Perception of Students on Online Exams and How Sequential Exams

and the Lockdown Browser Affect Student Anxiety and Performance

NURSEL SELVER RUZGAR, CLARE CHUA-CHOW

Ted Rogers School of Management,

Toronto Metropolitan University,

350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3,

CANADA

Abstract: - Online education has become increasingly popular over the past few years, especially with the

global pandemic forcing students to learn remotely. Although online education offers various benefits,

including flexibility, accessibility, and convenience, it presents unique challenges, including the use of

Lockdown Browser for sequential online exams that can increase students’ anxiety levels and decrease their

performance. In this paper, an empirical study was undertaken to examine the students’ preferences for online

exams and how the protracting exams impacting on students’ anxiety and performance taking into

consideration factors such as gender, class standing, and the availability of a personal study space. The

finding reveals that sequential exams, errors in questions, use of lockdown browser, writing exams in different

time zone, and one question per page increase students’ stress and anxiety. The results also suggest that there

was a significant difference in anxiety levels between students who received different letter grades, specifically,

students who received lower grades reported higher levels of anxiety. However, the gender and delivery of the

course did not appear to have a significant impact on anxiety levels.

Key-Words: - Online education, students’ stress, and anxiety, online exams challenges, Lockdown Browser,

students’ performance, gender, class standing, having own room, Chi-square test

Received: June 16, 2022. Revised: April 25, 2023. Accepted: May 21, 2023. Published: July 5, 2023.

1 Introduction

Online education and online exams have gained

significant importance in recent years due to

advancements in technology and the global shift

towards digitalization, especially with the global

pandemic in 2020 forcing students to learn

remotely. Online education refers to the delivery of

education through digital platforms, allowing

learners to access educational resources from

anywhere and at any time. Online exams, on the

other hand, refer to the administration of exams

through digital means, eliminating the need for

physical attendance in exam centers. The shift to

online education and online exams has led to

concerns about student stress and anxiety related to

this new mode of learning.

Online education was an alternative to

traditional education before the pandemic, however,

the start of the pandemic in 2020 led to migrate in-

person classes to online classes, [1], so online

education was the only option for the education

system. This sudden transition brought unique

challenges for both students and instructors.

Instructors used different delivery methods to teach

the course. Some of them posted pre-recorded

lectures to learning management systems like D2l,

Brightspace, Moodle, and some of them posted

slides and hold online live lectures using Zoom or

Google Meet, or other online technologies. The

most important challenge that occurred for the

online assessments, was how to maintenance of

academic integrity, [2]. It was emphasized that “

ensure academic integrity in online exams,

universities have adopted a variety of measures,

including assessment models and question types

that make academic dishonesty less rewarding,

the use of normative appeals and honor codes,

machine learning approaches to detect

dishonest behaviour after it has occurred, and

direct online surveillance: 'proctoring'”, [3]. It

was also stated that i

n a virtual educational setting,

there exists a wide range of methods to engage in

dishonest behaviour, such as manipulating data,

plagiarizing content, or having someone else take

exams on behalf of the student, [4], [5].

Additionally, individuals may resort to hiring a

person or a company to act as the student

throughout the educational period, as well as

copying assignments from both public and private

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websites, [4], [6], [7]. Another form of cheating

involves sharing questions and answers through

unauthorized social media channels, such as

WhatsApp, Facebook, and so on, [8]. These

tendencies emphasize the importance of upholding

academic integrity by implementing proctored

online assessments, [4], [8].

Proctoring typically involves scanning the room,

verifying student ID cards, constant webcam

monitoring, and the requirement of a private room,

[3]. While proctoring, like Lockdown browsers, is

designed to prevent cheating during exams to uphold

academic integrity, it can also create additional

stress and anxiety for students. According to reports,

it increases students’ stress and anxiety levels and

decreases their performance. It is believed that the

discomfort caused by proctoring may potentially

intensify feelings of anxiety, [3], [9], leading to a

detrimental impact on students' exam outcomes.

This study aims to explore students’ perceptions

on online exams and the impact of proctoring exams

by Lockdown browser on students’ online exam

stress and anxiety, as well as on their performance.

For this purpose, 313 engineering and business

students participated in a volunteer-based survey

during the 2020 and 2021 Fall and Winter academic

terms. 25- item scale was administrated to 313

students for reliability analysis and the Cronbach’s

alpha value was 0.721. The data were analyzed by

Chi-square tests use of SPSS and Excel.

This paper is organized as follows. In section 2,

the literature review that this study aims to address

is discussed. In section 3, the aim and methodology

are described. In section 4 research findings are

presented and discussed. Finally, in section 5, the

conclusion and recommendations for future research

will be provided.

2 Literature Review

In the last few decades, with the growth of

technology, online education has become

increasingly popular that provides students

flexibility and accessibility for learning. After the

Covid pandemic started in March 2020, online

education is no longer a trend, it became

mainstream, [10], due to the lockdown all around

the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed

many aspects of education,

it has compelled

universities to re-evaluate their approaches to both

assessment and teaching. Many institutions are now

contemplating the implementation of remote exam

delivery as a way to safeguard against potential

future disruptions, thereby ensuring their

preparedness for unforeseen circumstances, [11].

Instructors have made use of diverse

technological tools, encompassing a wide range of

options such as live chats, threaded discussions,

forms, PowerPoint presentations, email, videos,

software applications, spreadsheets, word

processors, online portals, electronic

portfolios/projects, and online exams, [12]. These

tools serve as valuable resources to facilitate

effective communication and enhance the learning

experience for students, [12]. As the transition to

remote learning took place, online examinations

gained significant popularity as a preferred

assessment method among instructors. However, a

considerable number of instructors lacked prior

experience in conducting online assessments, [1],

including new online test environment, technical

issues, and academic integrity and anxiety. To

facilitate the process, a pool of questions is created

within the online platform. These questions are then

presented individually, one per page, in a sequential

manner, [13]. Students are typically prohibited

from revisiting previously answered questions, and

to further enhance fairness, the order of questions

and their corresponding answers are shuffled. Since

cheating is a common phenomenon among

students, it is crucial to preserve the trust, honesty,

and integrity of online assessments, [14]. This

needs for maintaining academic integrity through

proctored online assessments, [15]. When students

are allowed to take non-proctored online tests,

concerns arise regarding the potential for cheating.

This is because students may have access to

materials that are prohibited during the test or may

collaborate with others to complete the test

collectively. As a consequence, the resulting grades

may not accurately reflect the actual performance

of individual students, [16], [17].

