Students’ Acceptance of Online Proctor Software for Assessments: The Case of South African Higher Education

In response to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, most governments imposed nationwide lockdowns. All South African universities were closed and South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) recommended that all universities migrate to online learning and online assessments. The purpose of the study reported in this chapter was to identify the characteristics that influenced students’ acceptance of online proctored assessments because the acceptance of an information system is dependent on its users. A survey design was utilised to obtain data from 711 students, using a questionnaire. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. An online proctoring software acceptance model was proposed and confirmed in the study. The model explained 75% of the variance in students’ actual use of online proctoring software for assessments. The factors that influence students to use online proctor software for assessment were: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, institutional support, question quality, perceived social influence, and perceived attitude towards the use. The findings revealed that perceived usefulness, perceived attitude, and question quality all had a direct impact on actual use. Perceived social influence, perceived ease of use, and institutional support all had an indirect influence on actual use via perceived attitude toward, and perceived usefulness of, online proctor software for assessments. Universities are encouraged to focus on improving students’ attitudes regarding online proctoring software in order to increase their acceptance.