Proctoring in Digital Courses

Based on discussion and guidance from the UCDC Digital Education Subcommittee, the Office of the Provost does not allow exam proctoring in any online form for a variety of reasons outlined below. Instructional Designers at the Hub for Teaching and Learning Resources are available for consultations on assignment redesign and other pedagogical strategies for reducing cheating.  Canvas Support Personnel are available for consultations on use of Canvas strategies and integrated tools for reducing cheating and/or plagiarism.

Students are expected and required to follow UM-Dearborn’s Academic Code of Conduct at all times.  Prohibition of proctoring does not change the code of conduct or endorse cheating, plagiarism, or other potential violations in any way.

Students should not be required to have cameras enabled while attending synchronous class meetings online via zoom or other video conference tools.

In 2025, the UCDC Digital Education Subcommittee reviewed current research on online test proctoring, which highlighted significant concerns regarding equity and privacy. Online proctoring promotes surveillance over trust, by framing students as potential cheaters to justify invasive measures, and proctoring systems can exacerbate student anxiety and distress. AI-based proctoring tools can discriminate against students of color and those with disabilities because these tools often struggle with algorithmic biases in facial recognition, leading to disproportionate false positives. Privacy concerns are amplified by the storage of personal data, risking exposure through data leaks. 

While research suggests varying efficacy of online proctoring in reducing cheating, no system fully prevents academic dishonesty. Accordingly, alternatives such as open-book exams, question randomization, and formative assessments are recommended to enhance fairness and minimize misconduct, suggesting a shift towards more thoughtful instructional design in online education. For support in modifying class assessments, the Digital Education Subcommittee recommends the following resources:

• Hub for Teaching and Learning Resources
• UM-Dearborn Digital Education

More specific information on several different methods of online proctoring is available below:

Online Proctoring via Third-Party Services

Third-party proctoring services come at a cost to either the university or directly to students.  This proctoring method also has privacy concerns, constraints on equitable access, increased stress for students, can have false positives, and students can still cheat without being detected.

Online Proctoring By UM-Dearborn Faculty via Zoom or Similar Tools

While this method is usually available without any additional cost to the university or students, many of the same concerns about third-party online proctoring apply here as well: privacy concerns, constraints on equitable access, increased stress for students, and the inability to detect many methods of cheating. In addition to those concerns, monitoring each student taking the exam can be very time consuming if done one-by-one and is often ineffective when trying to monitor multiple students (especially the entire class) at one time.  With asynchronous courses, students’ various schedules would all have to be accommodated as well.

Lockdown Browser Services

Lockdown browser services are not available at UM-Dearborn, as they are easily circumvented in the online environment, require students to use specific devices, and only support a very limited number of assessment tools.

Outside of Scheduled In-Person Meeting Times

Faculty may give tests and exams during any normally scheduled in-person meeting times.  Requiring students to come to campus on days or times not included on the normal course schedule or final exam schedule is not permitted, as it can interfere with other courses the student is enrolled in or with the student’s work schedule or home life.

For Online Courses

Students registered for online courses are not expected to have any in-person requirements, either on-campus or in any other location.  In-person proctoring is not a valid option for online courses.

For any questions or more information, please contact [email protected].

Last reviewed and updated on May 12, 2025.