Best practices for a successful e-exam

Last year (2020) confinement has enabled academic teams and students to make a great leap in the ownership of e-exam solutions. As a time accelerator, it has certainly revealed organizational difficulties but has above all brought out good practices. TestWe offers a simple, secure and offline solution to help its partner institutions optimize their evaluation processes, both in remote and in-class environments.

As a pioneer innovator in this field, TestWe has recently published a white paper in which the company tackles the best practices for a successful e-exam. In this first article, TestWe emphasizes what a remote-controlled e-exam is and highlights the challenges faced by institutions and graduates. It also approaches the sensitive issue of fraud and the technical means available to reduce it

What is a monitored e-exam?

The e-exam is an online assessment, which can be taken remotely or not. The student takes the assessment on a computer, it could be from the classroom, home or another remote location, using a secure platform to reduce the risk of cheating and fraud.

Online assessments can be conducted synchronously or asynchronously. In the first case, the monitoring is done by a person in real time, while in the second case, photo, audio and video capture via the user’s webcam allow later monitoring.

The source of e-exams is not so new, as many institutions around the world are already using them. Just like open distance learning courses (MOOCs) or online library resources, e-exams are part of the tools that many universities have implemented as part of their digital transition.

The e-exam system meets an obligation to conduct the exams online during the pandemic, while minimizing the risk of cheating. This was a risk related to confinement, but one that proved to be well founded. We also had a dual semester format that allowed student volunteers to continue their semester in distance learning. This option was favored by the majority of our International students and/or those living abroad or in the provinces.
Director of Studies of the ESSEC GLOBAL BBA

How can we ensure that an evaluation is properly conducted?

The e-exam has already been tested for several years. Since 2015, many Erasmus students have already tested the OLS (Online Linguistic Support) platform set up by the European Commission. The reason is simple.

The key issues for the institutions: innovation, recognition and competitiveness

For institutions, this shows a certain capacity to evolve their teaching practices while taking into account the internationalization of their students who increasingly carry out their internships abroad and who can hardly return to their institution for the end-of-semester evaluations.

The proper conduct of examinations is also critical for the notoriety and competitiveness of institutions. Schools and universities, as they guarantee the excellence of their teaching, must be able to guarantee that examinations are conducted in a secure and verified way, both in-class and distance learning.

Challenges for graduates: skills recognition

The diploma or certification remains a common reference for graduates as well as companies recruiting them. They are a recognized proof of the skills and knowledge acquired during their training. But in the context of the health crisis, students fear that their training will be devalued on the job market because of the postponement (or cancellation) of internships and the organization of exams under unusual conditions. Once again, by ensuring that evaluations are held under secure conditions, their credibility remains intact.

« Doing nothing is not an option »

For our institution, there is an issue of fairness and maintaining the value of the grades awarded to students. Too much cheating poses a significant risk to the reputation of the program and the entire institution: identity fraud that discredits all the pedagogical efforts of faculty to adapt exam formats; information sharing fraud during the exam that calls into question the value of the grades awarded, the resulting rankings, and all the associated processes (such as exchange assignments, inter-campus mobility, the Dean’s list etc). »

Director of Studies ESSEC Global BBA

Is cheating inevitable?

Everyone agrees that cheating is as old as the exams, even if the heads of institutions minimize this scourge. Today, the number of student cheaters is estimated at 1/3. But with the development of technology, fraud has evolved and so have the means to prevent it.

The technological response and its limits

In asynchronous mode, evaluations require specific technical devices to ensure their monitoring. For example, taking a picture of the student allows us to confirm the correct identity of the student, while audio recording ensures an environment conducive to concentration, without the help of an external person (who could whisper the answers).

In all cases, however, it is important to take into account and adjust the monitoring technique to the national regulations on personal data protection.

The pedagogical response, the best solution to cheating

In spite of the technological means available today, one of the most effective ways of countering cheating is to choose forms of evaluation that avoid cheating: drawing lots for subjects, limiting the time for answering MCQs, encouraging collaborative work, and valorizing know-how with the new digital tools. This rather pedagogical response must, however, be part of a common desire on the part of the institution and its teachers to review their way of evaluating and testing knowledge.

What exams in 10 years?

It is hard to imagine that we will still have « paper » exams in a decade. Online solutions and digital exams seem to be well on their way to becoming a permanent fixture, as the use of computers spreads in lecture halls and classrooms. By providing the equipment or allowing everyone to use their own equipment (via BYOD « bring your own device » initiatives), the issue of the digital divide should no longer be an obstacle to the development of dematerialized exams. Especially since educational managers are well aware that face-to-face and distance learning will coexist.

