Chief Information and Technology Officer at the University of Ghana Computing Systems (UGCS), Francis Boachie, has revealed that the introduction of the Lockdown software in online examinations and other forms of assessments would ensure examination credibility.
The lockdown software is an online tool introduced by the university management as an attempt to ensure that online examinations are able to imitate the level of credibility that in-person examinations provide.
In an interview with UniversNews, Francis Boachie revealed that the Lockdown software was piloted by the university management to ascertain its complete integration into online modes of assessment.
According to him, students were able to cheat by moving to different web pages whilst undertaking online examinations and tests.
“Before the introduction of this lockdown software, students had the opportunity to visit other websites and online information alternatives when they logged into their online examinations and assessments, which did not give us the credibility we wanted. Also, to replicate the in-person form of examinations and tests where students go to the exam center without any form of external help, this has been employed by the university management to mimic the type of credibility that in-person examinations provide.”
Francis Boachie further stated that though this is the first time the university management is using the Lockdown software, he is hopeful that it will provide the credibility they seek in their online exams.
“This is a pilot one and also the first time we are using it here as it is being used by other institutions. We are trying to see how we can replicate it across whenever we have online examinations, so this has been used in other institutions, and we are hoping this brings sanity to the online environment.”
