How to Take an Exam with ProctorU

About ProctorU

UF policy dictates that any exam worth 10 percent or more of your grade must be proctored.  In order to meet this requirement for our distance learning students, we use an exam proctoring service called ProctorU.

Proctor U exam fees are included in your tuition and are paid on your behalf by the program.  Additional fees for late registration or the “Take it Now” feature offered by Proctor U are not included.

Proctored Exams Overview

These videos produced by ProctorU provide an overview of the process:

  • ProctorU: Who We Are and What We Do (00:02:03)
  • Online Proctoring at ProctorU: How it Works (00:02:09)

These pages from the ProctorU website provide additional valuable information:

ProctorU proctoring services will be used by all students taking this course online, regardless of whether you are an on-campus student or not. You can access ProctorU at www.proctoru.com.

  • Students are REQUIRED to have a microphone and webcam in place during the test-taking period and will NOT be allowed to take an exam without a webcam.
  • Students must register for a time slot for their course exams with ProctorU starting the second week of the semester, but no later than 3 days prior to an exam.
  • Exams will be administered 8:00AM – midnight (Eastern time), seven days a week as described in the course syllabus – exams will CLOSE at the posted time in the course – do NOT schedule an exam appointment with ProctorU that will take you past this time, even if they allow it, i.e. do NOT sign up for an appointment at after 9:45 PM on the last day of the exam as the exam will close at 11:59 PM and your exam time will be cut off at 55 minutes instead of allowing the full time for the exam.
  • Exams scheduled for AFTER midnight (Eastern US time) will not have access to program assistance during your exam – it is highly recommended that you take your exams ONLY during the time of 8 AM-midnight Eastern US time
  • No one is allowed in the room with you while you take your exam, so be sure to make proper arrangements.
  • The proctor will ask you for two forms of picture ID and may ask some public record questions to identify yourself
  • Please plan on 1 hour beyond the test taking time for interfacing with ProctorU
  • Proctoring fees are prepaid. For exams scheduled less than 3 days before an exam, ProctorU will charge a $5 late fee which students will be responsible for paying.

Before Exams

  • Review the 6 Things You MUST Do BEFORE Your Exam
  • Review the ProctorU Test Taker Detailed Service Description that provides information from ProctorU about what to expect.

Schedule Your Exam with ProctorU

  • If this is your first time using ProctorU create your account and complete your profile. (See Pages 1 and 2 of the ProctorU Test Taker Detailed Service Description.)
    • PLEASE use the name that you are officially listed as in your online courses as these are the names the system will be looking for to code you in the system.
    • Be sure to select your home time zone If you don’t know your home time zone, perform an internet search with search term “time zone” for websites that will help you to determine your time zone.
    • Under “Institution” select “University of Florida.” Do not select any other Florida school.
    • You will not need to go through the account creation process each semester, but you will need to register for your exams each semester.
  • To schedule your exam appointment, go to www.proctoru.com at least 3 days before your test date. (See Pages 3 and 4 of the ProctorU Test Taker Detailed Service Description.)
  • In general, taking an exam after the official closing time will only be permitted under extenuating circumstances.  Late exams will only be permitted at the discretion of the instructor (advanced notice in writing required and per applicable University of Florida policies).  Failing to schedule an exam time with ProctorU will not be considered a valid reason for requesting to take an exam late.  At his/her discretion and in consultation with ProctorU representatives, the UF Director of Public Health Professional Education Programs may permit an extension of an exam that has already begun.

Check Your Technical Requirements

  • Students may check their computer compatibility at any time, but it is VERY IMPORTANT that computer and Internet compatibility be checked the day before an exam so that additional exam stress and delays do not occur.
    • This can be done by going to http://www.proctoru.com/testitout/.  (If the link does not work, copy and paste the entire URL into your browser’s address bar and press Enter.)
  • NOTE: The best Internet browsers for taking exams are Firefox and Google Chrome. Download one of these browsers from the official website.

Take the Exam

On the date and time of your exam, go to www.proctoru.com, log in, and follow the process outlined in Pages 5 though 7 of the ProctorU Test Taker Detailed Service Description.

