Personally I found this pitch to be very applicable to our MET program since it’s mainly online based. In the video, Daniel Haven points out a discrepancy in online education where in some cases, the physical exam still needs to be done in person even though the student is learning remotely online. Logistically this clashes with the ideology of online education. Haven’s selling point essentially redefines the culture of online education by offering a fully accredited online exam system which serves as a big step forward in making really flexible education possible.
The aspects which he did well were: (i) articulate the issue (ii) explain how the issue brings inconvenience to customers (iii) his product and how it’s designed to solve the identified market problem.
While I’ve personally never used ProctorExam (but aware that they’ve started using it for GMAT/LSAT tests during Covid as candidates are allowed to take their exams at home with the webcam turned on/for invigilation purposes).
Are you convinced by this elevator pitch? Would you invest in this venture?
As an EVA I might invest in the product of an online proctoring service, but I was a little confused by the pitch itself, mainly because Haven left me wondering exactly what the venture was. I spent 9/10ths of the video expecting him to elaborate on the actual digital product which could proctor exams, but in his final statement he was pleading us to make online exams accepted. So is this a request to legitimize online exams, or is it a pitch to sell a product? Not to say that the idea itself doesn’t have it’s merits- I’m certain institutes struggle with how to ensure students are who they say they are, not to mention how to keep students from cheating in an online exam. However, I was not left feeling confident about the security issues of requiring students to share their screen and personal information with a 3rd party system in order to write an exam (and a little googling on this topic didn’t give me a warm-and-fuzzy). Saying he’d “digitalize the classroom” was not enough information. Haven also was not clear on how this idea could be monetized. Was his tool different or better than other online proctoring systems? Was it more legitimate and secure? So, although I liked the idea, and the passion, I am still undecided on the product.
You make some great points which I totally agree with! Conceptually I like the idea of being able to take an exam at home, especially during a pandemic or flu season (I’m one those who tend to freak out or get annoyed if someone sitting nearby constantly sneezes or coughs during an exam) but implementation is an issue as you mentioned. Out of curiosity I checked how it works and apparently it requires installing some plugin to ensure that the invigilator can “see you” at all times to prevent cheating (which is a bit weird/creepy). I assume this product is mainly being pitched to vendors, exam administrators, education institutions and publishing companies more than your average direct consumer. With some tweaks and additional info, I think there’s potential to grow
I would not invest in this venture. I’ve taken a lot of exams for both educational and professional development purposes, including remote proctored exams as described here, and I have worked with clients who have struggled with this exact process, and “at home testing” is not the best solution to distance learning examination. Haven’s pain point of extensive travel is valid, but taking tests online at home only alleviates the inconvenience of major travel. It does not alleviate the inconvenience of a sub-par test taking environment, nor a faulty internet connection, nor the concern of being “watched” while you test which all generate anxiety in learners. When I completed remotely proctored exams I was filled with dread that I would encounter an internet issue and be deemed non-compliant in my test taking – and without a refund – and these issues similarly plagued my clients who were struggling to conduct exams during the pandemic. A camera fails, an examinee loses connection… suddenly you have an ethical dilemma on your hands as to how to proceed. The best solution I have encountered to distance education examination is satellite proctoring. When I have taken exams that were hosted by institutions or organizations outside of my local area, I was able to readily access numerous sites, or a professional testing site in some cases, that provided me with all of the equipment, the space, and the time necessary to complete my examination. Usually this was at an institution such as a university, college, or secondary school – or in some cases community centres or hotels. This option addressed all of my pain points as a learner, and it was not an inconvenience to travel under an hour to do so. This is a simple and already employed solution to the problem Haven describes, and would be my suggestion to students or institutions experiencing this issue. Certainly, traveling across the world to take a test in an environment that probably exists within a few hours of you is beyond necessary!
In this presentation, the CEO focuses on the Pain point there is a missing link in the digitalization of education, that is, online examination. He proposed a solution, ProctorExam, that resolved the problem and gave examples of how users already needed the answer. Additionally, he demonstrated the solution as a factor in engaging students in the Digital educational process. Indeed, developing an app to provide online exams makes sense. However, there are many points to powder. For instance, there are no marketing strategies besides the citation of The University of Amsterdam’s students. Any mention of the differentiation of the app or about market competitors. Finally, there is no description of how much money to invest or the expected return. I am sure that is a great idea, but this presentation lacks plenty of essential information. If I relied only on this video, I wouldn’t buy it.