A ProctorU incident report documents something proctors observed during an exam that may conflict with the exam’s rules. It isn’t a finding that a student cheated. According to materials from Meazure Learning, the company behind ProctorU, the incident report goes to the instructor, and it’s the instructor’s responsibility to review it and determine whether an academic integrity violation actually occurred. What happens next depends on the school’s own process.
A note on tools and policies: proctoring services are updated regularly, and features vary by service level and by what a school selects. Schools also set their own rules for how proctoring results are used. This article describes ProctorU as Meazure Learning and schools using it have published. The current documentation and the school’s current policies are the controlling sources.
How Is ProctorU Different From Other Proctoring Tools?
ProctorU combines software with human proctors, rather than relying on automated flags alone.
Depending on the service level a school chooses, a live proctor may watch the session as it happens, or the session may be recorded and reviewed afterward. Meazure Learning states that its proctors review exam sessions, and that every session is reviewed by at least two trained professionals before suspected and confirmed incidents are submitted to the testing organization.
Who Sets the Rules ProctorU Enforces?
The instructor does. Guidance published for instructors using Meazure Learning states that instructors are responsible for setting the rules for remotely proctored exams, and that those rules are used to determine what kind of event is flagged as a potential infraction.
That means the same behavior can be allowed in one exam and flagged in another, depending on the rules the instructor set.
What Do ProctorU Proctors Look For?
According to Meazure Learning, its proctors look for potentially unusual behavior, such as a test-taker looking off-screen, accessing unpermitted materials, speaking aloud, or allowing other people in the room.
During live proctoring, Meazure Learning states that a proctor can communicate with the test-taker through the webcam, and that if suspicious behavior is detected, an intervention specialist may be brought into the session.
What Is in a ProctorU Incident Report?
An incident report documents what proctors observed. For its recorded review service, Meazure Learning states that the report includes documented notes, a video recording of the test-taker, a screen recording, and chat logs.
Meazure Learning also states that for that service, the platform flags patterns of suspicious activity, but an incident report isn’t created unless a certified proctor reviews the situation and confirms the activity isn’t allowed under the exam’s rules. ProctorU’s materials for faculty describe incidents being categorized by type and severity.
Who Decides If a Student Cheated?
The instructor and the school do. Guidance for instructors using Meazure Learning states that it is the instructor’s responsibility to review the incident report and determine whether an academic integrity infraction has occurred, and that infractions may be resolved by the instructor or through the school’s adjudication process.
An incident report records what was observed against the exam’s rules. Questions such as why something happened, whether it was intentional, and whether it actually affected the exam are decided through the school’s process. For more on online exam cases, see flagged for cheating in a proctored exam and the potential dangers of online proctoring services.
Common Misconceptions About ProctorU Reports
“ProctorU found me guilty.” Meazure Learning’s materials place the decision about whether a violation occurred with the instructor and the school.
“Human review means the report is final.” Proctors confirm that something conflicted with the exam’s rules; the instructor and school decide what it means.
“Every exam has the same rules.” Instructors set the rules, so what is flagged can differ from exam to exam.
“The report is just a note.” Incident reports can include video, screen recordings, and chat logs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a ProctorU incident report mean I cheated?
No. Guidance for instructors using Meazure Learning states that the instructor is responsible for reviewing the report and determining whether an academic integrity infraction occurred.
Who reviews ProctorU exam sessions?
Meazure Learning states that every session is reviewed by at least two trained professionals before suspected and confirmed incidents are submitted.
What is included in a ProctorU incident report?
For its recorded review service, Meazure Learning states that reports include documented notes, a video recording of the test-taker, a screen recording, and chat logs.
Who decides what ProctorU flags?
The instructor sets the exam’s rules, which are used to determine what is flagged as a potential infraction.
Representation for Students Flagged by ProctorU
Every case turns on its specific facts and on the school’s policies as they stand at the time of the case, and both proctoring services and school policies change. Attorney Richard Asselta is a student defense attorney who represents students facing online exam and academic misconduct allegations at colleges and universities nationwide. Call 855-338-5299.