On Wed, Mar 16, 2005 at 02:15:27PM -0500, Jim Brown wrote: > This is a very interesting idea. There may be a way to verify proctors from > a local group using a token method. > > A proctor is elected by the local group, 'officialized' with some paperwork, > and proctors tests for the local group. A token is sent to only the proctor > before tests. Each test taker records the proctor token on on the test.
I like this! With a non-reusable token, it's possible to make the status of a proctor verifiable both to bsdcertification.org and to the testee (I'm not sure that's important, but it's a free feature). By issuing tokens as needed it also allows bsdcertification.org to keep are a very close eye on the process (watching for proctors that are doing bucketfuls of exams per month while other nearby proctors sit idle, etc). > Maybe two proctors from different groups are required. > > Sigh, collusion is tough to beat isn't it? Exceedingly so. Luckily, we don't need to completely solve that problem. We need to solve the problem of perception, of being seen as having diligently take reasonable steps. Assuming that a vetting process for BUGs and potential proctors is devised to go with it, I think your token idea works great without needing two proctors. ------ On a related topic (but not /that/ related, so put a mental horizontal rule in place here please :-)), I've been thinking about how to reward proctors. Among my many other hats, I teach Linux evening classes at SIAST (http://www.siast.com/). Hupothetically, if there was a way for me to convert that to a BSD exam-prep class that I could then proctor (i.e., the students take the test in a testing facility at SIAST while I watch for cheating) I could very easily be persuaded to proctor both often and without pay because it increases the marketability of my class (for which I am being paid, albeit barely *grin*). Another example is ROSE (Regina Open Source Expo, about 1500 attendees annually) ... I'd love to offer a proctored exam opportunity for expo attendees (so which live in rural areas and thus might have it as their best chance to take a proctored exam). That also incrases the marketability of the expo and thus it would be easy to find folks like myself to act as proctors for free. I imagine lots of other senior-level folks are in similar positions. If there was clear policy and guidelines (to avoid conflict of interest situations and so forth) we might be able to attract proctors quite easily. -T -- Page xxvii: Unix is not like other computer systems. There is a feeling of elegance and charm that hides behind every esoteric command and within every technical rule. - Harley Hahn, _The Unix Companion_ _______________________________________________ BSDcert mailing list [email protected] http://lists.nycbug.org/mailman/listinfo/bsdcert
