A secure online exams conceptual framework for South African universities

The massification of higher education has seen South African universities struggle to find a balance between the available resources and quality of education. This has led to university disturbances as witnessed by the recent #FeesMustFall. The use of technology in long distance education offers universities an opportunity to grow and become competitive without putting a lot of pressure on limited resources. This is demonstrated by the use of online learning management systems that have allowed universities to increase enrolments without increasing the number of lecture halls for hosting classes. However, universities find it difficult to host high stake summative assessments online. The postponement and cancellation of exams following the outbreak of coronavirus demonstrate the magnitude of the problem. Electronic exams have always been shunned because of academic fraud. This study uses a literature review to understand academic fraud and respective security measures. The study goes on to propose a framework for online exams grounded in the contextual characteristics of South African universities. The proposed framework can provide universities initial guidelines for online exam adoption.