A proctor from ProctorU will be connected with you.

  • They will ask you to present some picture identification.
  • They will also ask you some questions to identify yourself.
  • They will also ask for you to pan your room and desk with the camera to verify that you are alone taking the exam.
  • They will ask you to open Canvas and log into your course and go to the exam you wish to take.
  • They will ask permission to share your desktop. This is to enable them to enter a password to open your exam.
  • You must have some administrative privileges on the computer you are working on for this to be enabled.

If a proctor does not come on right away, do NOT leave the ProctorU site. If you leave the site YOU WILL LOSE YOUR EXAM APPOINTMENT TIME.

  • There are sometimes delays due to a large number of students logging on at the same time. If you have waited more than 15 minutes for a proctor, you may call them (be sure to press the option for “test scheduled today”) or open your e-mail (don’t close ProctorU) and send them a message.
  • If you have extended delays (more than an hour), particularly on the last day of an exam, contact us at the emergency numbers below.

You will take the exam online under the rules that your instructor has set in the syllabus of your course (i.e. length of time, format, open or closed book, etc.). Please relax and take the test. The proctor will be watching and listening to you as you take the exam, but this is no different than a live test with proctors in the room walking around looking at students while they take an exam.

  • Please ask others to refrain from coming into the room where you are taking your exam as you need to be alone to take your exams.
  • Close all programs on your computer (unless this is allowed in the course exam rules), and turn off cell phones.
  • It is important that you understand that you will NOT be able to leave the computer during the exam or answer the phone for ANY reason (unless there is a life‐threatening emergency).
  • Be sure to take a bathroom break BEFORE you start as this will not be allowed during the exam (just like in a classroom exam).

The proctor will be there to assist you if you have any technical difficulties during or before the exam. Feel free to speak to them if you need assistance in this area.

  • Be aware that connecting with the proctor, confirming your identity, and preparing to start the exam can take time.  This does not deduct from your time allowed to actually take the exam.
  • Proctors CANNOT assist you with the exam nor explain any questions on the exam.

The proctor will ask you to open up Canvas (please have your name and password handy) – then open up “Assessments” – then open the exam you wish to take – at this point they will need your permission to “share your desktop” – they will enter the password for your exam and the time for the exam will start after this step.

  • NOTE: This last step requires that you have some administrative permissions on your computer. If you are taking your exam at a work computer please check with your IT department about this capability.
    • If you do not know whether you can allow this “desktop sharing” function you may contact hardemont@ufl.edu to set up a test BEFORE your exam date.
    • You may also test this with a friend or colleague via the “share desktop” feature you can find in Skype. Skype is a great tool to test many of the features needed to work with ProctorU – webcam, microphone, and desktop sharing. If you do not have a Skype account you may set up a free account at www.skype.com.

ProctorU security

The proctors on the ProctorU service have all taken the same FERPA student confidentiality exam that UF employees must take when interacting with students.

Identity Authentication

The proctors will ask several questions about you to establish your identity. These questions are drawn from public records and they already have the correct answers, so you are not revealing anything to them that they do not know from these records. They will NOT ask you for a credit card number (except in the payment process) or social security number.

If you are uncomfortable answering any of their questions, please let them know.

Desktop Sharing

Proctors will send you a message to “share your desktop” – this will enable them to enter the exam password into your Canvas exam site. During the few minutes that ProctorU shares your desktop students will be able to see everything that the proctor is doing on the computer. They will then relinquish the desktop and enter a “view only mode,” which will only allow them to see your desktop, but not manipulate your computer.

At no time will they be able to enter your computer or your computer files without your knowledge as you will see all their interactions with your computer.

Emergency Exam Contacts – NEED TO SET!!

If you have any difficulty while taking an exam via ProctorU that causes you to have an incomplete exam…

  • Do not panic!
  • Do not call the UF Computing Help Desk unless you are having trouble logging into Canvas.

BUT

  • Do call Mark or Truly immediately, so that we can help resolve the problem during the exam time.  Your course site has our contact numbers.