There needs to be a stop to how Humber College and Proctortrack do things for our future careers! 

From issues like Proctortrack affecting the results of exams to whether or not our exams are even being marked correctly. Why are we paying hundreds of dollars for courses that we have to be forced to re-take? Why is there a limit to how long we can learn? Why can't I have an exam review in order to learn from my mistakes? Why am I receiving threats from Proctortrack about my room when it was approved already?

The concerns seem to be endless!

Here is my email to Humber College:

 

To whom it may concern

I hope this email finds you well. I would like to raise some concerns regarding the current policies in place for retaking courses, exam processes, and course content. I believe that these issues negatively impact the learning experience and financial well-being of students. Below, I have provided supporting studies and evidence for each complaint.

Retaking a course and fees:

Students who have to retake a course should not be required to repay the fees, especially when the course content is self-taught and remains unchanged. As students we already have to teach ourselves from information that is free to access online. There is no reason to charge us a second time for the same information that is free to begin with. Research shows that the cost of education can be a barrier to academic success (Dynarski, 2003).

Exam process flaws:

a. ProctorTrack inconsistencies: Studies have shown that remote proctoring systems, such as ProctorTrack, can cause stress and anxiety among students (Cluskey Jr, Ehlen, & Raiborn, 2011). This may negatively impact their exam performance and overall learning experience. The inconsistencies in the requirements of the room are astonishing. Reading stories online of students who have had to take exams in bathrooms, or be forced to remove their socks simply because the proctor said so. These students become afraid and traumatized by what should be, for all intensive purposes, the most positive experience in life, education. While having eyes on you during testing is a normal experience, having someone watching you through the camera directly requiring absolute obedience is remarkable. It's a level of stress that easily surpasses the course itself.

b. Lack of transparency in marking: Transparent assessment practices are essential for maintaining trust between students and educational institutions (Winstone & Carless, 2019)[3]. A lack of transparency can lead to suspicion and the perception of unfairness, as you mentioned. The inability to even challenge the marks are just out of line. As per your policy should i challenge the grade i was given, the exam is to be reviewed by a third party, of your choosing, and if found inaccurate, merely given the chance to re-write. That means I could get 100% on my exam, marked at 74% and only given a chance to rewrite without having my mark changed.

c. Inability to review exams: This further loses trust in point 2 above this one. Research indicates that reviewing exams and learning from mistakes is an important part of the learning process (Pashler et al., 2007). Denying students the opportunity to review their exams undermines their ability to improve and succeed academically.The entire concept of education is to learn and grow as people. It is stated many times in literature that failure is the key to success. How can anyone learn from the failure if all they are told is they failed. You tell me nothing about what I did wrong except a generic “this module”. This is completely unacceptable.

Outdated course content:

Teaching outdated methods and information can hinder students' ability to apply their knowledge in real-world situations (Laurillard, 2012). This could lead to graduates feeling unprepared for the workforce or struggling to adapt to modern workplace demands. The real world has tools at our disposal. A great example is the Ontario building code. Requiring students to memorize knowledge about trades work, finances, legal needs, is insane. In the real world we have tools such as the internet, pre-programmed calculators, and peers. The entire concept of forcing students to memorize a topic that is so loosely connected to the actual field of study is just not ok. To further my point we are taught in my program that I am not even allowed to give advice on these topics. Rather told to recommend a client to consult a professional. Sometimes having some information but not enough can be dangerous. This is absolutely one of those situations. I implore you to disagree. Emphasizing memorization over practical application does not align with the ubiquity of information available through technology (Willingham, 2009).

Concerns about exam review and knowledge dissemination:

I understand that there might be concerns about exam questions and answers being leaked if students are allowed to review their exams. However, the primary goal of education is to teach students the required information and foster their understanding. If the exam questions and answers are leaked, it would only serve to spread knowledge and contribute to the learning process. To maintain academic integrity, institutions can continuously update and diversify their question banks to minimize the impact of leaked exam materials (Roediger & Marsh, 2005).

Based on the evidence provided, I kindly request that the institution reevaluate its policies surrounding course fees, exam processes, and course content to better support students' academic success and well-being. Thank you for considering these concerns.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Bauder