gallant breaks down remote instruction versus online learning in answering the following question:

Is it remote instruction that can increase the chances of students cheating, or more likely the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Unfortunately, we know much less about remote instruction than we do for online learning, which is very different from remote instruction. Online learning is planned, and often exams are still proctored (with either online services or required in-person proctoring).

Remote instruction is the mode of instruction in which students are temporarily separated from the instructor and course content is delivered digitally, as in the case of an emergency campus closure.

We don’t know if students are cheating specifically because of remote instruction. But we do know from the research conducted over the last 10 decades by behavioral economists such as Dan Ariely and psychologists such as Eric Anderman, among others, that human beings are more likely to cheat when:

        • They see or believe that other people are doing it.
        • There are temptations/opportunities (that is, cheating is situational).
        • There is a heightened state of arousal, stress or pressure.
        • The class rewards performance rather than mastery of the material.
        • The class reinforces extrinsic (i.e., grades), not intrinsic (i.e. learning), goals.
        • Instruction is (perceived to be) poor.
        • When it’s less likely that there will be costs to cheating.
        • They can disassociate their self-identity from their actions.

So, if remote instruction or the pandemic result in any of the above factors, then it is logical to conclude that there would be increased chances of academic cheating.

Consider a developmental approach rather than punishment when cheating occurs

Dr. Bertram Gallant’s work in getting to the bottom of why students cheat and then using the information to help students not cheat is of great interest.

Rather than a simplistic punitive approach “don’t cheat,” Dr. Bertram Gallant’s work revolves around developmental approach examples that use the student’s reasons for cheating and couple them with targeted mentoring based on those reasons to move the student toward a higher integrity stance. She sees this as fundamental to the responsibilities of each institution to the student.

In a recent Journal of College and Character article entitled Punishment is Not Enough, The Moral Imperative to Responding to Cheating With A Developmental Approach7, she writes:

The rates of academic cheating should not surprise us. Deception is used by all species as a strategy for survival and success, and so the act of cheating by students may be seen as a “natural and normal” (Stephens, 2019, p. 9) response to school systems and cultures that value “achievement, credentials, and getting ahead” more than learning (Galloway, 2012, p. 391). 

Consider the hypothetical student who is at risk of failing a class, the consequence of which would be losing their financial aid and thus their ability to pay their rent. In such a case, deception, rather than honesty, may be the intuitive, default response of the student, with honesty requiring more deliberative thought and reflection (Bereby-Meyer & Shalvi, 2015).  

This intuition toward deception is bolstered by what Ariely (2012) calls the “fudge factor,” our ability to maintain a healthy sense of ourselves as honest people even as we cheat. This “fudge factor” is on full display in the Josephson Institute survey—while half of the students admitted to cheating, 93% of them expressed satisfaction with their own morality.

This is not to say that colleges and universities should accept cheating as morally acceptable or inevitable (Stephens, 2019). Academic cheating is certainly not morally acceptable. When students cheat, even on the most minor of assessments, they are being dishonest (i.e., misrepresenting that they know, have done, and/or can do) and perpetuating unfairness (i.e., gaining a competitive advantage over those who have been honest).

As such, cheating represents an existential threat to academia because it not only undermines student learning (both academic and moral) but also the validity of its assessment and, ultimately, the integrity of the credentials conferred upon them.

She then outlines very clearly the differences between a punitive bias and a development frame.

Responding to Academic Misconduct: Presuppositions of Two Contrasting Approaches

You can see from the table that punishment is included in both approaches, lest you think there are no repercussions to cheating, but in the punitive there is little opportunity for change or learning.

At the end of this article she and her colleague, Jason Stephens, devised a call to action for institutions:

In this article, we examined why educational institutions fail to respond developmentally to cheating, choosing instead a punitive approach. We also examined the benefits and limits of both punishment and development.

In the end, we argue that when educational institutions adopt a punitive approach, they are declaring that students who cheat are simply incorrigible and incapable of learning and growth, or we are incapable of helping them learn from cheating, and so all that remains to do is punish.

We believe that we can do more than this. We believe that we must do more than this. This article, is a call-to-action, a challenge issued to all colleges and universities, but particularly those who are already dedicating resources to other activities that facilitate character or moral development (like service learning or ethics classes), to make the commitment to move away from the punitive toward more developmental approach examples for responding to cheating.

To do this, institutions can start small, perhaps by training a small group of people to have structured reflection conversations with students to help the students do their own assessment and begin their own education.

