Direct answer
Automated proctoring records and analyses signals (webcam snapshots, face/presence flags) so staff can review later or sample during the window. Live proctoring adds a human monitor who can act during the sitting. Many institutes need both: practice quizzes with none/light automation, finals with live walls.
How it works
Pick the mode per assessment. Low-stakes formative quizzes may need no camera. Mid-stakes may need snapshots and auto flags. High-stakes finals may need Live Exam Monitor staffing for the exam window, with warn and attempt-reset under written SOPs.
Key considerations
- Staffing cost: live walls need people for the slot; automated modes need post-review capacity.
- False positives: brightness and face flags are signals, not convictions.
- Student UX: fullscreen and camera rules must be explained before the start button.
Avid’s approach
Avid LMS quizzes support none / automated / live. Product page: proctored online exams. Definitions: what live proctoring is.
FAQ
What is automated proctoring?
Automated proctoring uses software signals — for example periodic webcam snapshots and face/presence analysis — without requiring a human to watch every candidate in real time.
When should a university choose live proctoring?
When the exam cell needs real-time intervention (warnings, immediate review of a suspicious tile) for high-stakes finals, or when policy requires a named human monitor during the window.
Can one LMS support both modes?
Yes. Avid LMS can set proctoring mode per quiz: none, automated, or live.