Lockdown Browser is one of the proctoring

techniques. Proctoring with Lockdown Browser

involves several measures such as conducting a

room scan, scanning the student's ID card, ensuring

continuous monitoring through a webcam, and

requiring the availability of a private room. It has

been observed that this practice reinforces the well-

established inverse connection between students'

test anxiety and their performance in exams. This is

likely because proctoring introduces a sense of

unease and discomfort that can potentially trigger

anxiety, [4], [9]. Today, almost all students

experience anxiety and fear before or during exams,

[18]. Exam anxiety refers to a blend of physical

symptoms and emotional responses that hinder one's

capacity to perform effectively during examinations,

[11]. Several factors contribute to the onset of exam

anxiety, encompassing various elements such as the

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length of the examination, the number of questions,

the specific testing methodology employed, the

instructions provided for the test, the testing

environment, and proctoring, [18], [19]. In

literature, many scholars studied the effects of

proctored exam anxiety, [1], [3], [4], [18], [20],

[21], [23], [24], and the relation between exams

anxiety and academic performance, [2], [9], [15],

[16], [25], [26], [27], [28]. The other scholars

studied how to reduce test anxiety, [11], [13], [28],

[30], [31]. Multiple studies have already presented

qualitative evidence indicating heightened levels of

anxiety in exams that involve proctoring, [3], [21],

[26]. The majority of studies have identified an

inverse correlation between exam anxiety and

academic achievement, [15], [16], [27]. Specifically,

individuals with high levels of trait test anxiety tend

to attain lower scores in exams, particularly when

taking assessments in an online proctored

environment.

3 Aim and Methodology

The rapid advancements in technology and the

widespread availability of the Internet have

revolutionized various aspects of life, including the

education system. These technological

developments have paved the way for new

educational approaches, blending with traditional

methods. Examples of such integration include

distance education, web-based (virtual or remote or

online) education, and hybrid education. These

emerging styles of education have brought about

significant changes and opportunities in the field of

learning. After the Covid pandemic and lockdown

started, most of the education institutions followed

online education. The sudden transition brought

many challenges to instructors and students,

especially online assessments. To maintain

academic integrity and to reduce cheating on online

assessments, the use of proctoring has increased

students’ stress and anxiety in addition to their

mental issues due to the pandemic. Students’

academic performance is the most crucial factor not

only impacting their learning of the materials but

also their future careers. The objective of this

research is to investigate the benefits and obstacles

associated with online education while examining

the impact of online learning on students' levels of

anxiety. Additionally, it will analyse the influence

of anxiety on students' academic performance and

overall success. Furthermore, the study will explore

potential approaches that educational institutions

and instructors can adopt to mitigate students'

anxiety specifically pertaining to online exams. By

undertaking this investigation, the research aims to

gain insights into the complex relationship between

online education, anxiety levels, and effective

strategies for alleviating student apprehensions in

the online learning environment.

This research endeavors to investigate and

provide insights into the responses to the following

inquiries:

 Perceptions of students on online education

 What are the challenges of online exams?

 How do online exams affect students’ stress

and anxiety?

 How does Lockdown Browser affect

students’ anxiety?

 Is there any positive or negative relationship

between students’ anxiety and performance?

 Is there any gender, class standing, and

having own room differences on students'

anxiety and performance?

This research constitutes a component of prior

studies, [32], [33] that have investigated the

perceptions of students on online education during

the Covid pandemic. In this study, data were

gathered through two distinct methods. The first

method involved an online survey that collected

demographic information from students, along with

their perceptions of online learning, online exams,

and online exam challenges. The survey utilized a 5-

Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree to

strongly agree. The second method involved

utilizing the Learning Management System (LMS)

to collect data on students' performance. A dataset

comprising information from 2,456 students was

obtained from the LMS, aiming to explore potential

correlations between performance and variable class

standing. Additionally, a second dataset was

collected from 313 students who participated in the

online survey. This dataset specifically examined

students' perceptions of their performance in relation

to factors such as gender, class standing, and

whether they had their own room. It is important to

note that student participation in the survey was

voluntary, and their grades and class standings were

collected anonymously with their consent, [32],

[33].

The data collection process took place during

the Fall and Winter semesters of 2020 and 2021,

respectively, in mathematics and statistics courses at

two universities in Ontario, Canada. All the lectures

were presented in an online format. The lectures

were recorded and made available on the D2L

platform, which is the Learning Management

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System (LCM) utilized by two schools. In addition

to the recorded lectures, lecture slides were also

uploaded to D2L. The assessment for the course

consisted of two online tests, 10 assignments based

on a weekly schedule on the Mylab platform, a

group project, and an online final exam. Before each

exam, a practice test was posted on D2L to

encourage students and prepare them for the

upcoming assessment. To ensure a fair assessment

and minimize cheating, the two tests and the final

exam were supervised using the "Respondus

Lockdown Browser and Monitor" system. It was

communicated in advance that students were

required to take the test on a reliable computer

equipped with a webcam and microphone in a quiet

environment. Any noise or presence of another

individual in the room would trigger a flag in the

system, [32], [33]. Out of the total of 2,456 students,

313 students participated in the survey, comprising

167 (53.4%) male and 146 (46.6%) female students.

Among the participants, 167 (53.4%) were first-year

students, 93 (29.7%) were second-year students, 36

(11.5%) were third-year students, and 17 (5.4%)

were fourth-year students, [32], [33]. Moreover, 259

(82.7%) of the participants had their own room,

while 54 (17.3%) did not.

In terms of grades, 95 (30.4%) of the students

passed the course with a grade of A, 67 (21.4%)

with a grade of B, 78 (24.9%) with a grade of C, 51

(16.3%) with grade D, and 22 (7%) failed the course

with a grade F. Among the total 2,456 students,

1,242 (61.0%) were first-year students, 545 (26.8%)

were second-year students, 147 (7.2%) were third-

year students, and 102 (5.0%) were fourth-year

students. Similarly, out of the 2,456 students, 520

(21.2%) passed with grade A, 635 (25.9%) with

grade B, 655 (26.7%) with grade C, 379 (15.4%)

with grade D, and 267 (10.8%) failed the course,

[2], [37]. To simplify the grading system, the

categories A+, A, and A- were represented as A (80-

100), B+, B, and B- as B (70-79), C+, C, and C- as

C (60-69), D+, D, and D- as D (50-59), and failing

grades as F (0-49), [32], [33]. The evaluation of the

course included two midterm tests, a final exam, 10

weekly assignments, and an online project. The

collected data were analyzed using SPSS and Excel

software.

The study's goals were accomplished

using descriptive statistics, a Likert scale with

five response options, as well as Pearson's chi-

square test.