For those institutions interested and able to do more, perhaps consider a restorative justice process instead of the current judicial process or using existing resources on campus (like the writing or learning center) to create educational opportunities that students could take after an instance of cheating.

To go further, institutions can form a taskforce to analyze their current punitive approach, discuss and design a developmental approach, and then invest some resources into building up the structures necessary to support students in the aftermath of cheating.

These same structures and resources can also engage in preventative education and culture-building, so the institution is supporting integrity in all facets, but the goal of moving from punitive to developmental should be primary.

If we refuse to help our students learn from their failures—ethical or otherwise—we are failing our students and falling short of achieving our educational missions.

Online proctoring with a human touch to protect academic integrity

Honorlock’s mission is much more than catching cheating and delivers a better way to protect academic integrity with online proctoring that’s good for the institution and for students.

Our exam proctoring services aim to protect academic integrity and empower students. We take the online proctoring experience and make it human by combining the benefits of live human proctoring backed by smart AI proctoring software.

Honorlock’s philosophies as a company follow the developmental approach rather than the punitive, which is why we are sharing this paper. We value integrity, humanity, humility and courage – for ourselves and in our relationships with others. 

Our remote proctors are trained specifically on how to de-escalate the stress that goes with online proctoring so students can have a more human interaction with proctoring. Customers are able to adjust the online proctoring to more closely match their needs.

Our approach to the fine tuning of the AI that drives the online proctoring experience includes feedback loops so the product is constantly improving. Honorlock’s customers will attest to our focus on continually building online proctoring solutions and relationships that provide insight into a better solution for institutions and students alike.   

The pandemic isn’t over yet

COVID is a hard lesson that’s still being learned. We aren’t going “back to normal” as we knew it. But with communication, perseverance and the strength of our communities and colleagues, we are making our way through it.

Please consider adding a look at what your institution’s practices and philosophies are in terms of cheating.  If we are building a better model, perhaps it is time to include a change of direction in how integrity is approached, communicated and strengthened. Continue to be aware that different constituencies experienced the pandemic in different ways.

Here are some helpful Do’s and Don’ts we compiled that remind us of that humanity in learning.8

Don’t

  • Do not forget that we are still in a pandemic. Do not forget that it is also an inequitable pandemic.
  • Do not cause further harm. Do not support, enable, or endorse policies that perpetuate further inequities or fuel negative perceptions of students.
  • Do not ask students for their approval of a decision that has already been made. Instead, engage with them in advance to help determine a solution.
  • Do not require more proof of learning in an online class than you would normally require in a face-to-face setting.
  • Do not forget that this is not the educational experience students wanted or expected. Nor is it a test of online education. And in case you were wondering, it still will not be “online education” in the fall. It will continue to be a derivative of emergency remote teaching and learning.

Do

  • Use learning outcomes as a guide and means to design and focus educational offerings.
  • Listen to students’ voices and respond accordingly.
  • Modify assignments and assessments in ways that are flexible, use low bandwidth, and are based on the principles of equitable assessment.
  • Be aware of and address systemic inequities.
  • Engage in trauma-informed and healing-centered pedagogy and assessment

To learn more about how Honorlock can help your institution protect academic integrity and support students, sign up for a demo today!

Schedule A demo

Sign up below to receive more resources for tips, best practices, white papers, and industry trends

 Smalley, A., Higher Education Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19), National Conference of State Legislatures, Mar 22, 2021, https://www.ncsl.org/research/education/higher-education-responses-to-coronavirus-covid-19.aspx
2 Johnson Hess, A. How coronavirus dramatically changed college for over 14 million students, CNBC, Mar 2020, https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/26/how-coronavirus-changed-college-for-over-14-million-students.html
3McMurtrie, B., Good Grades, Stressed Students, Chronicle of Higher Education, Mar. 17, 2021, https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/26/how-coronavirus-changed-college-for-over-14-million-students.html
4Sedmak, T., Community Colleges, For-Profit and Rural Institutions, Black Undergraduates, and Male Undergraduates Suffered Most from Online-Only 2020 Summer Sessions, According to Latest Enrollment Data, National Student Clearinghouse, Sep 2020, https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/blog/community-colleges-for-profit-and-rural-institutions-black-undergraduates-and-male-undergraduates-suffered-most-from-online-only-2020-summer-sessions-according-to-latest-enrollment-data/
5Luna-Bazaldua, D., Liberman, J., Levin, V. “Moving high-stakes exams online: Five points to consider”, Education for Global Development, July 2020.
6Piercy, J., This Week at UC San Diego, Does Remote Instruction Make Cheating Easier, July 2020, https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature/does-remote-instruction-make-cheating-easier
7Tricia Bertram Gallant & Jason M. Stephens (2020) Punishment Is Not Enough: The Moral Imperative of Responding to Cheating With a Developmental Approach, Journal of College and Character, 21:2, 57-66, https://doi.org/10.1080/2194587X.2020.1741395.
8 Supiano, B., Teaching: Assessment in a Continuing Pandemic, https://www.chronicle.com/newsletter/teaching/2020-08-20 3/6

