TinyMCE key event logger plugin

TinyMCE key event logger plugin

by Joseph Thibault -
Number of replies: 2
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Hi! I'm actively developing a plugin for Moodle using TinyMCE which captures key event data. Our first release has been submitted to the plugin repository: https://moodle.org/plugins/tiny_keylogger (pending review as of 5/24/23 with an estimated 130-day wait).

The plugin captures and formats the data into a downloadable JSON file format available to editing teachers and the administrator with the right URL. The files are structured, user ID obfuscated, UNIX time-stamped streams from the writing process.

The file format is compatible with a separate service we've created, so far with this data we have
  • created ML which can verify the authorship of a single student across time (e.g. we can verify that the student remains the author accessing the online text area over time and across submissions)
  • calculating the time and effort of the writing process, 
  • calculate editing %, character counts, writing efficiency
  • estimate the amount of text that was entered via copy/paste
  • provide guidance on the amount of text injected via AI extension (such as Grammarly and Google's autocomplete 
While the calculations are offline currently, we're developing this service further to connect the ML via API.

If you're interested in learning more while we wait for the plugin review, let me know (code is also posted here: https://github.com/cursiveinc/moodle-tinymce_keylogger

-Joseph
Average of ratings: Useful (2)
In reply to Joseph Thibault

Re: TinyMCE key event logger plugin

by Joe Howard -
As a student... no wait, as a decent human with integrity, this is disgusting and a gross violation of privacy. I'm not well versed enough to comment on the "legal" aspect of privacy, but ethically, it is most certainly crossing a line.
Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Joe Howard

Re: TinyMCE key event logger plugin

by Joseph Thibault -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers
Joe, thanks for the comment! I'm interested in your perspective.

I've been a student for the last two years, and we worked with students (and surveyed many) about academic integrity tools as we worked on this. The reception for the tool, the UX, the return of information to the students, and the explanation of what was (and wasn't) happening under hood have been pretty neutral related to the key dynamics and increasingly positive when talking through the analytics and writing information we can return to both the students and teachers.

You can imagine that a company in the academic integrity space takes security, privacy, and integrity very seriously so I'd love to keep the conversation going.

--Joe
Average of ratings: -