4 Finding and Discussion

This section presents the findings derived from the

analysed data, organized into four subsections:

online learning, online exams, anxiety, and the use

of a Lock-down Browser. Within each subsection,

the items will be discussed based on various factors,

including gender differences, class standings,

ownership of a personal room, and grades. The aim

is to explore and highlight the observations and

patterns that emerged from the data analysis,

considering these different aspects and their

potential influences on the respective topics.

The survey employed a 5-Likert scale that included

response options from strongly disagree (SD) to

strongly agree (SA). However, for the sake of

simplicity, the negative responses (strongly disagree

and disagree) were combined to represent negative

perceptions, while the positive responses (strongly

agree and agree) were combined to represent

positive perceptions. This grouping allows for easier

interpretation and analysis of the data by

categorizing the responses into broader positive and

negative categories.

4.1 Online Education

To investigate students' perceptions of online

learning, four specific items were included in the

study: An6, Anx7, Anx20, and Anx22. Anx6, which

explores the statement "It is very difficult to contact

group members for online group projects," aims to

assess the challenges students face when

communicating with their peers in online

collaborative projects. Anx7, on the other hand, asks

students to indicate their preference for working on

online projects individually, providing insight into

their personal work style and inclination towards

independent work. Anx20 focuses on the statement

"Statistics and mathematics are very hard to learn in

an online class," aiming to uncover students'

attitudes and tendencies regarding online courses in

these specific subjects. This item seeks to

understand whether students perceive statistics and

mathematics as more challenging when taught

online compared to traditional classroom settings.

Lastly, Anx22 delves into the statement "I spend

more time learning the materials in an online

course," aiming to gather information on the amount

of additional time students invest in self-directed

learning for online courses. This item seeks to

explore the time commitment and effort students

allocate to effectively grasp the course materials in

an online learning environment.

Table 1 depicts data on gender differences and

responses to statements related to online group

projects, preference for individual work, the

difficulty of learning statistics and mathematics

online, and the time spent on learning materials in

an online course. At a 5% significance level, there is

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a statistically significant association between gender

and the perceived difficulty of learning statistics and

mathematics in an online class. The responses show

that more males (23.4%) than females (22.6%)

selected SD+D, suggesting that males perceive these

subjects as harder to learn online. On the other hand,

more females (32.2%) than males (19.2%)

responded with N (neutral). This indicates that

females might have a less definite opinion or may

feel less strongly about the difficulty of learning

these subjects online compared to males. However,

there is no significant association between gender

and the difficulty of contacting group members for

online group projects or the preference for

individual work in online projects. This suggests

that males may perceive more difficulties in

contacting group members compared to females.

There is also no significant association between

gender and the amount of time spent on learning

materials in an online course. In terms of spending

more time learning materials in an online course, a

higher percentage of males (53.3%) than females

(45.2%) responded with SA+A, indicating that

males tend to invest more time in studying the

course materials in an online setting. This finding

contributes to the existing literature by

demonstrating two significant points. Firstly, it

confirms that female students tend to spend more

time online compared to their male counterparts.

Secondly, it highlights that students, both male and

female, who spend less than an average of 15 hours

online are less likely to achieve success, [35].

Table 1. Perceptions of students on online learning

versus gender

When comparing the items with having own

room, it is found that at a 5% significance level,

there is no statistically significant association

between owning a separate room and the difficulty

of contacting group members for online group

projects, the preference for individual work in

online projects, the difficulty of learning statistics

and mathematics in an online class, or the amount of

time spent on learning materials in an online course

(Table 2). However, a higher percentage of

individuals with their own room (59.4%) compared

to those without their own room (51.9%) responded

with SA+A, suggesting that individuals with their

room might allocate more time to learning materials

in an online course. Regarding the perception of

difficulty in learning statistics and mathematics in

an online class, 27.8% of individuals without their

own room and 22.0% of those with their own room

responded with SD+D. This suggests that

individuals without their own room may find these

subjects slightly more challenging to learn online.

Based on the study's results, it was discovered that

having a personal room had a beneficial effect on

academic performance, [33]. The failure rate among

students without their own room was approximately

three times higher compared to students who had

their own room, [33]. This contributes to the

findings in this work.

Table 2. Perception of students on online learning

versus having their own room

Table 3 shows the perception of students on

online learning and class standing. When the class

standing was examined with the items, at a 5%

significance level, there is no statistically significant

association between the class standing and the

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difficulty of contacting group members for online

group projects, preference for individual work in

online projects, and the time spent on learning

materials in an online course (Table 3). Based on

the findings of an online survey conducted

among 307 students, it was revealed that 51%

of the respondents expressed that they dedicate

more time to their homework in comparison to

traditional classroom settings, [36]. Regarding

the difficulty of learning statistics and mathematics

in an online class, there is a borderline association

because the asymptotic significance 2-sided is

0.091. Notably, the percentage of students

responding with SD+D decreases as the class

standing progresses, while the percentage of

students responding with SA+A increases. This

indicates that students who are in higher class

standings may perceive statistics and mathematics

as less challenging to learn in an online setting, in

contrast to students in lower class standings. This

observation can be attributed to the fact that higher-

class students have taken more online courses, with

a significant portion of them being course retakes. It

is also found that students in higher class standings

may have slightly less difficulty in contacting group

members for online projects and as students advance

in their class standings, they are more likely to

prefer individual work for online projects.

Table 3. Perceptions of students on online learning

versus class standing

Table 4 presents the results of a survey

examining the influence of having one's own room

on students' perceptions of online exams. When the

grade distribution is based on the four online

learning items at a 5% significance level, there is no

statistically significant association between the

grade and the difficulty of contacting group

members for online group projects, preference for

individual work in online projects, and the time

spent on learning materials in an online course

(Table 4). Findings suggest that students with higher

grades, particularly those with grade A, tend to find

it slightly less challenging to contact group

members for online projects. However, there is a

statistically significant association between the

grade and the perceived difficulty of learning

statistics and mathematics in an online class.

Regarding the perception of the difficulty of

learning statistics and mathematics in an online

class, differences were found among the grades. As

grades improve, there is a noticeable decrease in the

percentage of students responding with SD+D,

while the percentage of students responding with

SA+A shows an upward trend. This observation

suggests that students with higher grades tend to

perceive statistics and mathematics as less

challenging to learn in an online setting when

compared to students with lower grades. Several

factors may contribute to this phenomenon,

including test mode, exam anxiety, the course

delivery method, as well as the students'

backgrounds in mathematics and statistics, [37].

