COVID-19 and its impacts in education represented a break from traditional learning, initiating a new era of digital transformation and student-centric learning. For many institutions that transitioned to online and hybrid learning models, education technology played a key role in helping students and faculty adapt to the new normal.

But with growing demand to incorporate technology in the post-pandemic classroom, edtech is continuing to support faculty as they develop sustainable practices for the future. As educators explore new ways to enhance teaching and learning with technology, credentialing organisations are looking for more convenient solutions to help faculty upskill while fulfilling the daily needs of their courses.

Educators are reflecting on lessons learned from the emergency pivot to online learning to inform tech usage in future courses. The 2021 CHLOE 6 report showed an increase in mainstream adoption of education technology as a result of the pandemic and projected at least partial edtech adoption for 80% of respondents by the end of 2021. With edtech solutions like video recording and distribution tools, digital assessment technology, and learning management systems, educators can plan more engaging lessons, automate time-consuming manual processes, and provide differentiated learning experiences. The ability to teach more effectively and efficiently with edtech is motivating educators to learn the digital skills to implement these tools.

Upskilling in edtech can help educators prepare their students to become tech-savvy professionals. In addition to the knowledge and expertise required to secure a job after university, digital skills are increasingly important for students entering the workforce. The global number of digital jobs is growing — on track to more than triple by 2025, according to a recent report by Microsoft. Educators who upskill can more effectively implement edtech in the classroom, which will in turn improve students’ digital literacy skills to prepare them for future careers.

A 2021 article published by the World Economic Forum acknowledges the importance of educators to achieving digital literacy: “In a world where technological advancements come at lightning speed, there is a risk that students will be left behind if we do not invest in the digital skills of those who help them become creators of tomorrow: their educators.”

In 2015, the UN announced 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to overcome some of the largest and most prevalent challenges around the world. SDG 4 involves promoting “inclusive and equitable quality education” for youth and adults, and one of the targets for reaching this outcome is “universal numeracy and literacy” in a digital world. Upskilling in edtech can support the UN’s goal of achieving digital literacy for all by 2030 — both by empowering educators to effectively implement classroom technology and providing students with valuable opportunities to become proficient with these tools.

Credentialing and certification exams allow educators to demonstrate their competency with classroom technology and may even help them influence technology adoption among fellow faculty. However, the time required to adopt new technology can be a major barrier to innovation among educators. While the ultimate goal of upskilling may be to improve classroom efficiency, the process itself can actually detract from educators’ responsibilities in the classroom.

One of the most meaningful ways to improve the upskilling process — and to help more educators experience the benefits — is to make it easier for faculty to balance the credentialing and certification process with the needs of their courses. Online testing lends flexibility and accessibility to the credentialing process by giving educators the chance to upskill at their own pace, from any location. And by using an online proctoring tool in conjunction with online testing, organisations can simplify the upskilling process for educators while preserving the integrity of exams and quizzes.

Adopting a web-based solution for proctoring is a convenient way for exam providers to enhance the flexibility, accessibility, and integrity of the online credentialing process. 

Some exam providers prefer online proctoring tools that offer live invigilation because they value the human interaction this option provides. But as with in-person exam sessions, opting to administer online exams with live proctors can require additional time to plan, and there may be limited availability for a particular exam date. Using an automated proctoring solution gives educators the flexibility to select a day and time that works for them without the need to schedule with a live proctor. Not only does automated proctoring make it easier for educators to upskill while satisfying their teaching requirements, it also gives organisations the assurance that test sessions are secure.

For educators who live in remote locations or different parts of the world, it can be more difficult to upskill if they’re required to travel to a single venue for in-person testing. By delivering exams and quizzes online — in partnership with a web-based proctoring tool — organisations can ensure convenient access to test sessions, no matter where candidates log on. And choosing a proctoring solution compatible with most major operating systems allows educators to use their own devices to upskill.

Test integrity is one of the most important aspects of upskilling. Without it, organisations cannot be sure that educators are qualified to obtain the certification or credentials their assessments provide. But since exam providers use various assessment environments that require different security features, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to online proctoring. A proctoring software with several options for monitoring candidates allows organisations to establish the level of security necessary for their exam, whether that be recording activity on the computer screen during an exam or scanning the candidates' workspace using a secondary device.