I’m writing this post from my seat at the front of a classroom where half of my 140 first-year Constitutional Law students are taking their final exam (the other half is in the next room over). And other than trying to pass the time, sitting here also got me to thinking — how common is it to proctor your own exam?
I have two reasons why I do it here at WCL: First, I save money. WCL has a policy pursuant to which professors must pay out of their own pockets to have someone else proctor their exam. Leaving aside the merits of this policy (which gives you one free proctor for every 70 students over 70, so someone else is proctoring the other room), for a relatively un-well-paid junior prawf like me, I’d rather keep the $100 ($20/hour, including set-up and collection time), and use this time to do work…
Second, I like being here. I’m always paranoid about something “going wrong” on the exam, either administratively or substantively, and feel like I can “do more” (or at least be less paranoid) if I’m in the room… of course, that leads to inevitable awkwardness, but better that than a panicked phone call, or a note from a student (or 20) who wasn’t able to clarify something I could’ve clarified on the spot in 10 seconds.
But it leads me to wonder where others come down on proctoring your exams. Do you like to? Do you not like to? Does your school require you to choose between paying an outside proctor and doing it yourself?
The really sad part is that, come 5:30, they’ll all be very happy to be done, and I’ll have a pile of 140 exams to grade. Stairs, here I come!
Posted by Steve Vladeck on May 9, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Comments
I’m usually quite keen to proctor my exams if only so I can help the students relax before the exam by leading them in some fun meditative breathing exercises just before — and to make sure the exam’s integrity is more likely to be preserved. FWIW, I often find that a few hours around other people working around me quietly also makes for an inspiring environment in which to write. Btw, Len, thanks for teaching me a new word: I’d never seen the word invigilate before, but it sounds very un-Canadian!
Posted by: Dan Markel | May 12, 2008 2:36:27 PM
I wonder how students would react to the different practices. When I taught legal writing, I made a point of being present (with another writing instructor) when my students were turning in their first big assignment so I could answer questions, address problems, etc. The students, who I thought would appreciate our making the effort to be present, universally seemed to find that it made them even more stressed out than they already were. I asked them about this later, and they said that the presence of their professor made them feel like they were being watched/evaluated/judged. After that, I always just had the admin staff coordinate the paper turn-in process. On the other hand, if I had to pay for a proctor, I’d probably do it Steve’s way as well.
Posted by: Dave | May 12, 2008 1:58:19 PM
At Iowa professors are not allowed to proctor their own exams, and I think this is best for anonymity purposes. Professors have to be in the building, and the proctors will run up questions to them during the exam if necessary, but since the professor isn’t there, they don’t know who asked the question and can’t in that way figure out whose exam they’re grading when they grade it. Granted, in a large class I don’t think the professor is going to pay much attention to which of ninety students asked a question, but in a smaller class it probably would compromise anonymity.
Posted by: Judith | May 10, 2008 1:30:49 PM
I recommend doing it, unless the professor is so sick that coughing and hacking throughout the exam would distract the students. Otherwise the professor should be there. For the practical reasons you mention. And, I think, for the moral support.
Posted by: Con Law | May 10, 2008 8:41:39 AM
WVU requires professors to proctor their own exams, and if they cannot, to find another professor as a replacement. If you find a replacement you must be available by phone.
I give take-home exams and avoid the problem altogether but that might be tough in some classes.
Posted by: Michael Risch | May 10, 2008 7:10:35 AM
Steve,
That’s a truly awful arrangement! I teach on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border in schools with distinct policies on exam invigilation. At Windsor, my home school, we are required to invigilate our own exams, but at UDM, I am not allowed in the room where my exam is written, even by choice (though I must be available by phone for the duration of the exam). This latter method is similar to what was done at Osgoode Hall when was a grad. student there and was paid to invigilate while the professor hid in his/her office upstairs.
Both of the law schools I have taught at — Windsor and Alberta — required instructors to invigilate their own exams, so my experience is a bit of a mixed bag. That being said, I have never heard of requiring professors to pay for an invigilator (though I have heard of professors being docked pay for submitting late grades — anyone with thoughts/experiences on this?)
Posted by: Len Rotman | May 9, 2008 4:53:55 PM