Online Instruction
If tests are administered online, how can the instructor be certain the person taking the test is doing so in an academically honest manor?
Hi Stephanie, I have heard of several situations where people have been paid to take an online course, so I believe it is an issue. The Chronicle of Higher Education did a piece on a person who is paid to write papers for graduate students and even wrote a learner's dissertations!Tina
Hi Matthew, the only type of online testing we do are quizzes to help learners monitor their understanding of major concepts. I think if an online course is going to use tests to evaluate outcomes, they should require the learner to take the test in front of an approved proctor. Tina
Physcially it seems like you really can't ensure that the person who is enrolled is the person being assessed. However, it is very unlikely that people would be convinced to complete assessments or degrees for that matter in the name of other people.
If someone uses other people to bounce the ideas off of while taking the assessment learning is occuring just the same. Part of the point of an assessment is to touch the material again anyway.