Jan Wilson

As an organizational development and learning consultant, Jan has provided strategic planning, process alignment, change management, curriculum development and planning, as well as learning solutions to a variety of clients in pharma, healthcare and state governments. Jan earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in information technology from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a Master of Education in Human Resource Development from Vanderbilt University, also in Nashville, Tennessee. Additionally, she has served as adjunct faculty at the Peabody School of Vanderbilt University.

How Does Six Sigma Apply to Higher Education?

Six Sigma is a process improvement methodology that improves higher education institutions by streamlining enrollment processes and administrative processes and improving student satisfaction.

In part one of this three-part series, we’ll cover:

  • What is Six Sigma?
    • What are the principles of Six Sigma?
  • Why does higher education need Six Sigma?
  • How does Six Sigma apply to higher education?
    • Streamlines the enrollment process
    • Improves student satisfaction and learning outcomes
    • Develops efficient administrative processes

Read Part 2 & Part 3

What is Six Sigma?

Simply put, Six Sigma is a methodology that improves organizational processes by streamlining operations, improving quality, and reducing defects in order to increase profitability.

Six Sigma literally means, “six standards of deviation,” and in manufacturing the goal is to strive for the complete elimination of defects when compared with the mean. Six Sigma’s DMAIC mode of action (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) seeks to improve existing processes that may be falling below specification and looks for ways to make incremental improvements.

Six Sigma’s goal, therefore, is to improve quality by identifying defects, establishing their cause, and improving processes to increase the repeatability and accuracy of results. By promoting efficiency and reducing defects, companies can improve quality and save time. They can deliver better products, which can contribute to increased engagement and confidence among employees. When that happens, the company’s bottom line is strengthened so as to better help drive it toward the top. 

Originally formulated at Motorola and taken up with gusto by General Electric (GE), Six Sigma has been credited with saving companies billions of dollars by helping them reduce errors and increase efficiency.  

Once leaders in industries beyond manufacturing saw how well Six Sigma was doing with GE and others, they sought ways to apply its principles to their own industries, notably service and healthcare. Now, it is making improvements in an unexpected place – higher education.

Why Does Higher Education Need Six Sigma?

At first, education and Six Sigma may seem mismatched. Fear not, academic friends! We know that most instructors provide intangibles of far greater value than can be measured by course evaluations, student satisfaction surveys, or alumni salary reports.

Many areas of higher education, however, can respond well to the Six Sigma methodology. Quite a few of the activities that allow colleges and universities to educate their students are repeatable processes that can benefit from applying Six Sigma principles. After all, we are always seeking ways to improve the way we serve students.

We understand the pressures that come with personal and institutional change, many of which were amplified by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As higher education moves forward, it will want to use the best tools it can to create the best outcomes for students and society.

How Does Six Sigma Apply to Higher Education?

A wise former university administrator from an Ivy League school once told me, “Universities don’t exist to create jobs for administrators.” He explained that he always kept in mind that his job, and the job of anyone in admissions, registration, finance, catering, and custodial services, was ultimately to make it easier for students to connect with the right instructors and right research resources. A successful college or university is one where the students can focus on learning and the teachers, enriched by their own research, can focus on teaching.

As implied above, not every activity that goes on in a university is as well suited to the Six Sigma principles as others. Below are three areas of higher education that can benefit from carefully following Six Sigma’s methodology of defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling.

Streamlines the enrollment process

It’s important to keep in mind that the enrollment process is a key part of improving student satisfaction, the institution’s overall efficiency which impacts revenue and operational expenses. Institutions need a streamlined enrollment process that’s controlled and efficient.

The enrollment process is often hindered with inconsistencies and unnecessary inconveniences to students and teachers. Using Six Sigma, institutions can address such drawbacks by identifying what’s working and what can be improved to keep the academic engines of your school running at full capacity. By identifying issues, schools are able to improve and better control enrollment processes.

