TYPO3 certification with ProctorU

Until 2020, you could only register for certification at one of the many TYPO3 events and take the exam there. However, it is now (again) possible to take the certification online. The ProctorU service(https://www.proctoru.com/) is used to plan and monitor online certification.

In this article, I would like to share my experiences with online certification as well as some useful tips.

First step: Buy a voucher and make an appointment

First of all, you have to obtain a voucher for certification.
A good overview of the entire certification process can be found at https://exam.typo3.com/guide.
Under point 3, there is also a link to purchase a voucher.

There is also a link to the system requirements(https://support.proctoru.com/hc/en-us/articles/115011772748-Equipment-Requirements) of ProctorU, which you should definitely check before purchasing.

If you do not yet have a ProctorU account, you will need to create one. You can then choose a date for the test.

Preparation

Various preparations should be made before the exam (approx. 1 to 2 hours beforehand).

The computer

• I recommend a laptop for the exam (you will see the reason below)
• Battery should be charged (and last long enough)
• Desktop should be tidy
• Install the browser extension for ProctorU
  • You should NOT use the browser you use every day.
    Open tabs could be a problem and at least for me the browser history was empty after the test.
  • The extension is available for Firefox(https://www.proctoru.com/firefox) and Chrome(https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/proctoru/goobgennebinldhonaajgafidboenlkl)
• Test the camera and microphone (with the browser)
• Activate and connect WLAN
• No external monitor must be connected

You can also perform a system check in the ProctorU account:

Desk and surroundings

• the desk should ideally be completely empty
  • If there is a monitor on the desk, you should move it away or at least turn it towards the wall so that you cannot look at it.
  • Nothing should be lying around on, next to or under the desk
• ID should be ready to hand
• Smartphone should be ready (alternatively a small mirror)
• It is best to remove phones from the room
• Have a few cloths or blankets ready as a precaution in case something needs to be covered
• If you are not alone in the apartment or office: lock the door if possible
• Headphones must be taken off
• Wristwatch must also be taken off

At https://www.proctoru.com/live-plus-resource-center#how you can find further information on the test procedures and also videos on the process. It is definitely worth watching these beforehand.

Directly before the exam

You can start the exam in your ProctorU account approx. 5 minutes before the exam date.
There are now a few preparation steps, but the time required for this does not count towards the exam time.

First steps

1. First, a few "Terms and Conditions" must be confirmed
2. A download for a chat/recording program
   starts (exact instructions are displayed in the browser
3. Start the chat program.
   After a short moment you will be assigned to a person (proctor).
   This person will then write to you via the chat and provide further information.

The chat program requires permissions for the screen and remote maintenance.
Depending on the operating system, you will receive corresponding information on where to make the settings.

Small note: For the permissions (Mac) you should restart the program. However, there was no information on this in the instructions and I did not do this. Nevertheless, everything worked so far.

The proctor calls

After the first contact via the chat, the proctor calls via the chat program.
This step was a bit of a surprise for me, as I hadn't expected to be contacted suddenly (so don't be alarmed).

The proctor now briefly takes control and checks the computer and the settings.
You can always see what the proctor is currently doing and opening.

Specifically, the proctor does the following:

• It checks whether and which programs are still active.
• It checks whether any devices are connected.
• It deactivates the key combinations for taking screenshots.
• ... and a few other small things.

Identification

• To identify yourself, you must now show your ID to the proctor via the webcam
• With the cell phone in selfie mode, you have to show the proctor the edges of the screen and the surroundings (a mirror would certainly also work here)
• The proctor wants to see that you have nothing in your ears (e.g. in-ear headphones)
• You have to show the proctor your arms

Check by the proctor

The proctor now checks whether the workplace and the room are in order. To do this, you can now walk around the room a bit with your laptop
and show the proctor everything he wants to see via the webcam.

In my case, the procedure was as follows:

• The proctor wants to see all 4 walls of the room
• He wants to see the desk, both the surface and what is under the desk.
• The door to the room must be shown (it should be closed)
• The proctor wants to see that the cell phone is no longer within reach
• The proctor may want to take a closer look at other things, in which case he will give appropriate instructions

If the proctor has detected a problem, you must try to rectify the problem.

For example, if there are still things on or next to the desk, the proctor may ask you to move them to a more distant place or to cover them with something
. You can then use the prepared blankets or cloths for this.

During the test

The test begins

If everything is in order, it's now time for the test.

First you have to log in to my.typo3.org with your account. In my case, however, there was a small problem here: my accounts are in a password manager and I had closed the program before the test.
I informed the proctor of this and obtained permission from him to restart my password manager.
After logging in, I also closed the program again immediately.

The proctor takes control again briefly and starts the test by entering an activation code.
The phone call with the proctor is also ended here so that you have peace of mind during the test. However, you can contact the proctor at any time via the chat if you have any problems.

The exam

ProctorU also has a few rules that you should follow during the exam:

• You are not allowed to talk loudly during the exam
• You must not stand up
• It is best to always look at the screen
  (=> your face should always be in the webcam area)
• No one else may be in the room or come in during the exam (lock the door)

Exam completed

As soon as you have finished the exam, there are only a few small steps left to take:

• You contact the proctor via chat and let them know you are done.
• After the proctor has replied, you must (!!) close the browser window. This is the only way to end the recording.
• The chat can also be ended
• The browser opens automatically with a small opinion poll regarding the test
• You can now "clean up" your PC
  • Remove the browser extension
  • Delete the chat program
  • Restore settings
  • etc...

That's it, the test has been completed.

Conclusion

The exam via ProctorU worked very well for me and was a good alternative to the certifications at an event. My concerns about the communication (English) were unfounded, the proctor was very easy to understand and also gave clear instructions.

Another positive aspect was that I received the result after a short time. In my case, it actually only took a few minutes until I could see the result in my my.typo3.org account.

I would definitely do further certifications with ProctorU again.