The world is changing and so is Technology. It is being explored worldwide and newer concepts are coming in view, one being - the use of artificial intelligence in everything, including examinations.
Changing times with Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the capability of machines to imitate human intelligence. It has affected user's interaction with the Internet and electronic devices in many ways. AI has changed the way of living and impacts our lives multifold. It impacts the way we work, eat, or go around the world. It, most importantly, has affected education - the way we study, the way we attend examinations and what not!
How has AI impacted examinations?
AI has made it possible to conduct examinations online in a format very similar to the physical examinations. With features such as online invigilation, gatekeeping, and pre-decided time limits, the examinations remain as traditional as ever. The same discipline, despite the remote locations, is possible only because of AI. There are multiple AI-enabled features of online exams that keep exams as traditional as ever and yet secured:
Proctoring can be defined as keeping an eye on candidates to avoid malpractices by them. Online proctoring enables tracking and viewing candidates that creates a secured and safe environment against malpractices. Either a physical proctor is present at the other end or assessments are auto-proctored with the help of AI.
- Audio Recognition
Any inappropriate sound such as someone else?s voice in the room is detected, and candidates are alerted and warned.
- Face Tracking and Recognition
Malpractices are flagged if any movement is found, unwarranted application is opened, or a proxy is found during the test by issuing a warning. Also, the AI trains itself by registering candidate's photos so that if there is a proxy, the assessment is immediately stopped.
- Object Recognition
Any object that facilitates any kind of malpractice, such as a mobile phone, is detected and the test is immediately paused by AI.
Which areas do these exams cater to?
These AI-driven assessments do not only cater to higher education institutions, but also, they cater to areas such as corporates/enterprises, industries, and the government. There are multiple ways in which AI has helped revamp development organizations/institutions:
- Be it entrance exams for colleges and institutes, semester exams, employability tests & programs, or anything else related to higher education - AI empowers Higher Education in various ways.
- Through tailored assessments for the primary Education sector, AI also caters to school examinations in multiple ways.
- Through personality, psychometric, aptitude, and language skills assessments, finding the right fits for the right job roles has become extremely easy. Organizations conduct these assessments to see whether candidates are perfect for them or not, and whether the jobs being offered to candidates are perfect for them or not.
These tests have also made the hiring process hassle- and chaos-free. Candidates and organizations have both come at ease because of this world-changing innovation. The results can be evaluated in a jiffy and the best candidates can be taken further for other rounds.
- The government also uses these AI-driven assessments for various purposes. It works on several reports that require surveys and assessments to measure certain skills and determine newer trends.
Be it the audits that take place, or the reports that we get annually by the government, everything is taken care of by AI-driven surveys and assessments.
Proctored Assessments and Primary Education (K-12)
With the evolution of AI, the online examination culture has been adapted by a lot of schools for kindergarten to senior secondary. Various competency assessments, such as Olympiads, are conducted online, driven by AI. School teachers can also be assessed for discipline and training using AI-driven assessments. This helps schools hire the best role models for the upcoming & growing youth.
Proctored Assessments and Higher Education
Due to external factors such as COVID-19, there has been a shift in the exams -from old pen & paper exams to online proctored exams. This shift has helped universities and institutions host exams without any stress or burden. It also has helped students attend exams in comfortable environments, within their own personal spaces.
From preparing the exams, to invigilation and maintaining the decorum & discipline, everything is taken care of online. This has further helped the education sector in the in-depth evaluation of the student's academic life cycle. It provides students, teachers, and parents with all the academic whereabouts and helps boost academic growth.
Proctored Assessments and Enterprise/Corporate
arlier, assessing 100s and 1000s of candidates via face-to-face interactions was a chaotic process - so many potential candidates and so much time invested in their recruitment! Now, the recruitment process has become smooth and efficient with several assessments, held online and proctored to find the right fit for corporates and enterprises.
The entire procedure before the personal interviews is taken care of across areas such as pre-hiring, lateral hiring or campus hiring. Across enterprises and corporates, proficiency tests and team surveys are also very commonly used to assess how the existing employees are. The process of learning and development, determining employee's performances, and measuring potentials has become super easy and super quick.
Proctored Assessments and Government
Government is that one entity on which the entire country relies, and it's important that it works efficiently. Since everything has come online, even the government isn't lagging behind. It is walking hand-in-hand with today's technology and improving each and every moment. Even government offices and organizations have started hiring through online proctored exams. Not only hiring, but the government also carries out auditing practices and training assessments for government teachers to bring betterment in the education and industrial sectors. With all of this, there is another thing that the government does - it carries out reports in relation with gender roles, skills gaps, etc.
AI has brought about a change in every single entity, sector, and aspect of work & life - making processes easier, efficient, and more robust, and putting an end to complications and hassles. Assessments cover a huge part of that and have become one of the most important ways to find talent and potential in the world.
On a concluding note, AI is ever-evolving and there is no stopping to that. It has already had a huge impact on education and work, and AI is going to grow wiser and more efficient in the coming years. The trend of online proctored examinations grew over the COVID period, but that's not just it. This trend, being free of complications and hassles, is going to grow with the coming times.
