Wearable technologies and their link to e-proctoring

Wearable technologies. You may not be familiar with this term, but if we tell you that you probably wear one on your wrist, you may have a clue as to what we are referring to.

Activity bracelets, smartwatches, or Bluetooth headsets are an example of wearable technologies or small devices you can carry with you.

But what if we told you that this technology could be advantageous in the online exam-proctoring world? Would you believe us? 

Keep reading because this post will explain in depth what wearable technologies are, their main advantages and disadvantages, and how they can be linked to e-proctoring.

What is wearable technology?

The definition of wearable technology tells us that they are portable electronic devices that can be worn on the body or hung on clothes. 

They are devices that are designed to be integrated with the user’s daily life, providing information and services through sensors and internet connectivity. Examples of wearable technologies include smart watches, fitness wristbands, smart glasses, or earphones, among others.

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What are the main digital wearable technology devices?

Although we have already briefly previewed them in the previous paragraph, let’s take a look at some of the primary devices considered wearable technologies:

Smartwatches: As their name suggests, they combine the functions of a conventional watch with those of a smartphone, allowing you to receive notifications, make calls or detect heart rate, among many others. The best-known devices of this kind are the Apple Watch and those of the Garmin brand.

Physical activity wristbands: these devices measure the user’s physical activity and health status, including the number of steps, sleep quality, and heart rate, among others. They are often replaced by consumers for a smartwatch, although these have the advantage of a longer battery life with considerably more capacity. 

Smart glasses: these are glasses that provide information and entertainment through a screen located on the lens. That allows for playing videos or interacting with virtual reality, among other functions. Some time ago, Google Lens was presented to the world, and Ray-Ban and Canon even launched them on the market, but the truth is that their use has not yet become widespread. 

Wireless headphones are one of the wearable devices we can see more on the streets. As you may already know, they allow you to listen to music and make calls without taking your phone out of your pocket. There are different formats: in-ear, earbuds, or the classic headphone format.

Smart clothing: although not yet widespread, there are also garments with built-in sensors that measure physical activity and health. For example, intelligent belts that measure the wearer’s posture.

The reality is that these are just a few examples of digital wearable devices. Still, technology is constantly advancing, and new (and incredible) proposals are expected to emerge in the future.

How can they be applied to e-proctoring?

At Smowltech, we are experts in e-proctoring; precisely for that reason, we like to be updated on all the technological possibilities available to us. Wearables are one of those technologies. 

E-proctoring definition

You already (probably) know that e-proctoring is the use of technology to supervise and evaluate students during online exams or certifications. But could wearable technologies be used in this regard?

At this moment, there is not much use of these types of tools in the ed-tech world, although it is likely that we will see new and innovative applications over time.

In any case, our current bet is that wearable technologies could be applied to e-proctoring in the following ways.

Identity verification

Wearable technologies could be used to verify a student’s identity during an online exam, ensuring that the person taking the exam is the same person who registered. This could be done through voice recognition, or if the device has a camera, it could be analyzed through a photograph, just as is currently done with computers and smartphones.

Activity monitoring

Nowadays, wearable technology also allows us to search on Google and get information for an examinee through voice, for example. In any case, an activity monitoring system similar to our SMOWL CM could also be designed for these particular devices.

Camera control

Wearable technologies can be used to control the camera during an online exam, ensuring that the student is not viewing external material during the exam. If you have an Apple Watch, you can try it now to see how the system allows you to view the image from your smartphone camera and remotely take a photo/video.

Location verification

Like any mobile device, wearables can also be used to verify a student’s location during an exam, ensuring that the student is not in a different location than the one registered. This is important if proctoring is done in face-to-face exams or if it is mandatory to be within a specific geographical boundary.

How will this technology evolve in the future?

We must highlight the positive social impact that the standardization of education systems using wearables can bring. As with all previous technologies, they can bring security and efficiency to the evaluation process, thus improving the quality of education. 

However, some disadvantages are also to consider, such as privacy concerns or technological discrimination. Not all students have access to wearable technologies, which can lead to inequality in assessment and education.

As you may have noticed, there is still no widespread use of wearable technologies concerning e-proctoring. We can assure you nowadays that the fairest, most reliable, and complete evaluation processes are the ones you can perform with SMOWL proctoring tools, available for computers and tablets. 

Ask us for a free demo and find out why we say so.

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