You’re probably reading this article because you found it after searching for the phrase, “How does Honorlock work?” The fact is that “proctoring” is anxiety inducing term for many learners.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how instructors teach and test students. Today, many educators proctor exams in different courses. Honorlock is among the services that instructors use to proctor exams. Many colleges and universities have added this automated proctoring service to their digital learning and teaching suites.
What Is Honorlock?
Honorlock is an automated online proctoring service that enables students to take examinations remotely. Many instructors require learners to take exams via Honorlock when instructions or courses necessitate online proctoring. Perhaps, you may wonder, what is Honorlock extension, and how does it work?
This service does not require learners to schedule appointments or set up an account. Instead, the student requires the Google Chrome browser to download and install the Honorlock extension on their computer. Thus, there’s no Honorlock browser for students to download and install on their computers. Once you know what is Honor lock, the next thing is to learn what it does and how it works.
What Does Honorlock Do?
Honorlock is software that helps educators to prevent exam cheating. This system has mechanisms for deterring learners from sharing information or answers during exams. Today, Honorlock is popular among learning institutions that use it to preserve academic integrity. Ideally, this software uses innovative features to keep test information away from the internet.
Many university faculties use this software to schedule proctored exams for learners in ELMS-Canvas. A faculty can schedule an online exam in advance. The system requires the student to provide a facial recognition ID, photo identification, and the environment’s view. That means the learner must perform a Honorlock room scan before starting the exam session. Nevertheless, the instructor must include this option in the settings.
But can Honorlock proctoring prevent cheating completely? Some Honorlock reviews indicate that students can still cheat even when educators use this remote proctoring service.
How Does Honorlock Work?
Before taking an exam via Honorlock, a student must meet the following requirements:
- Have a desktop computer or laptop with Windows 10, Chrome OS, or MacOSX
- Google Chrome browser
- Honorlock Chrome Extension
- One monitor
- A microphone and webcam
- Reliable and stable internet connection
- A photo ID
- A bright and quiet location for taking a proctored exam
After meeting these requirements, the student uses the Google Chrome browser to launch Honorlock, log into the Canvas, and navigate the Course Homepage. Once there, the learner should click on the examination they want to take. Once there, they should click on the “Begin Exam” button.
Honorlock authentication will start immediately once the learner clicks the “Launch Proctoring” button. The exam session and timing begin immediately after the learner clicks the “Begin” button and end when they submit the exam. Honorlock records the attempt in the Blackboard.
The instructor can assess the student’s work from the Blackboard and, if necessary, view the proctored sessions’ results. The system concludes the proctoring activities on the browser after the learner exits the exam. The student can remove or disable the Honorlock extension.
A live proctor pops in if the learner encounters an issue while doing the exam. Nevertheless, the system takes some time to analyze the exam before it pauses it and jump-in. Honorlock proctors pause the examination and jump in only when the student does something the educators don’t allow.
How Honorlock Detects Cheating
Many professors use artificial intelligence proctoring services to detect, catch, and curb exam cheating. While this software isn’t accurate in all conditions, it provides a clue that the instructors can determine if a student commits exam malpractices. Here’s how this software detects cheating.
- Using webcam and video feeds: Perhaps, you’re wondering, does Honorlock record you when taking an exam? Well, the answer is yes. This software takes a video of the learner when taking an exam. That means the educator can view every activity the student engages in when taking the test and notice anything suspicious, like using a hidden note or book. Thus, Honorlock flags off and alerts the instructor upon seeing behaviors that suggest cheating.
- Identifying students with AI: Honorlock uses artificial intelligence for facial recognition and raises the red flag whenever it detects a face that’s not the one in the database. This software uses AI to capture the learner’s ID and photo to confirm that the student who does the exam is the correct one. What’s more, Honorlock has practical eye-tracking abilities. That means it can detect when the student peeps to steal others’ work.
- Detecting other devices: Maybe you’re asking, how does Honorlock detect other devices? Well, Honorlock can see phones within the network. That means it can detect any device that a student can use to access the test content during an online exam. What’s more, this proctoring service captures the screen recordings and any software the student uses when taking an exam.
- Monitoring sound, noise, and audio: Honorlock can also recognize and detect noise in an exam environment. It penalizes the learner if the noise comprises content supporting cheating behavior. This software uses a voice detection feature to detect phrases and alert the examiner.
- Employing the browser extension: This software uses an extension to monitor the browser and lock certain activities that learners can use to search for exam answers or cheat. In addition to monitoring, the extension prevents anything that can facilitate cheating. Thus, the Google Chrome extension alerts the instructor upon noticing anything suspicious. That’s why you don’t have to download and install Honorlock software on your computer.
How To Cheat Honorlock
Modern students use several tricks to cheat during proctored exams. After all, the internet has many resources to guide learners that want to cheat when taking proctored examinations. Here are practical tips to help a learner cheat when the instructor uses Honorlock to proctor an exam.
- Searching for answers online: Some students use the host operating machine’s browser to search for questions. The proctor’s add-ons can’t detect changes to the tab because the learner tests on another operating system.
- Using a virtual machine: A student can install a virtual machine before the exam. For instance, a learner can install a light operating system on a virtual machine, such as Ubuntu, and use it on a material day.
- Adjusting the computer’s webcam: Honorlock enables the examiner to monitor the student’s face. However, a learner can set up the webcam to allow the instructor to see below their face.
- Masking up: Students might require face masks during the pandemic, even when taking exams. But this face mask can bring some loopholes. For instance, a learner with a face mask may look different from the one on the ID. Thus, the software can lack an adequate mechanism for detecting the current learners who take the exam remotely.
- Using a silent keyboard and double monitor: A student can use a quiet mouse and keyboard to cheat Honorlock. That way, they can search for answers online on a different monitor and use them in an ongoing exam.
Honorlock Cheating Guide – Essential Things to Know
While students can use the above tricks to cheat Honorlock, they should avoid acts that can help instructors catch them. Here’s how to cheat Honorlock and get away with it.
- Know that Honorlock can detect phones: Many students ask, “Can Honorlock detect phones?” And as hinted, this software can see any device within its reach, including a phone. Therefore, students should keep their phones and any device that may suggest cheating away from the exam environment.
- Honorlock can detect screen mirroring: This software can see a screen-sharing activity on the computer the student uses to take an exam. That means the instructor can activate this feature to ensure that nobody can access and use a screen in the exam environment. Perhaps, you’re wondering, “Can Honorlock detect Mathway?” Well, the answer is yes. You require a phone to use Mathway, and this software can detect such a device.
- Know that Honorlock can’t scan your home network: Another question many students ask is, “How does Honorlock detect phones?” Well, this software may not check your home network or monitor data from any device on your network. However, it can assess the internet connection quality for a test-taking device. Additionally, there’s no Honorlock secondary device detection feature that the instructors can use to catch students that try to cheat.
Honorlock Privacy Concerns
Now that you’ve known how to cheat Honorlock and get away with it, you may want to know whether this software infringes on your privacy. The law requires instructors or faculties to give visual and verbal notification when recording any exam session begins. After receiving this notification, continuing to participate in the exam means the learner consent to the implied recording.
What’s more, many colleges and universities require instructors to write and notify the syllabus that they will use Honorlock for high-stake testing in the course. Also, the instructor should inform students through writing about the instructions they will face when taking the exam through Honorlock.
Honorlock complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. That means it records and protects students’ information according to FERPA guidelines and all applicable laws. Additionally, learning institutions prohibit Honorlock from using students’ data in other ways apart from the contracted services. Thus, any information the system transmits belongs to the learning institutions.
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