Proctorio is a surveillance service software that works within Canvas, using a Chrome extension. Proctorio monitors students for "suspicious" behaviors, inspects students' surroundings, and records student IDs. This automated proctoring software lets instructors set the controls for each exam.

Use Proctorio in Canvas to: 

• Record video of the student while they take an exam
• Record audio of the student's surroundings
• Actively take control of a student's computer to prevent the student from using their computer for anything other than taking your test
• Detect and report student activity that you deem to be "suspicious"

Is Proctorio right for my class?

While considering whether or not to ask students to use Proctorio, please be aware of the concerns that students have expressed about the use of this product. See the many petitions by students around the world asking professors to stop using Proctorio. The following recent news articles provide an additional perspective for you to consider: 

• Cal State LA's resolution on the use of third-party online proctoring systems, May 6, 2021
• "The pandemic showed remote proctoring to be worse than useless", Doctorow , June 23, 2021
• "Colleges turned to software to catch cheaters during the pandemic — so why are some schools banning it?", MarketWatch, May 18, 2021
• "Schools Are Abandoning Invasive Proctoring Software After Student Backlash", Motherboard Tech by Vice, Feb 26, 2021
• "Class action: Northwestern's online test proctoring wrongly collected face scans, other biometric identifiers" Cook County Record, Feb 5, 2021
• "University of Illinois drops Proctorio due to significant accessibility concerns" Inside Higher Ed, Feb 1, 2021
• "What happens when you close the door on remote proctoring? Moving towards authentic assessments with a people-centered approach" To Improve the Academy, Dec. 21, 2020
• "2000 Parents Petition McGraw-Hill to Stop Using Remote Proctoring Tools" EdSurge, Dec. 17, 2020
• "Automated Proctors Watch Students. Now Senators Are Watching These Companies" EdSurge, Dec. 8, 2020
• "Big Ed-Tech Is Watching You: Privacy, Prejudice, and Pedagogy in Online Proctoring" Brown Political Review, Dec. 6, 2020
• "Blumenthal Leads Call for Virtual Exam Software Companies to Improve Equity, Accessibility & Privacy for Students Amid Troubling Reports" Richard Blumenthal United States Senator for Connecticut, Dec. 3, 2020 
• "College Students Are Learning Hard Lessons About Anti-Cheating Software" Voice of San Diego, Nov. 30, 2020
• "Guidance on Online Assessment and Proctoring Software" Contra Costa College Distance Education Committee, Oct. 29, 2020
• "An Exam Surveillance Company Is Trying to Silence Critics With Lawsuits" Vice, Oct. 21, 2020
• "SFSU Academic Senate Resolution on Third Party Proctoring" San Francisco State University, Sept. 2020
• "How It Feels When Software Watches You Take Tests" New York Times, Sept. 29, 2020 
• "Students Are Pushing Back Against Proctoring Surveillance Apps" Electronic Frontier Foundation, Sept. 25, 2020
• "Online Proctoring – Impact on Student Equity", Online Network of Educators, June 1, 2020
• "Surveillance U: Has Virtual Proctoring Gone Too Far?", YR Interactive 

If you decide to ask students to use Proctorio, we encourage you to:

1. Inform students prior to registration what software and hardware they will need. You can do this via your Orientation Letter
2. Install the software on your personal computer in your personal space to understand the user experience
3. Know how you will accommodate students with neuromuscular conditions or disabilities that prompt them to move their bodies in ways that don't conform to the parameters of this product
4. Know how you will protect the privacy of non-students who are captured in the recording of the proctoring session (e.g. young children who cannot be left unattended by their parent)
5. Know how you will accommodate students who cannot afford a device with a web cam or microphone
6. Know how the settings you choose align with the California Privacy Rights Act.

Setting up Proctorio in Canvas

1. Enable "Secure Exam Proctor" in your courses' navigation menu (under Settings)
2. Enable Proctorio in your quiz
3. Provide information for students on what to expect, how to prepare for, and where to get help, when taking a Proctorio proctored quiz
4. Consider including a low-stakes practice Proctorio quiz so students can become familiar with the software and testing environment (see below 'Student Proctorio Information & Support). 

Student Proctorio Information & Support

• Download from Canvas Commons this student support page "Test-Taking with Proctorio", (created by Gary Collis) https://lor.instructure.com/resources/92a8d3d7227f4e7698129a0777d408c4?shared 
• Proctorio Support for Test Takers
• Getting Started with Proctorio - Student Guide

Faculty Proctorio Guides:

• Getting Started with Proctorio - Quick Start Faculty Gu​ide 

What other tools can I use to help ensure assessment integrity? 

Please see below articles for best practices, strategies and ideas for creating authentic assessments without the use of proctoring software:

• Best Practices for Remote Examinations - UC Berkley
• Strategies for Canvas Assignments & Facilitating Activities - Indiana University
• Strategies for Assessing Learning in Canvas - Indiana University
• Strategies for Preventing Academic Integrity Issues - Penn State
• Ideas for Alternative Assessments - Linked In