Table 4. Perceptions of students on online learning

versus performance

4.2 Online Exams

To investigate students' perspectives on online

exams, a survey was conducted consisting of eleven

items. The items included Anx5, Anx8, Anx9,

Anx10, Anx12, Anx13, Anx14, Anx16, Anx17,

Anx18, and Anx19. Each item focused on a specific

aspect of online exams. For instance, Anx5 explored

students' preferences between in-class tests and

online tests. The coding definitions for these items

are as follows: Anx8: "I feel unable to demonstrate

my knowledge when taking an online test." Anx9: "I

find online test questions to be easier compared to

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in-class test questions." Anx10: "I prefer taking tests

on the Mylab platform rather than on D2L." Anx12:

"I prefer multiple-choice questions in online tests."

Anx13: "I dislike multiple-choice questions with

multiple parts in online tests because I cannot earn

partial credit or marks." Anx14: "I appreciate

written answer questions in online tests because I

have the opportunity to earn partial credit or marks."

Anx16: "Online tests present more challenges

compared to in-class tests." Anx17: "Online tests

should allow for more time to be given." Anx18:

"Due to the lack of a private room, it is difficult for

me to concentrate when taking online tests." Anx19:

"Cheating is effortless in online tests as I can easily

share questions with my social media group and

obtain answers." These specific items were designed

to gather insights into students' perceptions and

experiences related to various aspects of online

exams.

Table 5. Perceptions of students on online exams

versus gender

Table 5 presents the results of a survey

examining gender differences in students'

perceptions on online exams. The survey findings

reveal the following insights regarding gender

differences in students' perceptions of online exams

(Table 5). The survey included various statements

related to preferences, difficulties, and challenges

associated with online tests. At a 5% significance

level, the data suggests that there are no statistically

significant gender differences in most of the

responses. For the statement "I prefer in-class tests

to online tests," there was a slightly higher

proportion of females (49.3%) who preferred online

tests compared to males (38.3%), but the difference

was not significant (p = 0.146). Similarly, for other

statements such as "I cannot show my knowledge

when writing an online test" and "The questions are

easier for online tests than for in-class tests," there

were no significant gender differences observed.

However, there were some notable trends. Females

had a slightly higher proportion (38.4%) who liked

written answer questions for online tests compared

to males (26.9%), and this difference approached

statistical significance (p = 0.063). Additionally,

more females (76.0%) perceived cheating as easy in

online tests compared to males (67.7%), although

this difference was not statistically significant (p =

0.258). This contributes to the literature finding that

a definitive pattern of gender differences in statistics

courses has not yet been identified, and it may vary

depending on the criteria used to measure course

success, such as exam scores versus overall course

performance, [38], [39].

When the influence of having one's own room

on students' perceptions of online exams is

examined at a 5% significance level, the data

suggests that having one's own room does not

significantly affect most of the responses. The

majority of the statements, such as "I prefer in-class

tests to online tests" and "The questions are easier

for online tests than for in-class tests," did not

exhibit statistically significant differences between

participants with and without their own room.

However, there were a few notable findings.

Participants with having their own room had a

higher proportion (10.4%) who preferred multiple-

choice questions for online tests compared to those

without having their own room (0%), and this

difference was statistically significant (p = 0.037).

Additionally, participants without having their own

room found it significantly more difficult to

concentrate when writing tests compared to those

with having their own room (p = 0.000).

Furthermore, there was a tendency for participants

without having their own room to agree more

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strongly (73.4%) that more time should be given for

online tests compared to those with having their

own room (64.8%), although this difference

approached but did not reach statistical significance

(p = 0.059).

When the students' perceptions of in-class

exams versus online exams across different

academic years are tested at a 5% level of

significance, the data indicates several noteworthy

findings. Firstly, there were significant differences

observed in the statement "The questions are easier

for online tests than for in-class exams" among the

different academic years (p = 0.023). Specifically,

students in the 1st year (38.9%) were more likely to

agree with this statement compared to those in the

2nd year (55.9%), 3rd year (58.3%), and 4th year

(52.9%). Secondly, regarding the preference for

multiple-choice questions in online exams, a

significant difference was found across academic

years (p = 0.029). Students in the 1st year (83.2%)

expressed a higher preference for multiple-choice

questions compared to those in the 2nd year

(78.5%), 3rd year (69.4%), and 4th year (52.9%).

Additionally, the perception of cheating being easy

in online exams showed a significant difference

across academic years (p = 0.028). Students in the

1st year (67.7%) and 2nd year (74.2%) were more

likely to agree with this statement compared to those

in the 3rd year (86.1%) and 4th year (64.7%). In

contrast, there were no significant differences

observed in students' preferences for in-class exams

over online exams or their ability to demonstrate

knowledge in online tests across different academic

years. Therefore, the survey results suggest that

there are varying perceptions and preferences

regarding online exams among students in different

academic years. While students in the 1st year

tended to find online test questions easier and prefer

multiple-choice formats, they were also more

concerned about the potential for cheating. These

findings highlight the importance of considering

students' academic year when designing and

implementing online assessment strategies.

Table 6 presents data on students' preferences

and perceptions regarding in-class tests and online

tests, along with their corresponding grades. The

survey results, along with students' grades, provide

insights into their preferences for in-class tests

versus online tests (Table 6). Analysing the results

at a 5% significance level, several observations can

be made. Firstly, for the statement "I prefer in-class

tests to online tests," there is a significant difference

in the distribution of responses across grade

categories (p = 0.033). A higher percentage of

students in the A grade category (41.1%) strongly

disagreed or disagreed with this statement compared

to students in lower grade categories. Similarly, for

the statement "I cannot show my knowledge when

writing an online test," there is no significant

difference across grade categories (p = 0.791).

Regarding the difficulty of questions between online

and in-class tests, no significant difference is

observed across grade categories (p = 0.865).

Table 6. Perceptions of students on online exams

versus their performance

Similarly, for the preference between Mylab and

D2L platforms, there is no significant difference

across grade categories (p = 0.094). However, for

the statement "I prefer multiple-choice questions for

online tests," there is a significant difference (p =

0.232), with a higher percentage of students in the A

grade category (71.6%) strongly agreeing or

agreeing with this statement. The analysis also

reveals that there is no significant difference across

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grade categories for the statement related to

disliking multiple-choice questions with many parts

in an online test (p = 0.400). Similarly, for the

preference for written answer questions in online

tests, no significant difference is observed (p =

0.283). Regarding the perceived difficulty of online

tests compared to in-class tests, no significant

difference is found (p = 0.711). However, when it

comes to the need for more time for online tests,

there is a significant difference across grade

categories (p = 0.443). A higher percentage of

students in the A grade category (72.6%) strongly

agreed or agreed with this statement. In terms of

concentration during tests, no significant difference

is observed across grade categories (p = 0.510).

