Blockchain and Digital Signature Supporting Remote Assessment Systems: A Solution Approach Applied to Higher Education Institutions Scope

Abstract

The realization of remote assessment, supported by Information and Communication Technologies, is an issue of great concern for Higher Education Institutions. The phenomena of fraud and plagiarism are frequent, difficult to detect, and reached high values during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although tools that mitigate these practices already exist, these phenomena still represent a barrier to the full execution of distance assessment elements. This research work proposes to develop, through knowledge of the state of the art, a technological framework that involves components that can address the difficulties in which the remote assessment process relies. Plagiarism detection tools, Digital Signature principles, and Blockchain are analyzed as potential components of the framework and that may constitute a new approach in mitigating or eliminating the use of plagiarism or e-cheating factors in remote assessments. These factors are identified, aggregated, and classified to be addressed by the technological components of the framework. The main objective of the framework is to contribute to the improvement of information security and reliability in the assessment system in distance learning in Higher Education Institutions.