Should proctored exams be used?
In order to determine, without a shadow of a doubt, that students have mastered the competencies of the course, should a proctored final exam be required?
It is difficult to say that a proctored exam should be used in this case. I think that if you are truly trying to teach someone, you are not looking for rote memorization, but comprehension of the material. If I teach someone to use a formula to come to a correct answer with a math problem, I am looking for their ability to understand the problem and then apply the formula to get the answer. When they go out into the world and begin working, I would prefer they get the correct answer to a problem by refreshing their memory by looking up the formula. If they have to rely on their memory to remember the formula, they could mess up and not get the correct answer.
Take care,
Mike Vigh