Finally, for the statement about cheating in online

tests, there is no significant difference across grade

categories (p = 0.656). Overall, the analysis suggests

that preferences for test formats and perceptions of

difficulty vary among students of different grade

categories.

4.3 Stress and Anxiety

To investigate the factors contributing to students'

stress and anxiety during online exams, eight

specific items were included in the survey: Anx4,

An5, Anx8, Anx15, Anx21, Anx23, Anx24, and

Anx25. Each item is defined as follows: Anx4:

"Sequential tests increase my stress." Anx5: "I

prefer in-class tests to online tests." Anx8: "I cannot

show my knowledge when writing an online test."

Anx15: "Writing tests in a different time zone

increases my stress." Anx21: "Online education and

tests increase my mental health problems." Anx23:

"Having one question per page on an online test

increases my stress and anxiety." Anx24: "The

absence of a previous question feature in an online

test increases my stress." Anx25: "Errors in the test

questions increase my stress and anxiety." These

specific items were included in the survey to gain

insights into the factors contributing to students'

stress and anxiety levels during online exams. By

addressing these concerns, it was aimed to better

understand the challenges students face in online

testing environments and explore potential strategies

to alleviate stress and improve the overall

experience for students.

Table 7 presents the results of a survey

conducted to examine the responses of male and

female participants regarding their stress levels and

attitudes toward various aspects of online exams.

The findings pertaining to the responses of male and

female participants to statements regarding their

stress and anxiety levels during online exams are

summarized below (Table 7). For the statement

"Sequential tests increase my stress," there is a

statistically significant difference between males

and females (p = 0.028), with 11.4% of males and

13.0% of females strongly disagreeing or

disagreeing. The findings of a literature study

revealed that participants enrolled in a traditional

face-to-face classroom setting reported slightly

higher levels of stress compared to those taking the

same course online, [20]. In terms of the preference

for in-class tests over online tests, the difference

between genders is not statistically significant (p =

0.146). However, a higher percentage of females

(49.3%) express a preference for in-class tests

compared to males (38.3%). This finding adds to the

existing literature suggesting that female students

tend to experience higher levels of anxiety

compared to their male counterparts, [20], [34].

Table 7. Students' stress and anxiety by gender on

online exams

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Similarly, when it comes to the perception of

not being able to demonstrate knowledge in online

tests, there is no significant gender difference (p =

0.221). However, a slightly higher percentage of

females (39.7%) disagree or strongly disagree with

this statement compared to males (40.7%). The

statement regarding stress caused by writing tests in

different time zones does not show a significant

gender difference (p=0.884), with similar

proportions of males and females reporting stress.

Regarding the impact of online education and tests

on mental health problems, there is no significant

gender difference (p=0.164). However, a higher

percentage of males (47.9%) agree or strongly agree

with this statement compared to females (44.5%).

When considering the statement "One question per

page on an online test increases my stress and

anxiety," there is no significant gender difference in

responses (p=0.306). Both genders reported similar

levels of stress and anxiety related to this aspect of

online tests. Not going back to a previous question

feature in online tests does not significantly differ

between males and females (p=0.638), with a high

percentage of both genders (86.2% and 89.7%

respectively) agreeing or strongly agreeing with this

statement. This shows that students prefer in-person

exams to online exams which contradicts the fact of

findings in the literature, [20]. Lastly, for the

statement on mistakes in test questions increasing

stress and anxiety, there is no significant gender

difference (p=0.195), although a slightly higher

percentage of females (82.2%) express agreement or

strong agreement compared to males (86.2%). The

level of test anxiety experienced and its impact

varies based on individual factors, as well as the

interplay of personal, situational, and contextual

elements. Extensive research suggests that female

students often report higher levels of anxiety

compared to their male counterparts, [40].

When the responses of participants based on

whether they have their own room or not were

examined only a few items showed statistically

significant differences. Having their own room

appeared to influence the levels of stress and anxiety

related to writing tests in different time zones

(p=0.013) and having one question per page on an

online test (p=0.012).

When the results of a survey were conducted

among students from different academic years to

examine their responses regarding various

statements, no significant differences were found

among students from different academic years for

any of the investigated statements. This suggests

that academic year progression does not appear to

have a significant impact on students' responses

regarding stress and anxiety associated with

sequential tests, online tests, time zone differences,

online education, test features, and mistakes in test

questions.

Table 8. Grade differences in students' stress and

anxiety in online exams

Table 8 displays the results of a survey aimed at

examining the responses of students from different

grades (A, B, C, D, F) regarding their stress levels

related to various aspects of online exams.

Concerning the statement "Sequential tests increase

my stress," no significant differences were found

among the grade groups (p = 0.364). All grade

groups reported similar levels of stress when faced

with sequential tests during online exams. For the

item "I prefer in-class tests to online tests,"

significant differences were observed among the

grade groups (p = 0.033). Students in grade F

expressed a significantly higher preference for in-

class tests compared to students in grades A, B, and

C. These findings align with prior research

indicating that elevated trait anxiety can negatively

impact exam performance, resulting in lower scores

for students with higher levels of anxiety, [15]. This

suggests that students who received lower grades in

their studies tended to have a stronger preference for

in-class tests over online tests. Similarly, there were

no statistically significant differences in responses

to "I cannot show my knowledge when writing an

online test" among the grade groups (p = 0.791). All

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grade groups reported comparable difficulties in

demonstrating their knowledge during online exams.

The statement "Writing tests in a different time zone

increases my stress" did not reveal any significant

differences among the grade groups (p = 0.182).

Students from all grades reported similar levels of

stress when writing tests in different time zones.

Regarding the impact of online education and tests

on mental health problems, significant differences

were found among the grade groups (p = 0.020).

Students in grade F reported a significantly higher

increase in mental health problems compared to

students in grades A, B, and C. This suggests that

students who received a lower grade experienced

more mental health issues associated with online

education and tests as stated in the literature, [15].

For the item "One question per page on an online

test increases my stress and anxiety," no significant

differences were observed among the grade groups

(p = 0.070). Students from all grades reported

similar levels of stress and anxiety when faced with

one question per page on an online test. Not going

back to the previous question feature online tests did

not show any statistically significant differences

among the grade groups (p = 0.131). All grade

groups expressed a high level of agreement with this

statement. Similarly, the impact of mistakes in test

questions on stress and anxiety did not reveal any

significant differences among the grade groups (p =

0.083). All grade groups reported similar levels of

stress related to this factor. Literature reveals a

negative correlation between performance and

anxiety, indicating that lower grades tend to lead to

increased anxiety, and vice versa, [40], [41].

