There is no doubt that due to the establishment and spread of the internet worldwide, different ways that people are used to undertaking tasks and procedures have changed.
Various industries and sectors have also experienced a shift in their operations and routines, an excellent example being the education sector.
For example, unlike in the past, where students had to attend classes and undertake exams physically in a classroom, today, many educational institutions have allowed distance learning where their students can attend classes and sit for exams remotely.
This development has been possible by online proctoring platforms like Zoom.
In this article, you will get answers to fundamental questions about Zoom, like, can you cheat on Zoom exams? how do zoom classes work? among others
Can You Cheat on Zoom Exams?
You can cheat on zoom exams. Although zoom software will discourage you from employing various cheating techniques, it does not prohibit you from cheating on the exams completely.
This means that if you are determined enough to cheat on a Zoom exam, you may still cheat on the test no matter how difficult it might be.
Also see: Can you cheat an online proctored exam?
How to Cheat On Zoom Exams
Unless the instructor integrates Zoom with a lockdown browser, you can always use the methods below to cheat on your zoom exam. Before you do so, however, remember that none of the methods is perfect, and a serious instructor can always catch you cheating.
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The use of technological devices
Technological devices that students use to cheat in Zoom and other online proctored exams include Bluetooth devices and micro earbuds, smartwatches, advanced scientific calculators, and spy eyeglasses. These are usually small devices that you can sneak into the exam room comfortably without being detected.
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Screen-sharing
Screen-sharing is a common cheating technique mainly used by students undertaking Zoom exams from home. You would be sitting for the zoom exam in one room and have a relative or a friend accessing the exam questions in a separate room. They will then lookup for the answers and share them with you secretly without the proctor detecting.
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Hire an expert essay writer
This technique involves hiring a professional essay writer to undertake the Zoom exam for you. This is a common cheating strategy used by lazy students with deep pockets who want to achieve better grades. They do so through impersonation, whereby they pretend to be you before and during the exam.
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The use of traditional techniques
These techniques involve writing short notes on your lap, palm, piece of paper, or on the wall and using the notes to cheat on the exam. Many students still use this technique, but it is dangerous considering that a seasoned proctor will easily notice your unusual body movements through the webcam and flag you for cheating.
Can Zoom Tell if You Are Cheating?
If you are not careful, zoom can tell if you are cheating. While zoom software lacks advanced features like a sophisticated built-in artificial intelligence that can effectively recognize facial movements, keyboard activities, and browser lockdown features, if you are careless, you will be caught.
However, Zoom is still useful in detecting and curbing cheating among students and will tell if you are cheating.
When an instructor uses Zoom to invigilate an online exam, they normally require you as the exam candidate to have a webcam and a microphone on the computer that you will use to sit for the exam.
This webcam records your activities during the exam period, and a proctor on the other side accesses the Zoom live footage as the examination progresses.
Suppose you engage in dubious exam cheating activities such as trying to signal a third party to help you with answers, unusual eye, and body movements or searching the answers on the internet.
In that case, the webcam and microphone will be recording the whole time. If the proctor notices such weird activities through the live footage during the exam, they may flag you for cheating.
How Do Zoom Exams Work?
Course instructors prepare Zoom exams in four main phases, before the Zoom examination, just before the test begins, during the exam, and after the Zoom proctored test. All four stages work hand in hand to ensure minimal cases of exam cheating.
The instructor prepares the first phase some days before the Zoom proctored examination and involves mainly planning. During this phase, the instructor forms a team of proctors to deploy during the exam day and trains them accordingly to use Zoom. Furthermore, the educator instructs the candidates on the rules and requirements of the exam, sends them the Zoom meeting link, and accords them sufficient time to familiarize themselves with the platform.
The second phase is executed a few minutes, about fifteen minutes before the examination starts. During this time, the instructor starts the Zoom meeting and ensures that both the proctors and students are set for the exam.
The third stage is the period during which the exam is progressing. The instructor shares the rules and regulations of the exam, submission procedures, mutes the candidates and starts recording. During the exam, both proctors and the instructors check their monitors to detect any unusual activities from the candidates.
The last phase is after the exam is over. The instructor lets the students submit their exams through a preferred channel and allows the candidates to turn off their webcams and log out of the Zoom session. In case of any cheating suspicions, the instructor can review the footage on that particular student and determine if they cheated.
Can Zoom Proctoring See Your Screen?
Zoom proctoring cannot see your screen. Zoom has a policy that does not allow teachers and professors to see your screen during the exam period without granting them your permission.
This means that Zoom proctoring cannot record your screen either. The only thing that it sees and records is your surroundings and body movements using the webcam on your computer.
The only time that Zoom proctoring, your teacher or professor can see or record your screen is when you have allowed the screen-sharing option.
However, screen-sharing is discouraged because the examination candidates can see each other’s screens and hence each other’s answers and use them to cheat.
Can Zoom Detect Open Tabs?
Zoom cannot detect other tabs. If you have not selected the screen-sharing option during the Zoom proctored examination, Zoom will not notice other pen tabs, and hence the professor and the proctors cannot see if you have opened additional tabs. Zoom does not permit them to see your screen unless you are using the screen-sharing selection.
However, if you are using the screen-sharing option, both the professor and proctors can see when you have not focused on the platform for 30 seconds and above.
Even though they will not see the specific tab you opened, you will have put yourself in a suspicious position.
Conclusion
So, can you cheat on Zoom exams? By reading this article, you can understand that Zoom is not the best online proctoring platform to invigilate remote examinations.
Unless the instructors integrate the forum with other programs such as Canvas or a lockdown browser, Zoom will not serve its full purpose of detecting and curbing exam cheating.