Improves student satisfaction and learning outcomes

The Six Sigma principles, well employed, can indirectly empower students to achieve their best. With the right advice from the right academic advisor at the right time, a whole new world can open up, and students may see a direction that they vaguely wanted to follow but did not realize was actually possible. Six Sigma can help schools create the process whereby these crucial connections happen for every student. For teaching, it can help schools choose the right faculty members, fairly distribute service work, and better organize tenure and promotion procedures. It can even help schools do better benchmarking to identify and implement the best practices of other institutions. 

Develops efficient administrative processes

While the university’s mission does not include creating jobs for administrators, it simply could not function without good ones. The processes these administrators count on must run efficiently with each other.

Six Sigma principles can reduce variations and improve efficiencies in key areas such as:

  •   Admissions and enrollment
  •   Implementing learning technology
  •   Student recruitment
  •   Certification
  •   Administering grants
  •   Building and equipment repair and maintenance
  •   Procurement processes

In part 2 of this series, we detail how institutions can apply Six Sigma to streamline technology implementation. From evaluation and decision-making to implementation, training, and integration with existing technology – Six Sigma can drive efficiency at all levels.

Read Part 2 of this series: Streamline technology implementation with Six Sigma

Read Part 3 of this series: What does online proctoring and Six Sigma have in common?

Sign up below to receive more resources for tips, best practices, white papers, and industry trends

Want to see Honorlock in action? Schedule a demo.

Tyler Stike

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

Streamline Technology Implementation With Six Sigma

Follow the Six Sigma DMAIC process, which stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control, to improve the efficiency of technology implementation at your institution.

In part one, we introduced Six Sigma, which is a set of tools to eliminate defects in production and errors in administration. Six Sigma quickly expanded in many industries thanks to success with manufacturing and technology companies such as Motorola and General Electric. 

In part two of this three-part series, we’ll discuss:

  • Steps to implementing Six Sigma
  • What you need to implement Six Sigma 
  • How Six Sigma Streamlines the Process of Implementing Technology
We’ll use an especially relevant and timely example in higher education:

implementing technology for online proctoring across an institution.

This example is relevant because many universities and colleges were forced to move their educational programs to an entirely online learning format due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

With the sudden move to virtual learning, institutions realized that they needed a way to protect the academic integrity of their online exams and they needed it fast.

Luckily, with a streamlined six sigma implementation process, schools were able apply online proctoring technology in as little as two days. Here’s how the Six Sigma DMAIC process can help streamline any technology implementation at your institution.

Steps to Six Sigma Implementation

Applying Six Sigma starts with the addressing problems and helps your team identify the kind of project that will solve or mitigate that problem. Your team should follow the Six Sigma DMAIC process, which stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control. 

Six Sigma DMAIC Chart

Let’s look at each phase of the Six Sigma DMAIC process in further detail:

Define
The first phase of DMAIC is to define the problems.
By specifically defining the problem, you improve your chances of successfully delivering on your mission to improve quality and save costs. At this stage, you may use process maps and set out what improvements you seek and/or what benefits you will accrue from the project. In the academic world, identifying the problem is crucial.

Example: As previously described, one problem that quickly cropped up for many schools in March 2020 was how to quickly transition to a fully online learning format and prevent academic dishonesty on their online exams. Institutions had concerns that cheating would increase in an online exam environment. They knew that in an unproctored testing environment, students could easily search for test questions and answers, refer to their notes, and share exam questions with other students.

Measure
Once you’ve defined the problems, you need to measure and collect relevant data about them.

Example: the institution defined the problems they face with the transition to a fully online learning environment and the vulnerability of their online exams without online proctoring.

Now, the institution can collect data on relevant questions such as:
  • How many total courses will be online?
  • How many of the courses require online proctored exams?
  • How many students will be taking proctored online exams?
  • What is the average length of time for an online exam?
  • How long does it take to review an exam and submit the results?
  • How can we integrate online proctoring with our existing LMS?
  • What are the pros and cons of our current online exam proctoring system?

Schools will be able to gather the appropriate data in short order, as most of these are common statistics known to the deans of each faculty and the registrar’s offices. 

If you already have online proctoring software in place but you’re evaluating a new online proctoring system, gather data on the benefits and the complaints you’ve received from faculty and students about the current system. Then, categorize the number and type of benefits and complaints in order to efficiently review and prioritize.

