Online proctored exams and digital inequalities during the pandemic

Background The emergence of the COVID-19 and the resulting global pandemic has ushered in far-reaching changes for countries across the world, not least of which are changes to their education systems. With traditional location-based exams no longer possible at universities, the uptake of online proctored exams (OPE) has occurred at a pace not seen prior to the pandemic. Students' experiences of online proctored exams during the pandemic are reasonably well-understood in terms of digital access and ease of use of the technology. However, less is known about students' perceptions of digital confidence and competence to complete an online exam, both of which are important digital equity considerations.Objectives This study investigates students' digital confidence and competence to undertake online proctored exams to determine whether issues of equity exist for students.Methods This study reports the results of a survey (N = 761) of one university's students' experiences of end-of-semester online proctored exams in New Zealand.Results Most students were positive about online exams, felt reasonably confident to complete an exam, and had the necessary digital access (i.e., devices, internet) and competence to succeed. However, digital inequalities were found between students' perceptions of digital competence based on ethnicity. While more time learning online equated to increasing self-reported digital competence for most ethnic groups, this was not the case for Pacific learners.Takeaways Perceptions of low digital competence can contribute to digital inequalities. Educators can support learners to develop positive perceptions of digital competence by teaching digital literacy skills.