Spring Break
Webcams a new tool in the fight against cheating
By: Staff and Wire
Issue date: 6/27/07 Section: News
An estimated 3.2 million students were taking online classes in the fall of 2005, according to the most recent figures from the Sloan Consortium, a group of online learning providers that studies trends in the field, and that figure is almost certainly substantially higher.
But many distance learning providers do very little testing, including some of the largest, for-profit ones such as the University of Phoenix, Capella University and Walden University. Officials at all three schools said they rely mostly on student writing assignments. They said the best method to assess their students, most of whom are working adults.
But Dubose said there will always be a need for assessment."There will always be a few cases in which it comes down to a test. I think the key is to have a variety of testing options available so the professor can pick the best fit for that situation. For instance, for small classes one-on-one, video-based oral exams may be the way to go, but that's certainly not feasible for a class with 400 students."
At Troy, like at many distance learning programs, past testing options have been less than ideal. One was to line up a proctor from a list of acceptable exam monitors such as clergy or commanding officers.
"We just assumed and hoped the proctor would follow the instructions," said David White, direct of the Southeast region for Troy. "In some cases they did, and probably in some cases they didn't."
The other was to arrange proctoring with a testing company and travel to one of their centers. But that was inconvenient for many students - and, of course, impossible for soldiers in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
The device will cost Troy students $125, White said.
Richard Garrett, a senior research analyst at Eduventures who closely follows online learning, said he finds the technology promising, particularly for large companies trying to streamline a now-messy part of their operation.
"I think technologies like this are redefining our whole concept of personal space and privacy. You don't think anything of a proctor standing over your shoulder while you take a test. One could argue that while you're taking the test, your living room (or wherever your computer is set up) stops being personal space and becomes a virtual extension of campus. Or, you could argue that it's creepy and you don't know who on the other end is engaging in voyeurism. Progress is messy, but we certainly live in interesting times," Dubose said.
Clearly, it won't be a good idea for everyone. Stephen Flavin, dean of corporate and professional education at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, said his institution is always looking at new technologies, but recording students by camera "would be probably pushing the boundary of our comfort level."
But many distance learning providers do very little testing, including some of the largest, for-profit ones such as the University of Phoenix, Capella University and Walden University. Officials at all three schools said they rely mostly on student writing assignments. They said the best method to assess their students, most of whom are working adults.
But Dubose said there will always be a need for assessment."There will always be a few cases in which it comes down to a test. I think the key is to have a variety of testing options available so the professor can pick the best fit for that situation. For instance, for small classes one-on-one, video-based oral exams may be the way to go, but that's certainly not feasible for a class with 400 students."
At Troy, like at many distance learning programs, past testing options have been less than ideal. One was to line up a proctor from a list of acceptable exam monitors such as clergy or commanding officers.
"We just assumed and hoped the proctor would follow the instructions," said David White, direct of the Southeast region for Troy. "In some cases they did, and probably in some cases they didn't."
The other was to arrange proctoring with a testing company and travel to one of their centers. But that was inconvenient for many students - and, of course, impossible for soldiers in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
The device will cost Troy students $125, White said.
Richard Garrett, a senior research analyst at Eduventures who closely follows online learning, said he finds the technology promising, particularly for large companies trying to streamline a now-messy part of their operation.
"I think technologies like this are redefining our whole concept of personal space and privacy. You don't think anything of a proctor standing over your shoulder while you take a test. One could argue that while you're taking the test, your living room (or wherever your computer is set up) stops being personal space and becomes a virtual extension of campus. Or, you could argue that it's creepy and you don't know who on the other end is engaging in voyeurism. Progress is messy, but we certainly live in interesting times," Dubose said.
Clearly, it won't be a good idea for everyone. Stephen Flavin, dean of corporate and professional education at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, said his institution is always looking at new technologies, but recording students by camera "would be probably pushing the boundary of our comfort level."
Be sure to include your name, major, and class year. Submissions without this information are subject to deletion.
By submitting a comment, you agree to thebatt.com's Terms of Use.
You may also send a Mail Call to The Battalion at mailcall@thebatt.com