4.4 Lockdown Browser

To investigate the effects of the Lockdown browser

on students' anxiety levels and academic

performance, four specific items were used for

measurement: Anx1, Anx2, Anx3, and Anx11.

These items were coded and defined as follows:

Anx1: "The use of Lockdown Browser alleviates my

stress." Anx2: "I would rather participate in a Zoom

session with my camera on during the test instead of

using Lockdown Browser." Anx3: "I have no

preference between joining a Zoom session with my

camera on or using Lockdown Browser during the

test." Anx11: "I am extremely concerned about

experiencing freezing issues during the tests."

Figure 1 presents the responses of male and

female participants regarding the statement

"Lockdown Browser reduces my stress." Out of the

total male participants (n = 167), 138 (82.6%)

expressed either Strongly Disagree (SD) or Disagree

(D), indicating that they do not believe Lockdown

Browser reduces their stress. On the other hand, 15

participants (9.0%) remained Neutral (N), and 14

participants (8.4%) expressed Agreement (A) or

Strong Agreement (SA), suggesting that they

believe Lockdown Browser helps reduce their

stress. Among the female participants (n = 146), 123

(84.2%) expressed SD or D, indicating a similar

trend to the male participants. Additionally, 16

participants (11.0%) remained Neutral, and only 7

participants (4.8%) expressed A or SA, suggesting a

lower percentage compared to the male participants.

These findings align with the existing literature, [3],

[26], which highlights that remote monitoring

during supervised exams has led to increased stress

and anxiety among students. Specifically, 40% of

participants reported feeling more pressure during

the examination due to remote monitoring, while

60% stated that they did not experience similar

pressure during traditional testing, [20]. Overall, the

majority of both male and female participants

expressed skepticism or disagreement regarding the

effectiveness of Lockdown Browser in reducing

their stress. The percentage of participants who

agreed or strongly agreed with the statement was

relatively low for both genders.

Fig. 1: Gender differences on "Lockdown Browser

reduces my stress"

*1 represents SD+D, 2 represents N and 3 represents

A+SA

The findings concerning the preferences of male

and female participants regarding their choice to

join Zoom with their camera on instead of using

Lockdown Browser during tests can be summarized

as follows. Among the male participants (n = 167),

39 (23.4%) expressed either Strongly Disagree (SD)

or Disagree (D), indicating that they do not prefer

joining Zoom with the camera on. On the other

hand, 25 participants (15.0%) remained Neutral (N),

and a majority of 103 participants (61.7%)

expressed Agreement (A) or Strong Agreement

(SA), suggesting that they prefer joining Zoom with

the camera on instead of using Lockdown Browser

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during tests. Among the female participants (n =

146), a higher percentage of 58 participants (39.7%)

expressed SD or D, indicating that they do not

prefer joining Zoom with the camera on.

Additionally, 20 participants (13.7%) remained

Neutral, and 68 participants (46.6%) expressed A or

SA, suggesting that a lower percentage of female

participants prefer joining Zoom with the camera on

compared to the male participants. Overall, the data

suggests that a significant portion of both male and

female participants prefer joining Zoom with the

camera on instead of using Lockdown Browser

during tests. However, the percentage of female

participants expressing this preference is relatively

lower compared to male participants. The findings

pertaining to the preferences of male and female

participants regarding their choice to neither join

Zoom with the camera on nor use the Lockdown

Browser during tests can be summarized as follows.

Among the male participants (n = 167), 24 (14.4%)

expressed either Strongly Disagree (SD) or Disagree

(D), indicating that they do not prefer this option.

The majority of male participants, 109 (65.3%),

expressed Agreement (A) or Strong Agreement

(SA), suggesting that they prefer neither joining

Zoom with the camera on nor using Lockdown

Browser during tests. Among the female

participants (n = 146), a lower percentage of 10

participants (6.8%) expressed SD or D, indicating

that they do not prefer this option. Additionally, 24

participants (16.4%) remained Neutral, and the

majority of female participants, 112 (76.7%),

expressed A or SA, suggesting that they prefer

neither joining Zoom with the camera on nor using

Lockdown Browser during tests. Overall, the data

indicates that a majority of both male and female

participants prefer neither joining Zoom with the

camera on nor using the Lockdown browser during

tests. The percentage of male participants

expressing this preference is higher compared to

female participants.

Findings show the responses of male and female

participants regarding their level of worry about

experiencing freezing issues during tests. Among

the male participants (n = 167), 40 (24.0%)

expressed either Strongly Disagree (SD) or Disagree

(D), indicating that they are not very worried about

freezing issues. On the other hand, a majority of

male participants, 107 (64.1%), expressed

Agreement (A) or Strong Agreement (SA),

suggesting that they are indeed very worried about

freezing issues during tests. Among the female

participants (n = 146), a lower percentage of 22

participants (15.1%) expressed SD or D, indicating

that they are not very worried about freezing issues.

Additionally, the majority of female participants,

100 (68.5%), expressed A or SA, suggesting that

they are very worried about freezing issues during

tests. Overall, the data indicates that a significant

proportion of both male and female participants are

very worried about experiencing freezing issues

during tests. The percentage of male participants

expressing this worry is higher compared to female

participants, but the majority of both genders share

this concern.

Table 9. Perceptions of students on Lockdown

Browser and having own room

Table 9 shows the significance of having one's

own room on students' responses to the items related

to the use of the Lockdown Browser. When the

same items of the survey were examined according

to having their own room, the analysis indicates that

there is no significant difference in students'

responses to the items related to Lockdown Browser

based on whether they have their own room or not.

Both groups show similar levels of agreement,

preference, and concern (Table 9).

Similarly, when the four items related to the

Lockdown browser were analyzed, the results

indicate that there is no significant difference in

students' responses to the items related to Lockdown

Browser based on their class year. The agreement,

preference, and concern levels were generally

consistent across all class levels. However, a

noteworthy difference was observed in the

preference for neither joining Zoom nor using

Lockdown Browser, with first-year students

showing a higher inclination towards this option.

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Research in the literature reveals that students

suffering from depression tend to report higher

levels of anxiety when it comes to being required to

appear on camera during class, as well as concerns

about potential embarrassment arising from their

surroundings while being on camera, [29]. A

specific interview study conducted with students

experiencing depression demonstrated that the

obligation to be on camera during online

coursework can exacerbate their depressive

symptoms. This effect is attributed to the common

reluctance among undergraduate students to disclose

their depression to peers and mentors, [29], [42].