During the Measurement phase, Dr. Jill Simpson of the University of North Alabama College of Business, held focus groups with faculty and students about their experience with online proctoring systems to determine their needs.

Analyze
Once you’ve gathered your data, it’s time to analyze it to identify the primary causes of the problems.

Example: After Dr. Simpson conducted the focus groups, she analyzed the data and identified the root causes of the problems for both faculty and students.

Improve
In this phase, you’re testing solutions to fix and repair problems. The goal is to find permanent solutions to improve the problems you’ve identified.

Example: Faculty would test the online proctoring system to address any deficiencies and improvements and then provide feedback based on their experiences.

Control
Once you’ve made the improvements, you want to control the original problem to ensure that it does not come back. Do so by institutionalizing the improved procedures and technologies and continue to monitor and document the continued success.

Example: In this case, the university implements the online proctoring system and creates procedures, strategies, and documentation to ensure ongoing success and use. The institution should continually monitor the effectiveness of the online proctoring system by collecting relevant data such as student performance on the proctored online exams and overall feedback, and make adjustments to adapt to the changing needs.

What Do You Need to Implement Six Sigma?

Researchers have learned that making the best use of Six Sigma requires focusing on a small number of key performance drivers. To make it all work, you need the following components:
Senior leadership’s full buy-in
They should be trained on the philosophy and principles behind the tools that will assist in implementation. They will take steps to manage the positive change in the institution and encourage a culture of creativity and innovation. Quality improvement teams include both executives and supporting administrators.
Establish communication with stakeholders
The establishment of open and close communication with students, faculty, and other stakeholders. Develop rigorous and replicable methods of obtaining and evaluating everyone’s relevant input.
Create a formal training process
A formalized training process for all stakeholders who will be doing things the new way. One of the benefits of Honorlock is how easy it is for students to work with and what minimal demands it places on faculty members. Still, as with any new system, good training results in smooth implementation.
Develop a standardized Six Sigma framework
Development of a standardized Six Sigma framework for continuous improvement. Make sure you answer your progress questions, “How can we tell that we’re improving?”, “What are our Key Performance Indicators?”, “What does success look like?”

Streamline Online Proctoring Implementation

Research shows that institutions that successfully implement Six Sigma perform better in virtually every category. With thoughtful concern for the ways in which everyone can do their jobs better and more efficiently, universities can streamline technology onboarding, increase enrollments, improve fundraising, control costs, better engage faculty and staff, and, ultimately, improve students’ learning experience. 

Honorlock online proctoring has many similarities with Six Sigma’s methodology because it provides faculty with the ability to define, measure, analyze, improve, and control their proctored online exams.

In the third and final part of this series, we’ll show you that Honorlock online proctoring and Six Sigma have more in common than you think. We’ll show you features and functionality that will define, measure, analyze, improve and control your online exams.

Read Part 1 of this series: What is Six Sigma and how does it apply to higher education?

Read Part 3 of this series: What does online proctoring and Six Sigma have in common?

Sign up below to receive more resources for tips, best practices, white papers, and industry trends

Want to see Honorlock in action? Schedule a demo.

Tyler Stike

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

What Does Online Proctoring and Six Sigma Have in Common?

woman proctoring online exam
In the third and final part of this three-part series, we’ll show you how online proctoring and Six Sigma technology have more in common than you think. See how you can define, measure, analyze, improve and control your online exams.

In our previous two blogs, we introduced Six Sigma—a methodology and set of principles that eliminate errors and improve processes—and then discussed how its DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) steps can help universities streamline technology implementation and  tackle a variety of administrative issues. 
Read Part 1 and Part 2.

Applying Six Sigma begins with defining the problem that needs to be solved. When the problem is protecting the academic integrity of your online exams and recognizing the need to implement online proctoring technology, Honorlock’s online assessment resources help you every step along the way. Let’s see how.

Define Your Problems

When you first reach out to Honorlock, you have probably already defined your problem and identified the need to protect academic integrity and improve the proctored exam experience for your faculty and students. 

