Online Learning Student Authentication
Faculty members who teach fully online courses use a system of triangulation to verify that the student who completes the course is the one receiving academic credit. In the process of establishing a network account, students provide a unique identifier and attest that they are the person registering. The identifier verifies the student when a login is created to access the MGH Institute’s network and learning management system. Students use their personal login to enroll in courses, which generates a roster to the respective faculty member. Instructional faculty carefully monitor student performance across discussion boards, quizzes, and papers and over time to identify inconsistencies that might suggest unethical behavior. If needed, faculty can access the IP address of the networked computer a student uses to complete work.
To maintain academic integrity in the online environment, students take exams on a special browser within the MGH Institute’s learning management system. The Respondus LockDown Browser feature prevents students from accessing other websites or electronic documents until they submit an exam. Further capabilities use the computer’s camera and microphone to record student behavior during a test, which faculty members can review if they suspect breaches of academic integrity. A faculty member can also require students to show their photo ID to the webcam before starting the test. The learning management system integrates plagiarism-detection technology to review submitted written assignments.