Mitigating cheating during online proctored exams

Abstract This pilot study looks at how the author proactively sought to mitigate the issue of cheating when giving online tests during the Spring 2021 semester, at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic forced many teachers around the world to use modalities that involved distance learning. The genesis, implementation and results of the strategy used during the free response exams of an undergraduate course in differential equations are described, along with the benefits and drawbacks of the approach.