In this section, you'll find answers to the most common questions we receive from teachers and administrators using SMOWL to monitor their students' activities.
Frequently Asked Questions about Integration
Below, we answer the most common questions about integrating SMOWL into your platform.
What languages is SMOWL available in?
What languages is SMOWL available in?
Currently, SMOWL is fully available in Spanish and English. We also offer translations into other languages such as Italian, French, or German at specific points in our integration.
Our team is working to standardize languages and improve the user experience.
I have my own platform. Can I integrate SMOWL?
I have my own platform. Can I integrate SMOWL?
If you have a custom-developed platform, we can review with you how to integrate SMOWL. We offer integration via iframes, which allows us to adapt to new environments easily.
Our team is at your disposal to analyze and review the process.
How can I train my teachers and staff?
How can I train my teachers and staff?
We provide you with all kinds of materials. Additionally, during the integration phase, we can coordinate a tailor-made online training session. This training will be recorded and provided for educational purposes, allowing you to use it to train your staff on future occasions.
Where is the data stored?
Where is the data stored?
All our data is stored on AWS servers in Ireland, within the European Union..
Who validates all the monitoring and registration data?
Who validates all the monitoring and registration data?
Smowltech is responsible for validating all registration and monitoring data. These are made available to our clients within our result reports and through our client area.
Frequently Asked Questions about Monitoring
Here you'll find answers to the most common questions about user monitoring.
Can I block my students from leaving the exam?
Can I block my students from leaving the exam?
Yes. With our blocking feature, we can restrict user navigation. This functionality is specific to our browser extension and is compatible with our camera monitoring and environment monitoring services.
This blocking feature is available for all our plans.
What browser should my users use?
What browser should my users use?
SMOWL is compatible with the main browsers on the market. However, we recommend Google Chrome or any other Chromium-based browser (Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, etc.) for carrying out monitored activities.
Can SMOWL be adapted to each activity?
Can SMOWL be adapted to each activity?
Yes, we have a series of filters and configurations that you can apply from your platform or from the client area.
Can I track in real-time?
Can I track in real-time?
Both in our monitoring dashboard and in the client area, you have a "Live panel" from which you can track the status of users who are currently undertaking or have completed a monitored activity within the last hour.
How do we guarantee that SMOWL is not an entry point for external threats (hackers) to the student's computer?
How do we guarantee that SMOWL is not an entry point for external threats (hackers) to the student's computer?
SMOWL does not create vulnerabilities. The application uses end-to-end encrypted communication protocols to transmit monitoring information to our servers. This means that data (images, activity) is protected and unintelligible to any third party attempting to intercept it. The application operates in a closed environment and does not open network ports or allow external access to the student's operating system.
What is the scope of SMOWL's monitoring on the student's device?
What is the scope of SMOWL's monitoring on the student's device?
The tool is exclusively limited to recording the student's activity within the testing environment.
No Hard Drive Scanning: SMOWL does not scan, copy, or access personal files on the student's hard drive.
No Recording of Personal Activity: Activity logging (screen capture and open processes) starts immediately upon beginning the exam. Monitoring focuses solely on the evidence necessary to ensure the integrity of the test.
Regulatory Compliance: We operate under strict data protection regulations (such as GDPR), ensuring that the data collected is minimal, relevant, and handled with maximum confidentiality.
Can a third party (including institutional or SMOWL staff) remotely control the student's computer?
Can a third party (including institutional or SMOWL staff) remotely control the student's computer?
SMOWL is not a remote control tool. It does not have any functionality that allows a third party (whether an institutional administrator, an examiner, or a SMOWL technician) to access, browse, or take control of the student's computer at any time. The student maintains full control over their device.
Frequently Asked Questions about Our Results
Below, we answer the most common questions about monitoring results.
When are the results available?
When are the results available?
The evidence validation process can take a maximum of 24 hours to present the analysis. Browser locking evidence (SMOWL LOCK) or computer monitoring evidence (SMOWL CM) are available immediately after the user completes their activity.
What happens with the results of a user whose registration is rejected?
What happens with the results of a user whose registration is rejected?
If a user's registration is rejected or pending validation, front camera or external camera evidence will not be processed until the registration is correctly validated.
How can I validate a program or file that I do not want to count as an incident?
How can I validate a program or file that I do not want to count as an incident?
Through our massive validation tool, within any results report, you can validate SMOWL CM incidents. If it's an individual case, you can also do so within the user's report.