Maintaining Test Security in the U.S. and Internationally Barbara Halsey CLEAR Conference Chauncey Group International San Antonio, TX January 10, 2002

Maintaining Test Security in the U.S. and Internationally

Barbara Halsey CLEAR ConferenceChauncey Group International San Antonio, TX

January 10, 2002Raymond NicosiaEducational Testing Service

Educational Testing Service, Copyright 2001, all rights reserved

Woman Nabbed in Nurse-Exam Bribe

Arrested after offering $700 to an undercover investigator for a passing grade on the practical nurse exam. Had previously sent

a test administrator $300 by mail with a note promising to provide an additional $700 on exam day.

4/11/95

Media Coverage


Media Coverage

Extensive Cheating Leads to Expulsions and Violence in Bangladesh

Violent clashes erupted across Bangladesh when college professors and administrators tried to prevent students from cheating on a compulsory English examination. More than 3,000 students were expelled and nearly 100 people were injured.

11/21/00


Media Coverage

Students set principal on fire for refusing to allow cheating in exams

Students at an Indian vet's college allegedly set its chief test administrator on fire because he wouldn't let them cheat during exams. 6/28/01


Purpose Today

• Procedures to Reduce Security Incidents

• Technology that can help or hurt us

• Highlight U.S. and International Differences


Registration and Scheduling

• Eligibility Determination

• Admission Document

• Scheduled Appointment

• Walk-Ins

• Retake Policy


Identification and Check-In

• Traditional IDs

• Thumbprinting

• Signature Logs

• Administration

• Digital Photos

• Confidentiality Statements


Revised Log Sheet Emphasis on Identification


Confidentiality Statement

• I agree to maintain the full confidentiality of all test questions, specifically not to reproduce and/or disclose any test question in whole or in part to any person or entity, and understand that if I reproduce test questions in any manner I am subject to a copyright infringement lawsuit and any other action(s) ETS may take.


Confidentiality Statement

• You are not permitted to leave the test center vicinity during the test session.

• You are not permitted to use telephones or cellular phones during the test session or during breaks.


Administration

• Control Testing Environment

• Room Design

• Proctoring

• Breaks

• Video and Audio Surveillance


New Multiplexer Video Surveillance

• Allows every test taker to be consistently recorded

• Capability to zero in on one test taker


Electronics Once Inside Testing Room

• Digital Photo:watch, pen/scanner

• Video/Audio Recorders:hat, eyeglasses, label pin, tie

• PDA’s/Calculatorsthesaurus, dictionary


Exit Safeguards

• Inventories

• Sign-Out

• Irregularity Reporting


Cultural Security Challenges

• Multiple Choice vs. Essay/Oral Formats

• Objective vs. Subjective Scoring

• Individual vs. Shared Knowledge/Performance

• Direct vs. Indirect Communication Styles


Incident Investigations

• Triggers

• In-house research

• On-site investigation

• Board of Review

• Remediation


Biometric Scanning

A biometrics is a unique, measurable characteristic or trait of a human being for automatically recognizing or verifying identity.

Current Methods Future Biometrics Fingerscanning Body OdorFinger Geometry DNAHand Geometry Ear ShapeIris KeystrokePalm RetinaSignatureVeinVoice


Benefits of Biometric Scanning

• One-for-one impersonation cases

• Professional test takers who take tests for others

• Professional test takers who test more than once per month in order to see the items

• Test takers who alter their names in order to hide lower scores or test multiple times undetected

• TCA could log-in at the start of day rather than use a password


Wrist Camera


Scanner Pen

• Threat to paper based test material

• Record notes from scratch paper

• Will not record data from computer monitors


Covert Cameras

Documents

Maintaining Test Security in the U.S. and Internationally Barbara Halsey CLEAR Conference Chauncey Group International San Antonio, TX January 10, 2002