After 12 short months of design, development, and deployment, WellSharp Live is changing. Effective 1 May, WellSharp Live is updating its guidance and its schedule of fees.
The new virtual well control training platform was initially deployed last May in response to social distancing policies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year’s public health crisis accelerated the standard quality control and quality assurance timelines for any training program, forcing WellSharp Live to be deployed as a sort of “live-beta” test. As it currently stands, the virtual well control training platform has trained over 9,000 trainees in its 12 months of existence.
Changes to WellSharp Live Test Codes
Training Providers must purchase WellSharp Live Test Codes & Certificates prior to scheduling a virtual course. This is task for Training Providers This is a change from the previous months as feedback from trainees and training providers noted a lower user experience rating. when test codes were not obtained prior to scheduling the virtual course.
Additionally, the new schedule of WellSharp Live test codes & certificates have increased. While this new schedule sees price increases, each test code includes proctoring and unique enhanced features for Training Providers and students.
Expanded Options for Trainees
In an effort to enhance testing integrity, WellSharp Live has updated its proctoring provider to ProctorU for exam-taking. ProctorU is an online proctoring platform that enables students and professionals to take exams from their home. Replicated after the physical testing center, ProctorU monitors examinees using remote screen-sharing technology and webcams.
ProctorU offers the following features which will enhance our exam proctoring process:
- One-on-One proctor to student ratio
- Live proctor throughout entire exam for authentication, room pan, computer security check and real time monitoring of eye and head movement
- Enhanced authentication process: photo ID, facial recognition, biometrics
- A.I. Platform that locks the trainees web browser, monitors lighting changes, and irregular activity
This proctoring services has been in the works for a many months but has been finalized in the most recent WellSharp Live updates. For WellSharp Live Driller/Supervisor Test Codes & Certificates, IADC is bundling access to WellSharp Live with its [newly launched KREW continuous-learning platform].
Expanded Options for Training Providers
Training Providers will be able to deliver WellSharp Live using their preferred virtual platform. This flexibility is now being offered to provide greater access to the benefits of WellSharp Live’s distance-learning functionality. Whichever virtual platform is used, it must meet minimum requirements which include the following:
- Supported on multiple browsers
- Screen sharing with built in collaboration tools
- Supports low bandwidth connections (5 Mbps)
- Must be able to see all participants on one screen
Overall user experience is another focus in these WellSharp Live updates. In order to improve and streamline the examination process for both trainees and training providers, WellSharp Live is asking that final exam roster be submitted no later than 72 hours before the exam date. This is now a hard deadline as the volume of test-takers has increased processing time for the virtual training platform.
