"Proctorio", on-line proctoring system for exams.

One of the main drawbacks of on-line instruction is the inability to actually see students when they are taking exams. This, of course, creates an opportunity for irregular test taking activity, cheating. Since that is an unfair situation for those who will not cheat various methods of on-line monitoring have been developed. They all rely on the ability of the student to record themselves while they are taking the exam. This requires that the student have a functioning web cam and microphone with an adequate wifi bandwidth to make a good recording.

"Proctorio", is such a system. Here are some guides to help you navigate, "Proctorio". There are also two lecture quizzes which are remotely monitored leading up to the real exam. Just to be clear, "quizzes" are the short, 5 or 10 point things in lecture and lab. "Exams" are longer, 50 questions each. They all fall under the heading of, "Quizzes" in Canvas but the point value is significantly different. Quizzes, with the exception of the two Proctorio practice quizzes leading up to the lecture midterm, are not monitored. All lecture and lab, "exams" are monitored. One thing to consider strongly: You'll be asked for an ID when you enter, "Procotorio". The best is a photo student ID, the worst is anything with personal information. DON'T use a driver's license or passport UNLESS you cover up everything EXCEPT your photo and name, like this:

Driver's license example with sticky notes.jpg

Look through these links to familiarize yourself with, "Proctorio" and please do so looooong before the practice quizzes.

Proctorio test taker’s guide
or: https://cdn.proctorio.com/guides/canvas/test-taker/getting-started.pdf

Proctorio has support for students. First, log into Canvas and use your smccd email account if needed.
Proctorio support center or: https://proctorio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

And, it works best on Google Chrome so will need to be sure you have that as a browser option.

Some other advice: Proctorio will kick you out of the exams if ANYTHING interrupts the recording, and, you only have ONE attempt so if you get kicked out, you're out. So, you need to close all other apps, open no new windows or files, etc. during the exams. The practice quiz settings are different, those settings are looser to allow you to practice more. But, it's real tight for the real exams, no emails coming in, no chat windows open, no access to other files, etc. The practice quizzes are still open notes but the lecture and lab exams are NOT open book/notes, just open brain. And, if you phone is synced to your computer and you get a call, boom, you're out of the exam. So, figure out how to make all that inaccessible BEFORE you get to the practice quizzes and exams. For your phone, either cut the sync to the computer and/or make sure your phone is turned OFF, not down, not silenced but OFF, dead, "Power down", "Power off", something like that so when Dad calls to say, "Hi", you don't get kicked out. That exact scenario has happened.

To record you taking the exam, and, in fact, for the lab exams in general due to the number of photos, you need a reliable and reasonably high bandwidth wifi. If you don't have that you should arrange to find it temporarily for the exams. Maybe pay for a phone hotspot with lots of gigs for 17 weeks. Arrange to use a friend's or neighbor's wifi, find a cafe you can park near, etc. And, regardless, if your wifi is not so reliable you should make some arrangement like that as a back up in case you need it. And, make that arrangement BEFORE you get to the exams so you can easily access it should something happen 5 minutes before you start to take the exam. Notify your back up of when you plan to start the exam and be sure you have such emergency access readily available. I can adjust exam access if things go wrong for you but you don't need the stress so, "A stitch in time saves nine" comes to mind. Set up your back up, "stitch in time" so that you save yourself 9 email stitches arranging adjustments after something has gone wrong.

Watch what you wear, it's a recording, I don't need to know if you're a boxer, brief or commando person and if you have a habit of laying on the floor to take the exams that low cut blouse shows more than I should be seeing. Dress as if you're in class, sitting at a desk with 100 other people taking that exam. Watch the back-lighting, that morning sunlight might look good on the flowers on the table but it obliterates your eyes and neither I or the computer can tell where you're looking. Soft, side light is the best. And, speaking of eyes, your web cam must be centered over your screen so the computer can see where you're looking. If you set the webcam off to the side your, "eyes on screen" time will be zero and it will flag your video for closer review. Use no notes, talk to no one and no one should talk to you, wear nothing on your head, no ear buds or headphones, hats, dark glasses or scarves (unless it's for a religious reason), play no music, it's just you taking the exam and recording it all. Oh, and don't try to talk to me or tell me you've had some issue on the recording. I don't review every second of every video. You can send me an email later and I'll take a look at it, don't panic, it's all adjustable after the fact. Just do the best you can at the time and, "Stay calm and test on".

Do those, "Proctorio" practices like they are real exams and you'll be much more comfortable when the exams come due.