Taylorians yay for hybrid exams, but nay for AI Proctoring

A student sitting for an exam physically at one of the classrooms in Taylor's University.

There isn’t usually much ado about final examinations for Taylorians, but this March semester it appears that some papers have a high possibility of being administered in hybrid mode.

According to the examination timetables for degree programmes released, those who have returned to campus will sit for their exams in a classroom or lecture hall environment while others might have the option of taking the exams online.

An excerpt from School of Accounting and Finance's final exam timetable for March 2022 semester, with some modules allowing students to sit the exam online with valid reason.

The timetabling department said that while hybrid mode ensures no student will be left behind, it is only for certain modules and students must provide a valid reason for the online examination option.

“For example, the China students are unable to travel back to Malaysia due to travel restrictions and occasional lockdowns whereas others might have visa issues,” the department explained in an email.

Students who have been granted permission to sit their exams online will be monitored through an exam software called AI Proctor.

Second year Pharmacy student Lee Kah Yee welcomes the concept of hybrid exams.

“They work well with written exams because some of us have long commute times and driving 1 to 2 hours just to attend a physical exam is unnecessary.

“I’m also not too concerned about cheating among the few people who would be sitting for the exam online because online exams tend to be invigilated stricter,” she said.

While AI proctoring services provide some sense of flexibility, some Taylorians are not so keen about installing the software onto their personal computers.

The automated proctoring programmes can capture system information, analyse keyboard strokes and also record the surrounding of exam-takers through their computer’s cameras and microphones.

Second year Business School student Charlene Yeo does not feel comfortable with how invasive AI Proctor is.

“With AI Proctor, you can't put on a virtual background, and I take my exams in my bedroom, so the examiner can basically hear and see everything in the background.

“Also, you can't mute your microphone. There are some occurrences I can’t control, like maybe my parents might simply enter the room and start talking about things related to our family, so that’s something I don’t want people hearing,” she said.

Nonetheless, Yeo applauded the university for doing its utmost best in trying to accommodate all students on the matter of examinations.