People-Centered Proctoring

Mizzou Academy Puts Students First in the Digital Age


For many students, online learning has become second nature—they log in, access materials, submit assignments, and check their grades with ease. But when it comes to exams, the online environment often feels less certain, familiar, and safe. Online exam proctoring has traditionally relied on impersonal camera surveillance, which can heighten stress rather than support success.

At Mizzou Academy, we believe instructional practices should be rooted in connection. This includes our approach to exams. 

That’s why our in-house proctoring team offers a testing environment that balances integrity with care. This dedicated team brings expertise, encouragement, and authentic relationships to what can otherwise be high-stakes, high-stress moments.

A People-Centered Approach 

“In the world of online exams, Mizzou Academy’s proctoring services are uniquely student-centered,” says Tami Regan, Director of Business Operations. She contrasts the approach to AI-based proctoring, which is growing in popularity. AI systems, she explains, cannot tell the difference between a student thinking aloud or staring into space and academic dishonesty. “At Mizzou Academy, supporting students in a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment is at the core of all we do. Only people can proctor with integrity and humanity.”

Instructional Technologist Steven Turner agrees, emphasizing that people-centered proctoring is a “boon and a blessing” for both students and faculty. “Proctoring helps create and solidify meaningful connection and interaction that otherwise would not be possible in an online environment.”

Connection in Action

For Lisa Boyer, Instructional and Counseling Specialist, proctoring is one of her favorite parts of the job. Drawing on her experience as both a counselor and classroom teacher, she helps students navigate exams with encouragement and test-taking strategies. “I love celebrating with them when they score well and offering counsel if things don’t go as planned. These are important lessons in a student’s journey.”

Boyer says the sessions often extend beyond academics. “It’s such a treat when students share their hobbies and interests. Just yesterday, a student showed me incredible photos he had taken for a Mizzou Academy course. Proctoring is a way to connect, and it really brings me joy.”

That spirit of joy and connection has long been part of the school’s infrastructure. Executive Director Kathryn Fishman-Weaver recalls in-person proctoring at earlier school locations, where students were walked to quiet exam spaces and celebrated with high fives. After relocating in 2019 and then shifting fully online during COVID-19, the academy began experimenting with Zoom proctoring. “Families loved it,” she says. “It was clear we were filling a real need—especially given our international student base.”

Building a System

As demand grew, Proctoring Coordinator Tanya Jarvis stepped in to lead. Today she oversees four systems, more than 15 proctors, and thousands of exam sessions. In the past year alone, the team proctored over 1,700 exams.

“The aspect I appreciate most is the opportunity to meet our wonderful students,” Jarvis shares. “Each student is unique, and many are willing to share their stories. Without proctoring, those connections wouldn’t be possible.”

The faculty echo her sentiment. Mathematics Division Chair Brennan Ransdell calls proctoring a way to learn about students’ cultures and put faces to names across the globe. Teacher Support Coordinator Greg Soden says it keeps him directly connected to why he became a teacher. “If an outside service proctors our exams, they don’t know our students or our team. Proctoring is integral to our support approach and to continuous improvement.”

A Spirit of Service

Part of what makes Mizzou Academy’s proctoring model so unique is that faculty and staff volunteer their time, which Fishman-Weaver says “speaks to the values, compassion, and dedication of our team.”

For Student Support Manager Barbie Banks, proctoring is pure joy. “There’s nothing more rewarding than celebrating a student’s success—whether it’s mastering a tough concept or achieving a personal milestone.”

Student Support Specialist Caitlin Maxwell appreciates putting faces to the students she helps daily with tech support. “These sessions keep my job exciting and let me provide a safe, relaxed space for exams.”

Proctoring offers direct student contact for Instructional Developer Sarah Michaels. With a passion for digital accessibility, she values working with students who have accommodations or are first-time testers. “A friendly presence can ease nerves so they can focus on the test. Even small interactions brighten my day.”

Other staff echo this sentiment: Student Support Specialist Sarah Williams calls it “lovely” to build relationships, even during a 7 a.m. calculus final. Executive Assistant Dominique King treasures small pre- and post-exam conversations and “precious face-time.” Science Division Chair Ericca Thornhill frames it as a humbling teaching practice. She says our proctoring services demonstrate yet another way “Mizzou Academy works together to provide strong, supportive education worldwide.”

Moments that Matter

“I love walking into the office and seeing a proctoring session in progress,” says Fishman-Weaver. “It feels like stepping into a classroom—students and staff laughing, connecting, and demonstrating their learning. At the end of an exam, you might see a happy dance or a virtual high five. When I think about student-centered education in online spaces, I think of moments like these.”

Over the past five years, the Mizzou Academy proctoring team has served students from more than 60 countries. By centering the exam experience on people rather than machines, the school has built not just an online proctoring system, but a community—one grounded in connection, integrity, and care.