AcademicAffairs@NOVA

Academic Affairs is partnering with the Instructional and Student Services Council (ISSC) to pilot Honorlock + AI, an advanced proctoring solution designed to strengthen academic integrity and enhance student learning through secure, flexible assessment methods. This initiative follows previous pilots with ProctorU and ProctorTrack, as well as our current proctoring tool, Respondus, as part of a broader effort to identify the most effective tools for maintaining academic rigor in an online environment.

Why it matters: Maintaining academic integrity is essential to ensuring that students are evaluated fairly and to safeguarding NOVA’s reputation for academic excellence. Robust virtual proctoring services ensure that academic integrity violations can be acted upon swiftly while ensuring that students have access to assessment options that fit their schedules. This pilot highlights NOVA’s dedication to innovation by integrating technology that not only deters misconduct but also ensures equitable access to affordable education for all students.

How it works: Honorlock + AI provides a multi-layered approach to exam security. It combines live proctors with advanced AI-driven tools to prevent unauthorized behaviors, such as

• The use of generative AI to generate responses or assist with exam questions,
• Screen sharing to collaborate with others during an assessment,
• Cell phone use to access external resources.

Scope of the pilot: This initiative has broad faculty engagement, with 213 faculty members participating across 86 course templates for spring ‘25. The pilot will assess both the effectiveness of the technology in deterring academic misconduct and its impact on the student testing experience.

What’s next: Data and feedback from faculty and students will inform future decisions about proctoring solutions, ensuring that NOVA continues to uphold academic standards while providing students with accessible, high-quality learning experiences.

If you have questions about the Honorlock + AI pilot, please reach out to Dr. Pascal.

—Dr. Cynthia Pascal, Associate Vice President of eLearning