ProctorExam

ProctorExam is an online proctoring service run from an office in Amsterdam, which describes itself in its site title as "The leading European online proctoring provider." It works for test organizers, meaning universities, schools, certification programs and other institutions that deliver exams remotely, and it is used by their candidates, who sit the exam remotely under ProctorExam's monitoring. The homepage presents its online proctoring services as fully customizable to adapt to all remote assessment requirements, and the support pages describe two forms the exam can take: recorded tests, where the session is captured for later review, and exams with remote proctoring, where a proctor is present during the session. For readers of the assessment tools category, ProctorExam is the supervision layer around an exam the institution has already written; the institution keeps the grading, and the site points developers to its own API documentation for connecting the service to other systems.

How a ProctorExam session works

The candidate's journey starts with an email from their institution containing the link to the exam and the basic rules that apply to it. Everything runs on the web, so nothing has to be installed on the computer, but the candidate needs Google Chrome with ProctorExam's screen-sharing extension. Because that Chrome plug-in only works on laptops and desktops, the exam itself has to be taken on a computer rather than a tablet.

Before the exam, the candidate goes through a set of check requirements:

• Equipment. A laptop or desktop running the latest Chrome; Windows, MacOS X, ChromeOS and most Linux distributions are supported, as long as they run one of the two most recent Chrome versions.
• Identity. One step asks the examinee to hold an ID to the webcam and take a photo, which is saved. Accepted documents include a student card, passport, ID card or driver's license with name and photo, and candidates are told to cover private details such as a student number.
• Second camera. Some organizers require the camera of a smartphone or tablet as an extra view of the room. The candidate downloads the ProctorExam app, which runs on Android 8+ and iOS 15.8+, and connects it by scanning a QR code; if the phone disconnects, the app prompts a re-scan.
• Connection. ProctorExam requires a steady connection with a minimum upload speed of 1.5 Mbps and recommends a ping under 25 ms. It strongly recommends an ethernet cable for the computer, while the phone needs wifi for mobile streaming.
• Camera and microphone checks. Separate test pages let candidates confirm the webcam shows their image and the microphone picks up sound before exam day, and a guide covers camera and microphone setup.

During setup, the candidate sees exactly what the webcam and phone camera are sharing, so they can fix the lighting, avoid backlighting and frame themselves and their surroundings properly.

The rules candidates follow

ProctorExam publishes a clear set of default rules, and the organizer can relax some of them for a given exam. The candidate must be alone in a well-lit room. By default no extra devices are allowed, such as second screens or phones, with three exceptions: the smartphone when it is required as a camera, tools such as calculators when the exam instructions allow them, and medical support devices, which must be shown to the camera when prompted. Headphones are not allowed, because the recording must capture what the candidate hears. Any noise or talking, singing included, is analyzed for suspicious behavior. Toilet breaks are not permitted, since the candidate has to stay in the camera frame, and breaks in general are only allowed when the institution specifies them.

Institutions decide on open-book elements. Textbooks, pen and paper are allowed only if the institution permits them, and this is stated in the exam email. External web pages can be visited only when the teacher or institute names the specific sites. During the exam, the candidate can contact only the tech team, through the support chat window, or the proctor during a live-proctored exam.

If something goes wrong, the support pages set out what happens. A candidate who loses time to technical issues can stay in the exam after the countdown reaches the end of the session. A candidate who cannot start at all contacts the test organizer to reschedule, and one whose exam email never arrived asks the institution, which then contacts ProctorExam to trace the problem and resend the link. The support pages also keep troubleshooting guides, including a fix for Macs after the Catalina 10.15 update. Results come from the organizer as well, since ProctorExam states "We are not in charge of exam evaluation."

Data and privacy

The FAQ answers the questions candidates and data protection officers ask most. Data is hosted on ProctorExam's servers in Frankfurt, Germany. The test organizer decides how long personal data and recorded exam sessions are stored and when they are deleted. Teachers and managers can access the information collected on the platform, and so can ProctorExam staff. On what a proctor can see, the company says it "respects your privacy and complies with EU privacy laws," that it records video feeds and monitors computer activities to confirm the exam followed the organizer's rules, and that "A proctor cannot look into your files without a notification. Everything is registered in the log files." Separate privacy pages cover test takers and the company's general privacy policy.

Support and the organizer side

The site splits its help by audience. Candidates use the test taker support pages, a help center and a "Talk to an agent" option, and the homepage directs them to the chat for support. Partners and current clients email their ProctorExam account manager. The company lists its office at Herengracht 124 in Amsterdam with Chamber of Commerce number 60386932. The site shows no prices; organizations deal with the company through its account managers rather than a self-service checkout.

Who it suits and who it does not

ProctorExam suits European universities, schools and certification bodies that want remote exams under clear rules, with exam data kept in Germany and retention set by the institution. The mix of recorded and live-proctored sessions lets an organizer match supervision to the stakes, and the smartphone second camera adds a view of the room without special hardware. Candidates get detailed, plain instructions before exam day, which helps first-time test-takers.

Programs whose candidates only have tablets or phones will need another route, since the exam itself runs on a laptop or desktop in Chrome. Organizers who want proctoring and grading from one supplier should note that ProctorExam leaves evaluation to the institution.