Using Exam Monitoring
Published on: 2026-01-04 by Edufide
The Exam Monitoring feature provides built-in proctoring capabilities for your Online Quizzes. By recording student webcam video and screen activity, you can verify exam integrity without requiring third-party proctoring services or expensive lockdown browser software.
🌟 Why Use Exam Monitoring?
- Built-In Solution: No additional software or browser extensions for students to install.
- Flexible Recording: Choose camera only, screen only, or both based on your needs.
- Deterrent Effect: Students are aware they’re being monitored, which discourages cheating.
- Post-Exam Review: Review recordings only when needed—focus on flagged attempts.
- Cost-Effective: Included with your Assign2 license at no extra charge.
- Privacy-Conscious: Recordings are only accessible to instructors and are automatically deleted after the retention period.
Contents:
Enabling Monitoring
Monitoring can be enabled in the quiz configuration settings. The process takes just a few clicks.
ℹ️ Requirement: You must set a Time Limit for the quiz to enable monitoring. This ensures recordings have a defined duration.
Go to the Edit Settings page of your quiz.
Scroll down to find the Exam Monitoring section.
Toggle Enable exam monitoring to ON.
Select which recording options to enable:
- Record Camera: Captures video from the student’s webcam throughout the exam.
- Record Screen: Captures the student’s entire screen or a specific browser tab.
Click Save to apply the monitoring settings.
Understanding Monitoring Options
Camera Recording
When enabled, the student’s webcam records video throughout the exam attempt:
- Records the student’s face and immediate surroundings
- Helps verify the test-taker’s identity
- Can detect if someone else enters the frame or helps the student
- Students see a small preview of their camera feed during the exam
Screen Recording
When enabled, the student’s screen activity is captured:
- Records everything visible on the student’s selected screen or tab
- Can detect if students navigate to other applications or browser tabs
- Shows exactly what resources the student accessed during the exam
- Works with multi-monitor setups (student chooses which screen to share)
Recommended Combinations
| Assessment Type | Recommended Settings |
|---|---|
| Low-stakes quiz | No monitoring needed |
| Medium-stakes quiz | Screen recording only |
| High-stakes exam | Both camera and screen recording |
| Identity verification critical | Camera recording (with or without screen) |
What Students Experience
When monitoring is enabled, students go through a simple setup process before starting their exam:
Before the Exam
- Student clicks “Start Attempt” on the quiz
- Browser requests permission for camera and/or screen sharing
- Student grants permissions (one-time per session)
- A preview shows what’s being recorded
- Student confirms setup and begins the exam
During the Exam
- A small indicator shows that recording is active
- Camera preview thumbnail visible (if camera enabled)
- The exam proceeds normally—monitoring is unobtrusive
- If recording stops unexpectedly, the student is prompted to restart it
After the Exam
- Recording stops automatically when the student submits
- Recordings are uploaded in the background
- Student can close their browser immediately after submission
đź’ˇ Communicate Early: Inform students about monitoring requirements before the exam day. This gives them time to test their camera/microphone and prepare their testing environment.
Viewing Monitoring Results
After students have completed the quiz, you can review their monitoring recordings alongside their quiz responses.
Go to the Results or Attempts tab of the quiz.
You’ll see a list of all student attempts. Look for the monitoring icon (📹) indicating recording is available.
Click on a student’s attempt to view details.
In the attempt details, find the Monitoring Report section. Here you can:
- Play the camera recording
- Play the screen recording
- View recordings side-by-side with quiz responses
- Jump to specific timestamps
What to Look For
When reviewing monitoring footage, watch for:
- Identity verification: Does the person match the enrolled student?
- Additional people: Are others visible or audible who shouldn’t be?
- Unauthorized resources: Did the student access notes, phones, or other materials?
- Tab/application switching: Did the screen recording show searches or other browser tabs?
- Suspicious behavior: Frequent looking away, reading aloud, or unusual patterns
Best Practices
Before the Exam
- âś… Clearly communicate monitoring requirements in your syllabus
- âś… Send a reminder 24-48 hours before the exam with technical requirements
- âś… Provide a practice quiz where students can test their setup
- âś… Include instructions for finding a quiet, well-lit testing environment
- ✅ Specify what is and isn’t allowed (notes, calculators, etc.)
Quiz Configuration
- ✅ Use “1 question per page” layout for clearer monitoring
- âś… Enable answer shuffling to reduce effectiveness of answer-sharing
- âś… Set appropriate time limits (not too tight, not too generous)
- âś… Restrict review options until after the exam closes
After the Exam
- âś… Focus review on flagged or unusual attempts first
- âś… Document any academic integrity concerns before contacting students
- ✅ Follow your institution’s academic integrity procedures
- âś… Keep monitoring data confidential
Technical Requirements
Share these requirements with your students:
- Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari (latest version)
- Camera: Working webcam (built-in or external)
- Internet: Stable connection (minimum 1 Mbps upload)
- Environment: Quiet, well-lit space with minimal background activity
- Permissions: Browser must be allowed to access camera and screen
For detailed student setup instructions, see Student Guide: Exam Monitoring Setup.