The Bad and the Ugly: Reflections on the Use of Invigilator App by First-Year Students in English Proficiency for University Studies at an Odel University in South Africa

Abstract

This study explores the first-year students in English Proficiency for University Studies' experiences of e-proctoring challenges when they used the Invigilator app during online exams at a mega open and distance e-learning (ODeL) university in South Africa. Current research indicates that the few proctoring technologies that are available on the market remain largely untried and untested, thus the amount of research available on the students' experiences with the Invigilator app is limited. The study seeks to fill that gap by exploring the students' experiences with this app when they used it for the first time. A mixed methods approach was used involving ten (n = 10) students who completed questionnaires, twenty (n = 20) who took part in online interviews, and five (n = 5) email queries sent by the students during the exam session. The principal findings from the questionnaires, interviews and email queries indicate that while students had experienced challenges with the Invigilator app as they often felt inadequately prepared to use it, they still supported e-proctoring compared to physical invigilation. Future research should focus on how to adequately prepare the students to use the Invigilator app with confidence.