Is there a difference between proctoring and invigilation?
Proctoring and invigilation are terms that are often used interchangeably to refer to the process of supervising and monitoring students during an exam. The main goal of proctoring or invigilation is to ensure the integrity and security of the exam by preventing cheating or other forms of academic misconduct.
In general, the terms "proctoring" and "invigilation" can be used to refer to the same thing, but there may be some differences in usage depending on the specific context or location. Historically, for example, in some contexts, the term "proctoring" might be used more often to refer to the process of administering an exam in a traditional classroom setting, while "invigilation" might be used more often to refer to the process of administering an exam online.
That being said, trends with the growth and adoption of online learning, plus the pandemic of 2020, have naturally caused more exam administration to also occur remotely and be done online. This can still vary depending on the institution or organization.
Regardless of the terminology, the key function of both proctoring and invigilation is to ensure that the examination is conducted fairly and that the results accurately reflect the knowledge and skills of the students being tested.
