Examples of good and bad practice

The introduction of digital tools to monitor students during online classes and exams raises serious ethical questions. While the goal may be to ensure academic integrity, excessive surveillance often oversteps the boundaries of privacy and creates distrust. This segment considers the consequences of such practices and the possibilities for finding balanced solutions.

Example of bad practice:

The use of invasive monitoring tools during online exams, so-called proctoring, can be considered a violation of students' rights and raises serious ethical dilemmas. Systems that require recording of the face, environment and sound or even tracking eye movements and computer work create a feeling of constant surveillance. Such an approach not only causes stress, but also puts students in an unequal position, as those who do not have technically perfect conditions (fast internet, quality camera, quiet space) may be discriminated against. Furthermore, long-term storage of recordings in external systems increases the risk of misuse of personal data.

Example of good practice:

Instead of repressive technologies, teachers who apply pedagogical design that makes cheating difficult while encouraging originality demonstrate ethical responsibility. Examples include personalized assignments, essays that require critical analysis, or team projects. This shifts the focus from "catching" students to creating conditions where cheating is not an attractive option. Such an approach builds a culture of trust and reduces the need for intrusive surveillance.

How to avoid/mitigate such a situation:

Institutions should consider the proportionality of any surveillance measure. If remote proctoring technologies are used, their use must be clearly justified, time-limited and transparent. Students must know what is being recorded, who has access to the data and how long the recordings will be kept. This ensures that surveillance does not become a form of digital repression, but rather a balance between academic integrity and privacy protection.