Consequently, the presence of an active camera may

prove particularly detrimental to students when they

are feeling sad or disengaged, as it becomes

increasingly challenging for them to conceal their

depression from others, [29].

Figure 2 presents the responses of participants

belonging to different grade categories (A, B, C, D,

and F) regarding their perception of whether the

lockdown browser reduces their stress during tests.

For grade A (n = 95) participants, the majority of 75

(78.9%) expressed either Strongly Disagree (SD) or

Disagree (D), indicating that they do not believe that

the lockdown browser reduces their stress.

Additionally, 12 participants (12.6%) remain ed

Neutral (N), and only 8 participants (8.4%)

expressed Agreement (A) or Strong Agreement

(SA), suggesting that they find the lockdown

browser effective in reducing their stress. Among

grade B participants (n = 67), a higher percentage of

56 participants (83.6%) expressed SD or D,

indicating their disagreement with the statement.

Seven participants (10.4%) remained Neutral, and

four participants (6.0%) expressed A or SA,

indicating their agreement with the effectiveness of

the lockdown browser in reducing stress.

Fig. 2: Grades and students’ perception of whether

the lockdown browser reduces their stress during

tests

Similarly, for grade C (n = 78) participants, the

majority of 66 participants (84.6%) expressed SD or

D, while seven participants (9.0%) expressed A or

SA. Five participants (6.4%) remained Neutral. For

grade D (n = 51) participants, the highest proportion

of 46 participants (90.2%) expressed SD or D,

indicating their disagreement with the effectiveness

of the lockdown browser in reducing stress. Five

participants (9.8%) remained Neutral. Finally, for

grade F (n = 22) participants, a majority of 18

participants (81.8%) expressed SD or D, while two

participants (9.1%) expressed A or SA. Two

participants (9.1%) remained Neutral. Overall, the

data suggest that participants from all grade

categories, except grade A, generally do not

perceive the lockdown browser as an effective

means of reducing their stress during tests. The

majority of participants in grade A expressed

disagreement, while a small proportion expressed

agreement or remained neutral. In the existing

literature, while proponents argue that proctoring

can effectively reduce cheating, several studies have

also highlighted the drawbacks associated with

proctoring and the use of online exams in general,

[3]. These drawbacks primarily pertain to perceived

exam difficulty, student performance, and test

anxiety, [3], [43]. Conversely, preliminary results

have shown that students express concerns

regarding the extent of personal data shared with

proctoring software providers, [3], [44]. The use of

live remote proctoring has faced criticism for

exacerbating test anxiety and infringing upon

personal privacy, [45], [46].

When the responses of participants belonging to

different grade categories (A, B, C, D, and F)

regarding their preference for joining Zoom with the

camera on instead of using the lockdown browser

during tests were examined it is found that

participants from different grade categories show

varying preferences regarding joining Zoom with

the camera on instead of using the lockdown

browser during tests. The majority of participants in

grades A, B, C, D, and F expressed agreement or

strong agreement, while grades D showed a higher

proportion of disagreement or strong disagreement.

Neutral responses were observed across all grade

categories, suggesting a range of perspectives on

this preference. According to the literature, the

findings demonstrated that the non-proctored online

test resulted in a four-point grade advantage

compared to the traditional method, [16]. However,

another study also revealed that the group who took

exams in the unproctored environment exhibited

significantly greater variation in their performance

outcomes, [2]. Participants from different grade

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categories show varying preferences regarding

neither joining Zoom with the camera on nor using

the lockdown browser during tests. The majority of

participants in grades A, B, C, D, and F expressed

agreement or strong agreement, indicating their

preference for this option. However, some

participants expressed disagreement or neutrality,

suggesting a diversity of opinions within each grade

category.

Fig. 3: Grades and students’ level of worry about

experiencing freezing issues during online exams

Figure 3 shows the grades and students’ level of

worry about experiencing freezing issues during

online exams. Participants across different grade

categories exhibit varying levels of concern

regarding the occurrence of freezing issues during

tests. The majority of participants in grades A, B, C,

and D expressed agreement or strong agreement,

indicating a higher degree of worry. However, a

significant portion of participants expressed

disagreement, neutrality, or a lower level of

concern, particularly among grade F participants.

These findings contribute to the existing research on

challenges related to exams, [32]. However, these

findings contradict the study focused on

experiencing technical failures during the exam

submission process, where only 11% of participants

reported such inconvenience.s, mainly attributed to

internet connectivity issues, while 89% stated that

they did not encounter any technical complications,

[20]. These contrasting results suggest that the level

of concern for freezing issues during tests varies

among students at different grade levels (Fig. 3).

Within the literature, it has been identified that a

notable portion of students are adversely affected by

the absence of reliable Internet connectivity and

appropriate electronic devices. This situation places

these students at a significant disadvantage when it

comes to any testing solution reliant on the Internet,

[47].

5 Conclusion

The purpose of this research is to explore students'

attitudes toward online education, online exams, the

implementation of proctoring during online exams,

and how these factors affect their anxiety levels

related to online learning. Additionally, the study

aims to analyze the impact of online learning on

students' anxiety levels based on various factors

such as gender, grade, having a personal room, and

class standing.

Regarding online courses, a significant

correlation is observed between gender and the

perceived difficulty of learning statistics and

mathematics in an online class. However, no

significant relationship is found between gender and

the difficulty of contacting group members for

online group projects, preference for individual

work in online projects, or the amount of time spent

on learning materials in an online course. Similarly,

owning a separate room does not show any

statistically significant association with the

difficulty of contacting group members for online

group projects, preference for individual work in

online projects, the difficulty of learning statistics

and mathematics in an online class, or the amount of

time spent on learning materials in an online course.

Furthermore, weak associations are identified

between class standings and the difficulty of

contacting group members, preference for individual

work, the perceived difficulty of learning statistics

and mathematics online, and the time spent on

learning materials in an online course. In terms of

grades, no statistically significant relationship is

observed between grades and the difficulty of

contacting group members for online group projects,

preference for individual work in online projects, or

the time spent on learning materials in an online

course. However, a statistically significant

association is found between grades and the

perceived difficulty of learning statistics and

mathematics in an online class.

