“Proctor” can technically apply to a variety of positions. In the broad sense, it could be any “official” tasked with maintaining some sort of order. In England and Australia a proctor is someone with a very high level of authority capable of exacting various kinds of discipline.
However, in America, it’s mainly used in reference to a person who’s responsible for watching students taking a test.
Proctors may be used in public schools as well as private schools, both brick and mortar, and online. For online schools, proctors are of indispensable value.
What Does a Proctor Do?
A proctor monitors tests and exams. The purpose is simply to provide accountability, making sure students do not cheat or manipulate the test in any way. They may also be assigned with some responsibility of explaining the guidelines or rules and passing out the test itself.
For all intents and purposes though, their job is relatively simple yet extremely important. Especially for an online school.
Why Proctors are Important
When expressing concerns about online education, accountability is almost always brought up. Since no one is standing over the students shoulder watching their every move, some question whether or not they’re paying attention or doing the work at all.
While online school definitely requires greater responsibility out of a person, a certain degree of accountability is still needed.
That’s where proctors come in.
A student is free to take their classes and accomplish their homework on their own time. They can even do their tests at the times that work best for them. However, legitimate online schools require a proctor to be present during tests to make sure no rule breaking takes place.
If an online school doesn’t have a proctor policy, there is a good chance they are trying to scam you.
Who Can be a Proctor and How Can Someone become a Proctor?
Many people are able to be proctors. For the full list of proctor requirements and possibilities, click this link here. If you are interested in being a proctor, you can apply on that page as well.
If you are planning on doing online education, make sure you know of someone who can act as a proctor on your behalf. If you have any questions or are in need of a proctor, please contact us here.
