Since the switch to remote learning, universities are increasing their use of virtual proctoring, including the Washington State University campus-wide system. As debates surround the software, questioning whether it is ethical or intrusive, WSU Vancouver’s student success librarian, Sam Buechler, weighs in on the harmful impacts the software can have on marginalized communities.
WSU Vancouver happens to be one of many campuses nationwide that has elected to include artificially intelligent proctoring software since the start of remote learning due to the pandemic. This type of software is used as a supplemental way to supervise students during test-taking when professors are not physically or virtually present to monitor their students.
An example of this AI program is ProctorU, a service that requires students to hand over total control of their computer, and send a live video of their surroundings. In an attempt to eliminate cheating on tests, students are also subject to facial tracking software, which analyzes students’ movements to ensure they are only looking at their computer screens.
Buechler dedicates their time to addressing and advocating for accessibility issues across campus. Their current focus is on AI proctoring software and how it can be potentially harmful to marginalized groups.
“It uses an algorithm to determine whether you’re cheating or not, or having ‘suspicious behavior.’ That algorithm itself is really biased and uses some technology that is actively harmful, especially for students with disabilities, and students of Black Indigenous People of Color communities, gender non-conforming students, and is actively biased against them. It brings up ‘suspicions’ against them more frequently than that of students who don’t fall into those categories,” Buechler said.
They also state these “suspicions” the software creates can involve flagging students if they read aloud or look away from the screen for too long while using scratch paper or a calculator. Furthermore, facial recognition software is biased towards white students, which means it has issues recognizing BIPOC people with darker skin tones. This implication often requires students of color to relocate where they take the test in brighter areas or set up lights around their space, a task not required of white students.
So how is WSU Vancouver responding to this issue? While the Vancouver campus has had five introductory courses for staff on using this software, discussion of the efficacy and ethicality of ProctorU is still taking place.
“I think that it’s an important discussion to have at our campus. … I think at last count we have about five classes that are using [AI proctoring]. But that being said, it is something that we are contracted with through Pullman, and we don’t actively inform students about the potential harms of it, nor do we let them know whether we discourage it. We just don’t communicate with them. I think that it’s pretty important overall to let them know what this is, how it can affect them, and also just generally what you think about it,” Buechler said.
When asked what the next step may be for WSU’s use of the software, Buechler says students can reach out to administration, faculty members or the Associated Students of WSU Vancouver, as a means to resolve any issues or concerns related to ProctorU.
Debates concerning the program are ongoing, but Buechler says there are still several conversations to be had about the software, and believes student opinions are a vital part in finding a solution.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story stated Sam Buechler was a part of WSU Vancouver’s Accessibility Council, this statement is incorrect.