Monitoring a computer as a proctoring functionality

Monitoring a computer is one of the functionalities that proctoring can offer you, and that can be key in the development of your company or virtual educational project in which the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies can be made in a delocalized and personalized way.

On the other hand, teleworking and remote testing are revolutionizing the methodology and supervision of people’s performance.

For all the reasons we have explained, we want to discuss how to monitor a computer and some of its advantages that you may not be aware of.

How to monitor a computer?

In general, you can monitor a computer remotely by installing tools that work in the background collecting certain information about its activity.

There are three ways to monitor what is done on a computer:

• Focus on a particular task.
• Checking activity in specific applications.
• Monitor everything the person is doing.

Many companies already use monitoring programs to monitor the activity of the company’s computers remotely or even locally.

There are multiple programs for this purpose on the market, so before choosing one, we recommend that you define your needs and objectives and always do so with the utmost caution so as not to infringe on people’s privacy.

Computer monitoring becomes necessary in online assessments because the tests are vulnerable to hacking and fraud. We will go into the details in the next section.

Monitoring a computer in remote testing

The most comprehensive way to monitor a computer in a remote test is to use a proctoring system, which comes from the word proctor, meaning to supervise, to watch over.

Advancing on the previous concept, proctoring systems create secure monitoring environments in an educational or training context to detect, among other actions:

• The impersonation of identity.
• The absence of the person.
• Plagiarism.
• The use of the Internet in the answers.
• The completion of the exam in a group through communication devices.
• Attempts to print or copy the exam screen.

In line with the above, Smowltech’s software allows monitoring that can be custom-configured and adapted to any online assessment or exam.

Thus, if you wish, you can configure a monitoring system in which the examinee has free access to tools considered necessary during the test.

In addition, as a complement, an excellent proctoring system should be able to integrate with different platforms or learning systems -LMS (Learning Management System) – and offer a report of all the elements monitored.

It would be best if you thought that proctoring could also help you in remote recruitment processes, as it is a fair and transparent way of evaluation.

Proctoring training applications

As you can see, using monitoring integrated into a proctoring system opens up many possibilities to increase the academic prestige of your project.

Here are a few more options you may not have thought of:

• Increase the performance of training departments.
• Define the student’s level on a scale such as, for example, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
• Improve online recruitment processes.
• Complete training processes using augmented reality.
• Preserve visual records for audits in certification companies.
• Democratize teaching by providing access to students from emerging countries.

We invite you to discover some little-known advantages of monitoring a computer.

Five advantages of monitoring a computer that you may not be aware of

Different methods exist to monitor computers within a company or educational institution and to create innovative contexts for secure online testing.

The advantages of monitoring are multiple and can add value for your employees or students.

Take a look at these five benefits:

• Increases efficiency.
• Improves decision-making.
• Identify errors before they become more serious.
• Promotes reconciliation and accessibility. Objectively compares test results.

As you can see, the advantages of monitoring are not just about supervision but also about improving performance. Let’s get into the details right away.

Increases efficiency

Monitoring the activity of both employees and students facilitates performance analysis and helps develop interpersonal skills.

Improves decision making

Knowing the difficulties in dealing with a problem or the time to solve an exercise or task are data that can be obtained by monitoring the activity and facilitating the development of decision-making.

Identifies errors before they escalate

Remote monitoring prevents serious problems by identifying errors or blockages thanks to the reports and thus being able to seek adapted proactive and customized solutions.

Similarly, the analysis of the test flow facilitates the planning of projects by adapting them to the realities of work and education.

Objectively compares test results.

Knowing the performance of examinees in real-time or through reports based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) helps to avoid unfair evaluation systems on the one hand and to be able to assess the results on the other objectively.

And finally, through this system, the examinee can self-evaluate and be aware of his potential.

Promotes work-life balance and accessibility

Teleworking, training, and online exams have been in high demand in recent years, enhanced by the restrictions imposed in the pandemic, and require an evolution in practical, simple, and effective assessment procedures.

Gradually, monitoring and proctoring systems are proving to be an optimal method of reconciliation with family life and a procedure accessible to all people with reduced mobility.

Consult our proctoring products if you want respectful, fast, installation-free monitoring. Request your free demo, and we will explain all the details.