AI Has Complicated Digital Testing and Why Professors Are Scrambling for Alternatives

Proctaroo Team - 01/15/2025

If you’ve spent time on Reddit in the r/Professors or r/EdTech subreddits—you’ve probably seen some meltdowns over proctoring solutions. Professors swap horror stories of entire classes cheating and easily bypassing lockdown browsers. It’s enough to make any educator throw their hands up in frustration. AI advances have supercharged these challenges, leaving many instructors to abandon digital exams altogether in favor of pen-and-paper.

But let’s face it: paper-based tests slow everything down. They create more work for instructors and leave behind the convenience and accessibility that digital learning environments typically offer. So why exactly are current proctoring solutions failing—and what can be done to fix it?

Why Standard Proctoring Falls Short

1. No True Visibility Into Processes or Background Tasks

A single webcam feed or a rudimentary lockdown browser can’t give instructors any insight into hidden processes running on a student’s machine. It’s trivially easy for tech-savvy students to open stealth browser tabs or run command-line AI tools out of sight. In some of the viral Reddit posts, professors recount cases where their proctoring software never detected these background apps.

2. Limited or Superficial Integration

Many solutions try to “bolt on” proctoring tools to an existing Learning Management System (LMS). The problem is that these add-ons often lack deep access to the entire user environment. Anything that happens outside the tab or window they’re watching is effectively invisible. And if students throttle their Wi-Fi or disconnect their webcam, the proctoring feed is gone—no one’s the wiser.

3. In-Person Testing Neglected - Return to Pen-and-Paper

Out of sheer frustration, educators are reverting to traditional in-person, paper-based exams. While this can limit certain forms of digital cheating, it introduces new pain points: printing, distributing, and grading mountains of paper is time-consuming and expensive. Not to mention, students lose the benefits of using specialized software or online resources that can enhance learning and testing experiences.

How Our Proctaroo Solution Changes the Game

In response to these challenges—and those emotional Reddit rants— Proctaroo has evolved to truly address the modern era of AI-driven cheating. We don’t restrict or lock down devices the traditional way. Instead, we focus on three pillars that truly solve today’s proctoring puzzle.

1. Easy to Use

We believe the best proctoring experience should feel as seamless as launching Kahoot. Want to host an in-person digital exam or an online one? Just open a “room” with a single click, share your unique code, and students hop in before starting the test. You can also invite them directly or upload exam documents to our platform, which then become accessible to students at the start of the exam.

No more messing around with complicated setups or forcing educators to administer tests through LMS. Our solution makes it simple.

2. Highly Versatile & Compatible

Traditional proctoring tools often say “no” to everything—“No, you can’t open Word. No, you can’t use Excel.” We know that real academic work can require specialized software or certain websites. That’s why we let you choose what’s allowed and what’s off-limits. Whether you’re testing coding skills, data analysis in Excel, or collaborative writing in Google Docs, Proctaroo platform can handle it.

Plus, we aren’t tied to an LMS. We’re a standalone solution that can monitor any digital test, whether it’s delivered through an online portal or an in-person setup where students use personal devices.

3. No Compromise on Efficacy

We don’t just record student screens or rely on environment scans. Instead, our advanced behavioral analysis model actively monitors for cheating behavior across all processes and devices. That means if a student tries to open a prohibited program or consult an AI chatbot in the background, our technology picks up on those anomalies—and can even confirm who is physically present in the exam room.

It’s not about restricting access; it’s about detecting unauthorized actions. By analyzing user behavior in real time, our system can identify patterns that indicate cheating. This goes far beyond a simple “flags” list. In essence, we’ve taught our technology to recognize suspicious conduct the same way a professor might spot a student constantly glancing at their phone—only, we do it digitally.

Flexible for In-Person Digital Exams

One of the biggest revelations we've had is that instructors want the convenience of digital exam tools—without the headache of unstoppable cheating. That’s where Proctaroo truly stands out:

• Real-Time, Location-Based Monitoring – We know if someone is actually on location, using their authorized device.

• Fully Customizable Scrutiny – Want a relaxed exam environment with minimal restrictions? Or do you need high-security for a final? You control every setting.

• Securing Mobile Devices – If phones aren’t allowed, we can help lock them out, depending on your exam’s requirements.

Ultimately, our platform bridges the gap between the flexibility of online testing and the oversight traditionally available with pen-and-paper exams—without the endless printing, grading, or scanning.

Conclusion

It’s understandable why instructors are gravitating back to paper-based tests, but that doesn’t solve the core issue—it only creates new problems and undermines the benefits of digital education.

Proctaroo was built specifically for this era of AI-driven test-taking. By focusing on ease of use, genuine compatibility across all software, and behavioral analysis of all user processes, we make in-person digital exams (and remote tests) secure and stress-free.

Ready to say goodbye to pen-and-paper regression and ditch those meltdown-worthy proctoring nightmares?

Reach out today and learn how Proctaroo can restore your faith in digital testing and put an end to the AI cheating circus.