Starting to set up e-exams, whether or not they are monitored remotely, as soon as possible seems to be the best option to deal with all future situations and to improve the knowledge assessment process. And there is no doubt that the institutions that have adapted the best will benefit the most in the long run, in terms of notoriety, International rankings recognition, and preparing students for professional life.

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Towards a 100% digital driving licence: challenges and prospects

25 juillet 2025

Created in 1893, the driving test remains a step towards freedom for young people in France and Europe. The driving test has undergone a number of changes in recent years. New locations for driving tests have been created, with private partners, creating opportunities for cheating. But it is above all digitisation that has taken on great importance throughout the driving test. With a European objective for 2030: the digital driving licence. Here are some explanations. New places to take the Highway Code test Since 2016, the theory test has undergone a real revolution. The theory test for the driving licence has been entrusted to 5 private operators approved by the Ministry of the Interior. You will be familiar with La Poste, but there are also Bureau Veritas and Dekra. There are several reasons for this choice. Reduced waiting times Candidates had to wait several weeks to take the test because of a lack of available places. This solution makes it possible to increase the number of examination centres and improve waiting times. Licence inspectors released By outsourcing the theory part, inspectors can concentrate more on the practical test (driving). An efficient territorial network Private operators are opening new centres in areas that were previously poorly served. This improves geographical accessibility for all applicants. Modernising examinations Private operators have introduced digital tools to efficiently manage the organisation of examinations. Slots can be booked online and results can be accessed quickly on the internet. Fraudulent practices in the new driving test centres While the increase in the number of test centres has enabled many candidates to obtain their Highway Code, it has also created what some describe as massive fraud. Numerous publications on social networks are offering people the chance to obtain their driving licence for around a hundred euros. Without going anywhere. Accomplice examiners allow an individual who knows the Highway Code well to take the test in place of the person who has registered. A few hours later, the pass certificate is sent so that the candidate can go to a driving school for the practical part of the test. It was at this stage that the cheating was revealed. In fact, despite the certificate of passing the Highway Code, the candidates had not mastered the basics, such as giving way to the right! These warnings from driving school managers led the authorities to set out on the hunt for cheats, using the Polex tool (exam police). Using artificial intelligence, it detects anomalies such as abnormally high pass rates in certain centres. A high-performance tool to help digitise driving licences in complete security While the digitisation of driving licences is inevitable, the current system is showing its limitations. These are the findings of a report on the French TV programme Envoyé Spécial. The security of online and face-to-face tests is a decisive factor in the continued modernisation of the driving test. TestWe can provide genuine technical and human guarantees. The platform is a leader in the management of face-to-face and remote examinations. It can easily support the transition to more secure but also more accessible examinations. For several years now, TestWe has been demonstrating its ability to prevent cheating situations, such as the use of AI during assessments. A European commitment to a digital driving licence by 2030 France is not alone in wanting to modernise its driving licence: Europe wants to introduce a digital licence, accessible via mobile phone. An agreement to this effect was reached on 25/03/2025. In addition to this technological advance, new rules will be applied, such as : – Training on the use of mobile phones and driving in dangerous conditions; – A 15-year validity period for motorbike and car licences. Europeans have chosen to make life easier for their citizens. They have adopted an arsenal of rules to improve road safety with a Vision Zero strategy: fewer road accidents, fewer people injured or killed on the roads. A website to help you obtain a driving licence The French authorities have set up a website to support driving licence applicants. From registering for the driving test to renewing the document, you can track the progress of your application. The site is also connected to other government platforms, such as those for car registration, passports and identity cards.

