The surge in online education’s popularity worldwide has been undeniable. While virtual learning has been available for years, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its adoption.
Consequently, there arose a pressing need for effective student monitoring, especially during examinations.
The transition to online education presented a challenge for educators: how to ensure the integrity of exams when students could no longer physically appear in classrooms.
Many instructors resorted to standard digital platforms like Google Forms, Microsoft, and Canvas.
However, these platforms often lacked the security measures educators desired, leaving room for plagiarism and cheating.
This gap in security gave rise to online proctored exams or proctoring, aimed at curbing academic dishonesty.
Today, various platforms employ technology-based systems for proctored exams.
One noteworthy example is Moodle, a Learning Management System (LMS) designed to provide educators, administrators, and students with a secure environment for personalized learning experiences.
SMOWL weighs in
Is in that context that San Sebastian-based proctoring company SMOWL has received official recognition as a Moodle Certified Integration by Moodle, a prominent figure in the realm of online learning platforms.
This significant achievement distinguishes SMOWL as the very first and exclusive proctoring solution to attain such esteemed recognition, underlining our unwavering commitment to upholding academic integrity and assessment dependability.
Proctoring holds a pivotal role in online education, safeguarding the trustworthiness of student assessments.
SMOWL’s certification as a Moodle Certified Integration reaffirms its status as a top-tier proctoring solution.
For its users, this translates into seamless integration between SMOWL and Moodle, granting them unfettered access to all functionalities and reports directly from their Moodle platform.
Additionally, this certification serves as a testament to their adherence to Moodle’s highest standards in terms of quality, user experience, and security.
Enrique Dans, Professor of Innovation and Technology at IE Business School, asserts, “Among numerous proctoring tools, SMOWL strikes the right balance between monitoring student activity and respecting their privacy.”
The partnership between SMOWL and Moodle aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the goal of providing inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education for all.
“At Smowltech, we are proud to be recognized as a Certified Moodle Integration,” said Founder and CEO, Ricardo Vea. “Our commitment to society drives us to contribute to a world with access to quality and sustainable education. As an open source platform, Moodle’s social impact aligns perfectly with our mission. Together, we drive academic success and integrity in the digital learning landscape.”
In SMOWL’s case, monitoring results are shared with institutions or instructors 24 hours after the exam.
These results reveal if any students exhibited suspicious behavior that could compromise academic integrity.
Importantly, the platform does not interfere with exam grading, allowing instructors to make informed decisions based on the monitoring data.
Now SMOWL aspires to expand its global presence, increase software adoption in new markets, and collaborate with additional learning platforms.
Their mission is to create a secure, inclusive, and sustainable online assessment environment benefiting students, educators, and educational organizations worldwide.