We will work with you to define and identify exactly what needs to be addressed. Here are some examples:
Have your students reported that they underperformed on their exams because they felt anxious from being constantly watched by a live online proctor during their online exam?
Honorlock’s online proctoring blends the benefits of AI with a human touch. Our online proctoring software watches for possible violations, and records the student’s screen during the proctored online exam, but a live proctor will only intervene when necessary through a chat box. This can be a less intimidating and non-invasive proctored testing experience for the student.
Are your faculty tired of their test questions appearing on study sites without their permission?
Honorlock’s proprietary Search and Destroy software scours the internet for unauthorized copies of your test questions and requests that they be removed.
Are you concerned that students may use a cell phone or another device to look up test questions?
Honorlock’s online assessment resources have you covered with the industry’s first and only online proctoring technology to detect cell phones and other device use while a student is taking a proctored online exam. Our online proctoring software can detect when these devices are accessing test bank content during an online exam. Honorlock also captures a screen recording of the websites visited to provide evidence in the event of a violation.
Do your students complain about having to download bulky proctoring software?
Honorlock’s lightweight Chrome Extension takes moments to install, seconds to delete, and integrates seamlessly with your existing LMS.

Measure & Analyze for Better Performance

Honorlock makes it simple to measure and analyze the data collected in your online proctored exams. University of Florida psychology lecturer Ryan P. Mears found that out, much to his gratification: 

“I felt that I couldn’t trust my test scores before Honorlock. The analytics that come with the flags and real-time recording helped me to understand how students were approaching the course and what strategies they were using to pass the test. Honorlock helped me make sense of what was going on in my online course and it gave me confidence that academic integrity was upheld.”

Mears was able to adjust his questions to better encourage his students to show him what they had learned, which is what all course assessments strive to do.

“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. Because of access to the wealth of data/information through Honorlock, I became better able to utilize it,” Mears said.

Reduce Errors and Improve Efficiency

The budding scientists and engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute spend their lives thinking about making things work efficiently. When things weren’t going efficiently with WPI’s first online proctoring solution, the students and their instructors spoke up, and the administration responded.

After piloting multiple new online proctoring solutions, WPI chose Honorlock.

We provided them with their following top three goals for improvement:
  1. Successful proctoring of paper-based assessments
  2. Modest learning curve for students and faculty so they could focus on learning and teaching and not the technology
  3. Unlimited flexibility for students taking online exams 

Control Your Online Exams Cost Effectively

The WPI example showcases just a few of the many ways Honorlock can help you improve and thereafter maintain control of your proctored online exams. WPI began using Honorlock in 2019, but then worked with us to help them through the Covid-19 crisis in March 2020.

The entire higher education universe was thrown into turmoil as well, but, as another of Honorlock’s pre-pandemic clients, University of Florida’s Director of Distance Learning & Continuing Education Brian Marchman notes, there have been some “silver linings”:

“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 were able to make it work for us… We were over a barrel, and they didn’t take advantage of that.”

During that historic spring 2020 semester, Honorlock helped UF administer over 154,000 proctored exams.

Honorlock’s flat-rate cost per online exam or user allows institutions to accurately estimate online exam costs, saving time and removing concerns of variable cost hikes.

Control Your Honorlock Demo

The best way to see exactly how Honorlock can give you more control over online exam proctoring is by scheduling a demo. Here’s what we’ll show you:
Exclusive features and functionality:
  • Automated proctoring + live proctoring
  • Online exam question and content protection
  • Multi-device detection
  • Student authentication in less than a minute
Student experience:
  • Demo a online exam proctoring as a student
  • Student data privacy
Instructor experience:
  • Ease of online exam set up
  • Customizing proctored online exams and accessibility
  • Reviewing online exam reports
A number of our clients switched to Honorlock after experiencing problems with their previous online proctoring systems. Here are three reasons we are confident that more will join them:
  • You can implement Honorlock online proctoring in just 2-days 
  • We have over 300 higher education partners of all sizes
  • We’re proud of our 100% customer retention rate

Inspired by Six Sigma processes that have helped a number of different industries work better and save billions of dollars, Honorlock takes a controlled and efficient approach, offering your institution the best way to proctor your online exams, protect your academic reputation and helping students and faculty to thrive.

Honorlock is an ongoing partner to help you:

  • Define problems and the scope of your online proctoring needs
  • Measure and collect relevant data of your online exam proctoring success
  • Analyze your data to make informed decisions and adjustments 
  • Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your online exams
  • Control your proctored online exams and associated costs

Read Part 1 of this series: What is Six Sigma and How does it Apply to Higher Education?

Read Part 2 of this series: Streamline technology implementation with Six Sigma

Sign up below to receive more resources for tips, best practices, white papers, and industry trends

Want to see Honorlock in action? Schedule a demo.

Tyler Stike

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