Baccalauréat 2025: complete digitisation of the registration and marking process

24 juin 2025

The application process for the 2025 baccalauréat in France is entirely digital, as is the management of examination papers and corrections. This is just one example of the extent to which the education sector is speeding up its digital transformation, moving towards simpler, more reliable processes for schools and candidates alike. Digitising the baccalauréat: the challenges of reliability and accessibility A single platform from registration to consultation of copies In France, the Cyclades (Cycles automatisés des examens et concours) platform manages registrations and the organisation of examinations, particularly the bac. It has been in place since 2020. Each candidate creates an account to access the various features of the platform, such as registering for tests or consulting their bac papers. Once the papers have been handed in, the school headmaster takes charge of scanning them. The markers then mark the anonymised papers. Please note: only free candidates need register for the bac via Cyclades. For students attending school, it is the school that manages registrations. Simpler, more secure paperless procedures The advantages of these digital procedures for the baccalauréat benefit everyone, schools and students alike. For candidates, using a single platform means that all the procedures can be carried out in one place, taking into account the difficulties associated with the digital divide. For this reason, the designers of Cyclades have made it accessible on all types of device (computer, tablet and smartphone). As far as schools are concerned, digitisation reduces input errors and saves a considerable amount of time. Finally, the platform is completely secure and compliant with the RGPD (General Data Protection Regulation). TestWe also offers all these features with its secure remote examination tool. The digital transformation of the education sector: a process that is gathering pace The digitisation of national examinations is gaining ground around the world While the digital transformation of the bac has been gradual in France, with a final burst of speed after the Covid-19 pandemic, Anglo-Saxon countries have taken the lead. Registration for national examinations has been digital since the 2000s in the UK and the US. And the progress continues! More recent examples include Morocco, which has announced the complete digitisation of application procedures for the 2025 bac. From now on, Moroccan candidates who are enrolled in school and those who are not will also have to use a dedicated platform to validate their registration for the exam.more: Baccalauréat 2025: Candidates asked to check and validate their information online. What if it were possible to take the baccalauréat online and at a distance? In the wake of digital enrolment, countries such as Estonia and Finland allow certain national examinations to be taken online (e.g. MatriculationExamiantion, the equivalent of the Finnish baccalaureate). The tests are taken via a computer, usually at an examination centre and in a supervised room (which TestWe is also able to offer). In France, the bac exams are still taken in person and on paper. This also applies to candidates preparing for the bac via distance learning. But what if taking the bac online was the next step in the digital transformation of the education sector? That would mean using even more secure, cheat-proof tools. Experts in distance learning exams, such as TestWe, are already ready to support schools and students in this development.

Recruitment 2025: AI, soft skills, automation… Here’s what’s changing (and how to prepare)

20 mai 2025

The year 2025 marks a real turning point in the way we recruit talent. The use of AI (artificial intelligence) but also the emphasis on soft skills: these are varied and rapid developments for recruiters. Recruiters also have to deal with increasingly demanding candidates. How can we use disruptive technologies without becoming dependent on them? Here are some of the ways in which TestWe is working to ensure that we continue to meet our clients’ expectations. Has AI replaced human resources for recruitment 2025 ? The programme Cash Investigation on 10 April 2025 sheds light on the various uses of AI in the world of work, and in particular for employee recruitment. Between fantasy and reality, what role will this disruptive technology play in human resources? From recruitment 2025 to employee appraisal, AI is an essential tool that needs to be mastered ‘We’ve become obsolete’, says one of the first victims of AI. In fact, AI has completely replaced the work of this press relations employee: no more need for one person to compile press reviews. The AI can do in a few seconds what the employee used to do in 3 hours. Although some of the company’s experts have been retained, a large proportion of the workforce has been made redundant. This is a radical example of the power of AI to limit a company’s wage bill. Rational, neutral decisions for greater productivity The promise of AI is active, objective help in selecting CVs, for example. When recruiting several dozen candidates, it is possible to obtain an initial sort according to criteria chosen by the human resources manager. But that’s not all. Tools offered by certain start-ups can be used to analyse the candidate’s behaviour during the job interview. The results are not confined to references in the curriculum vitae: non-verbal and facial expressions are dissected by observing the face or voice. French and European authorities are paying close attention to the use of AI in human resources The European and French authorities have decided to limit the use of certain techniques in human resources, among all the sectors that have adopted AI. The AI Act, the reference document for limiting abuses This text, which was passed a year ago, lists the uses of AI that could be abused. It came into force in February 2025 in France. The risk of discrimination is one of the factors considered by the MEPs. Candidates’ reactions during a job interview vary greatly from one culture and country to another. Applications that rank candidates’ CVs are also subject to specific legal requirements. The CNIL keeps an eye on AI abuses in France The Cnil is keeping a particularly close eye on discrimination criteria. AI tends to favour elements that are already in the database. If only men are recruited for management positions, the AI will reproduce this inequality. It is also possible for recruiters to exclude certain residential areas from the selection process. According to Thomas Dautieu, Director of Legal Support at the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL), who was interviewed by Cash Investigation, ‘We must always be vigilant about the use of AI’. TestWe, an ethical recruitment 2025 tool All these examples show just how important it is to choose an effective and ethical recruitment tool. And one that complies with European legislation. Assessment made easy, but not automated TestWe provides recruitment managers with optimum support in complete confidence, thanks to ethical AI. This means that the database has been properly constructed to avoid the biases rejected by the Cnil and the IA Act. Analysis of soft skills beyond automatic filters Because candidates are more than just diplomas and skills, TestWepro also offers a better understanding of their soft skills. It is possible to put in place a range of tests adapted to a relevant search for talent. The human element remains at the heart of the process, despite the gains in time and productivity This disruptive technology has been rapidly adopted by business leaders and human resources departments alike. As well as saving time and productivity, it is important to remember that artificial intelligence must not replace the human being. The latter must be in control of the tool and always check the results given. That’s why our new AI product is called ‘Your Intelligent Personal Assistant’. It revolutionises the way you work, but it’s you who sets the objective.

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