Monitoring with video conference tools
- Kadri Kiho
During the exam students can be monitored by using webinar software. To do this, students should be asked to share a video of themselves and, if possible, a computer screen while they take the exam.
The disadvantage of webinar software is that the educator only sees the students in the (physical) environment where the exam is taken, not what the students do on the computer. When using this method, it is possible to minimize the possibility of using outside assistance, but not to avoid it.
If the exam is taken one student at a time, the student can be asked to share his or her screen. If there are several exam takers, Zoom and Jitsi Meet allow them to share screens simultaneously. To monitor, the teacher needs to switch between the screens shared by the students one by one.
Software | Video sharing | Screen sharing |
|---|---|---|
By default 9 videos at a time. When ten or more participants have the cameras on, a large gallery layout can be used (up to 49 video images). | Only one user at a time. | |
It is recommended to share up to 16 videos at a time.
| Only one user at a time. | |
Zoom | Maximum of 49 video images fit on one page. | Multiple students can share the screen simultaneously if the event host permits, but you must switch between them to watch. NB! Adjust event settings so that students can't view each other's screens. |
Jitsi Meet | It is recommended that no more than 35 videos are shared simultaneously. After 25 users (5 × 5 grid) you must scroll to see the remaining users. | Multiple students can share the screen simultaneously, but you must switch between them one by one to watch. NB! Adjust event settings so that students can't view each other's screens. |
Skype | Four participants at the same time. | Only one user at a time. |
* Some problems can occur when using BBB on Apple devices. All the features of BigBlueButton are available on iOS except screen sharing (Safari Mobile does not support screen sharing on iOS).
Conditions for using webinar software for exam monitoring
Written consent must be requested from students.
If the student does not agree to exam monitoring, another way of taking the exam must be guaranteed following the current arrangements of studies.
We recommend that you do not save your exams. If recording is necessary, students must be notified in advance of the recording and a prior written consent must be asked. Students must also be informed of how long the recordings will be kept. Recordings of exam performance are allowed to be kept until the end of the semester.
The person responsible for deleting the data must be stated.