This guest post comes from VICTVS Global Network member, Sandra Pragana.  A valued part of the VGN for nearly four years, Sandra regularly shares her experiences as an invigilator on LinkedIn.  In this article, she offers a unique perspective on what it’s like to invigilate remotely with VICTVS, capturing both the humour and the importance of those moments when candidates behave unexpectedly.  You can connect with Sandra and explore more of her insights on LinkedIn.

Catching Cheaters with Nothing but a Webcam and a Prayer

Let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t think I’d be starring in my low-budget spy thriller when I signed up to invigilate exams virtually.  Yet here I am—headphones on, eyes narrowed, listening for the faintest whisper like I’m in a high-stakes audio surveillance van parked outside a suspected safehouse.

And yes, it’s just me, a webcam, and a prayer.  That’s all I’ve got to catch someone Googling answers behind a perfectly positioned mug.

Welcome to My Control Room

My workspace looks less like a cosy home office and more like mission control.  Dual monitors?  Check.  Webcam vigil?  Constant.  Is a headset sensitive enough to pick up a sigh in São Paulo?  Absolutely.

Candidates log in, nervously blinking into their cameras like deer in headlights, and I do my best to sound calm, professional, and not at all suspicious that their cousin might be crouched just off-screen holding up flashcards.

“Please scan your room with your mobile phone.”  Yes, I want to see your desk.  Your walls.  Your ceiling fan.  No, I don’t believe that coat rack moves on its own.  Especially not when it mutters, “It’s B.”

Proctoring Online Exams: Yes, I Can See Your Screen. No, You Can’t Pet Your Cat Right Now

Look, I love cats.  I do.  But when Whiskers hops up mid-exam, sprawls across your keyboard, and blocks the camera with her tail, we’ve got a problem.

Then there’s the “screen sharing” crowd—those shocked, shocked I tell you, that I can see their open WhatsApp window or the ten tabs labelled “exam answers fast.”  Yes, I can see your screen.  That’s literally the point.  And no, your background music, snack breaks, or yoga stretches aren’t helping your case.

Audio: Where the Plot Thickens

You’d think visuals would be the main challenge in virtual proctoring—but oh no.  Audio is where the drama unfolds.  Sometimes it’s crystal clear.  Other times, it sounds like someone is taking the test inside a washing machine full of cutlery.

And then, there’s the whisper.

The dreaded, sneaky whisper.

It’s always just soft enough to be maddening.  Just loud enough to raise suspicion.  So, I lean in, replay the clip, and suddenly I’m less “exam supervisor” and more “budget MI6 operative.”

Thank You, Headphones

This is where my headphones shine.  They’re my most loyal coworker—never late, never complains, and always ready to catch a muttered “try C instead.”

Once, I heard a full-on conversation during what was supposedly a silent exam.  Another time, someone’s friend coughed out Morse-code-style hints from the hallway.  (Okay, maybe not Morse code, but it was suspiciously rhythmic.)

Bless these headphones.  They’ve made me fluent in the language of dodgy background noise.

Comic Relief (aka: Just Another Friday)

Not everything suspicious is shady.  Some students forget they’re being watched.  One candidate ate a bag of chips like they were at the cinema.  Another muttered answers to themselves in such a dramatic whisper, I thought they were narrating a true crime podcast.

And then there was the cat again.  Same cat.  New exam.  Still flopping directly onto the keyboard mid-test, looking smug about it.

It’s Not Just About Catching Cheaters

Here’s the thing: virtual proctoring isn’t just about busting people.  It’s about ensuring the people doing it right aren’t undermined by those who aren’t.  It’s about fairness.  Trust.  Integrity—even if it sometimes means being invisible in someone’s living room with a not-so-invisible microphone.

So yes, I’ve got 99 problems.  But a whisper?  A cheat sheet on a sticky note?  A cat trying to help with question 6?

Not one of them.