When it comes to the challenges of online

exams, a significant majority of both males (76.6%)

and females (80.8%) indicated a preference for

multiple-choice questions in online tests. However,

participants from both groups expressed concerns

about multiple-choice questions with numerous

parts, as they believed they wouldn't receive partial

credit or marks for their answers. Perceptions of

online tests being more challenging than in-person

exams varied, with a higher percentage of males

(31.1%) finding online tests more demanding

compared to females (23.3%). Both male and

female participants agreed that more time should be

allotted for online exams. While owning a private

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room did not significantly influence most

perceptions related to online exams, it did have a

notable impact on the ability to concentrate during

tests. Additionally, participants who did not have

their room expressed a stronger preference for

multiple-choice questions and a tendency to desire

more time for online exams. The findings suggest

that students' perceptions and preferences regarding

online exams differ across academic years. The

observed discrepancies in preferences for multiple-

choice questions, perceived question difficulty,

beliefs about cheating, and the desire for additional

time underscore the importance of considering the

distinct needs and perspectives of students at

different stages of their academic journey when

designing and implementing online assessments.

Regarding stress and anxiety, although there are

some variations in responses between males and

females, only a few of them reach statistical

significance. These findings indicate that gender

might have a limited impact on the levels of stress

and anxiety experienced during online exams, and

other factors may have a more substantial influence.

The survey results reveal that there are no

significant differences in responses among

participants from different academic years. The

stress levels and preferences concerning online

exams remain generally consistent across all

academic year groups. This suggests that the factors

examined in the survey are not significantly

influenced by the participants' academic year.

Moreover, the survey results suggest that students

from different grade levels exhibit diverse responses

to certain aspects of online exams. Specifically,

students who received lower grades demonstrate a

stronger preference for in-class tests and experience

more mental health issues associated with online

education and exams. However, no significant

differences are observed in other aspects, such as

sequential tests, the inability to demonstrate

knowledge, test format, and errors in test questions.

These findings indicate that grade level may play a

role in shaping students' perceptions and

experiences with online exams, but further

investigation is necessary to comprehend the

underlying factors influencing these discrepancies.

Regarding the relationship between students'

anxiety and performance, a majority of both male

and female participants demonstrated skepticism or

disagreement regarding the effectiveness of

Lockdown Browser in reducing their stress levels.

The percentage of participants who agreed or

strongly agreed with this statement was relatively

low for both genders. The data indicate that a

significant majority of both male and female

participants do not prefer joining Zoom with their

cameras on or using Lockdown Browser during

tests. However, the percentage of female

participants expressing this preference is relatively

higher compared to male participants.

Regarding the ownership of a separate room, the

analysis reveals that there is no significant

difference in students' responses related to

Lockdown Browser based on whether they have

their room or not. Both groups show similar levels

of agreement, preference, and concern.

In terms of the use of Lockdown Browser in

online exams, the analysis indicates that there are no

significant differences in students' responses based

on their class level. However, there is a significant

difference in the preference for neither joining

Zoom nor using Lockdown Browser, with first-year

students showing a higher preference for this option.

When considering grades, the majority of

participants in grades A, B, C, and F expressed

agreement or strong agreement, while grades D

showed a higher proportion of disagreement or

strong disagreement. Neutral responses were

observed across all grade categories, suggesting a

range of perspectives on this preference. These

findings contribute to a quantitative study that

highlights the impact of proctoring stress on

students, causing them to forget some concepts they

have previously learned or studied, [20].

The stress levels related to this factor were

similar across all grade groups. In general, the

survey results reveal that students from different

grade levels display different responses to specific

aspects of online exams. Particularly, students who

received lower grades expressed a stronger

inclination for in-person tests and encountered more

mental health challenges associated with online

education and exams. However, no significant

differences were found in other aspects, such as

sequential tests, the inability to demonstrate

knowledge, test format, and errors in test questions.

These findings suggest that grade level may

influence students' perceptions and experiences with

online exams.

Regarding the challenges of exams, the data

reveals that a significant percentage of both male

and female participants express significant worries

about experiencing freezing issues during tests.

While the proportion of male participants expressing

this concern is higher than that of female

participants, the majority of both genders share this

worry. Furthermore, participants from all grade

categories, except grade A, generally do not

perceive the lockdown browser as an effective

method for reducing their stress during tests. Most

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participants in grade A express disagreement, while

a small proportion express agreement or remain

neutral. Participants across different grade

categories display varying levels of concern

regarding freezing issues during tests. The majority

of participants in grades A, B, C, and D express

agreement or strong agreement, indicating a higher

degree of worry. However, a notable portion of

participants expresses disagreement, neutrality, or a

lower level of concern, particularly among grade F

participants. These findings contribute to the

existing study on exam challenges, [16], [32].

However, they contradict the study on the issue of

experiencing technical failures during the exam

submission process, where only 11% reported such

inconveniences, primarily attributed to internet

connectivity issues, while 89% reported no technical

complications, [20]. These contrasting results

suggest that the level of concern for freezing issues

during tests varies among students across different

grade levels.

The study suggests that gender may not be a

significant determining factor in the reported stress

levels and attitudes toward online exams. However,

further analysis and investigation may be necessary

to explore other potential factors that contribute to

these observations.

To alleviate students' anxiety during online

proctored exams, the following recommendations

can be made based on the existing research: 1-

Implement word problems instead of relying solely

on multiple-choice questions, [21]. 2- Allow

students to review and revisit previously answered

questions during the exam. 3- Provide a pilot exam

to familiarize students with the format and

requirements before the actual exam. 4-

Communicate the exam format in detail well in

advance, including instructions on how to address

any access or internet issues that may arise. 5-

Consider incorporating a Paired Adaptive Test

(PAT) system, which combines short answer and

multiple-choice questions, [11].

However, it is important to acknowledge the

limitations of the study. One limitation is the sample

size. With a larger sample size, some differences

that are currently deemed insignificant may become

significant. For instance, a significance level of 0.05

indicates the possibility of statistically significant

differences in responses among different class

standings, but further analysis is necessary to

confirm these findings. Additionally, there may be

borderline associations that require further

investigation or a larger sample size to draw

conclusive results. Another limitation is the focus on

Lockdown Browser and anxiety, which leaves room

for additional questions and considerations.

Future studies can explore the use of anxiety

tests specifically developed for online exams and

investigate alternative methods to reduce anxiety.

Furthermore, conducting similar studies comparing

online proctoring with traditional or hybrid

education formats can provide valuable insights for

comparison and analysis.

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Contribution of Individual Authors to the

Creation of a Scientific Article (Ghostwriting

Policy)

Nursel Ruzgar and Clare Chua prepared the survey

and applied, did statistics, and interpreted together.

Sources of Funding for Research Presented in a

Scientific Article or Scientific Article Itself

There is no funding for this research

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

(Attribution 4.0 International, CC BY 4.0)

This article is published under the terms of the

Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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