Skip to content
English - South Africa
Contact us
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

SMOWL LETTER TO STUDENTS 2025

Dear Student

This letter serves as the formal announcement of your upcoming Online Summative Assessments (OSA). In preparation for your OSAs, this communication will provide you with a set of guidelines to help you ensure you are ready for this critical assessment activity. During your Online Summative Assessments, MANCOSA will be utilising SMOWL, a proctoring software, to monitor and ensure the integrity, validity and fairness of the Online Summative Assessment process. SMOWL will actively monitor your online activity during the summative assessment and may flag certain behaviours or actions that are in breach of OSA rules.

In order to access and complete your OSAs, you will first need to download the MANCOSA Student Comms App and authenticate yourself and thereafter complete the SMOWL registration, prior to the start of the OSA.

For an instructional tutorial on how to complete the authentication process, you can watch this video, or refer to the instructions below: https://vimeo.com/814852070/4402a4ff00

The Student Comms App works with all mobile phones that meet the below specifications:

  • A smartphone (Apple/iOS or Android)
  • 2 Gigs of Ram
  • 150Mb storage space (standard)
  • After the app is installed, it will ask for the necessary permissions, please click the ALLOW options here (camera, gallery, phone calls, etc.)

The authentication process is designed to take place in three stages:

Stage 1: Pre-authorisation one month prior to the start of the Online Summative Assessment

Follow the steps below to set-up the MANCOSA Student Comms App and authenticate yourself one month prior to the commencement of your OSAs.

Stage 2: Authentication on the day of each Online Summative Assessment session

On the day of your OSA you will need to authenticate yourself to access the assessment. Authentication opens at 06:30am and closes at 12pm on the day of each OSA session

Stage 3: Randomised authorisation during each Online Summative Assessment session

Once you have completed your authentication, you will be required to complete your SMOWL registration in order to access and complete your OSA via MANCOSAConnect (https://mancosaconnect.ac.za).

For an instructional tutorial on how to complete SMOWL registration please refer to the MANCOSA SMOWL OSA User Guide. Please also refer to the instructions below:

Specifications of SMOWL:

  • You will require a working, front-facing web camera.
  • Ensure that you are writing in a suitable environment where there are plain backgrounds and in the absence of other people in the room.
  • Ensure that you maintain a fixed posture in front of the device.
  • Ensure that you have suitable lighting.
  • Cellular phones are not compatible with SMOWL. You may only make use of a laptop or desktop computer to attempt your OSA.
  • SMOWL is not compatible with the Safari web browser. You may use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
  • 2GB RAM and 250MB hard disk space is required.

The different functional requirements to be fulfilled in order to be monitored by SMOWL are listed below:

Registration

  • Register using the SMOWL registration application where one (1) image of your face, and an ID picture, will be captured.
  • Accept the Terms and Conditions of the registration in order to be monitored during the activity.

Access and development of the activity

Students must

  • Allow access to the webcam for the duration of the entire OSA.
  • Allow SMOWL to monitor with an external camera for the duration of the entire OSA.
  • Allow access to the microphone for the duration of the entire OSA.
  • Ensure that you adhere to the OSA instructions and rules throughout the OSA.

Adequate monitoring conditions: Webcam

Students must

  • Position the device camera so that you are directly facing it.
  • Ensure that your face is properly illuminated. Avoid windows or spotlights behind your head that may obscure your face.
  • Do not wear accessories that may completely or partially obscure your face, such as a hat or face mask.

Please be sure to watch the below video for a step-by-step instructional tutorial on how to log in, access and complete your OSA using the MANCOSA Online Answer Booklet: https://vimeo.com/694376191

Online Answer Booklet Important Information:

  • You must complete your OSA in the online answer booklet provided on MANCOSAConnect. Do not complete your assessment using MS Word or any other third-party application unless instructed to do so by MANCOSA.
  • You are required to remain online for the full duration of the OSA as work completed offline will

not be saved.

  • Click the “Save” button at regular intervals to ensure no work is lost.
  • It is required that you use the Google Chrome browser. Additionally for iOS users, the Safari browser will work.
  • Do not attempt to open your assessment in multiple browsers / tabs / windows. Should you do this, your work will not be saved.
  • Should you receive any of the following notifications, it means your internet connection is lost:
    • “You are not connected to server and your changes may be lost”
    • “Unfortunately the draft version could not be restored” or
    • “Page unresponsive”

When you receive these messages, please do not continue typing. Restore your internet connectivity before continuing with your OSA.

  • Should you receive a 502 or 504 gateway error, please refresh your page after a few minutes.
  • The Online Summative Assessments are academically designed to be completed within 3 hours, however, MANCOSA has allowed for an additional five (5) hours to allow for any connectivity,

    technical or other issues that may be experienced by students during the Online Summative Assessment session.

  • The dates, start and end times are provided in the personal timetable issued on the Student Comms App. Students will also be able to download their personal timetable via the MyMANCOSA student portal.
  • Please ensure that when you click ‘submit’ an acknowledgement of receipt of your submission is received, before you sign out. Download, or take a screenshot of the acknowledgement pop up for your records.
  • The standard examination subminimum grade as stipulated in the Programme Handbook for each respective programme is applicable to this online summative assessment component. In order to pass the module students must meet the relevant subminimum criteria in each assessment component and attain an overall pass mark as applicable to that particular programme.
  • Students are reminded to submit their own work – no group work is permitted in the OSAs, and should a student submit work which is not their own, this will constitute academic misconduct and the student will be penalised in accordance with institutional policies, procedures and codes of conduct.

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Student Services on 0861 80 00 00 or Mancosa.freshdesk.com/support/tickets/new, or via the LiveChat on MyMANCOSA or MANCOSAConnect.

For SMOWL queries, you can contact the dedicated SMOWL helpline on (031) 818 0720. MANCOSA wishes you well in your studies.

Regards

MANCOSA

Terms and Conditions of the MANCOSA Student Comms App Safety Features and Security measures:

  • APK files will not be shared outside of MANCOSA except to APP Store and Play store.
  • Please refer to the following link to review the Google APP Protect details: https://support.google.com/android/answer/2812853?hl=en-GB
  • Your selfies or pictures uploaded via the App, will only be used by MANCOSA for the purpose of authentication as envisioned in the App. These files will remain on the user’s mobile devices and will not be hosted by MANCOSA.
  • We have employed the necessary data protection and data encryption protocols to secure the use and functionality of the app.

In addition to the above, the App is safe and secure to be downloaded onto a mobile device on either a personal, or work mobile phone, and is required in order to allow the student access to their timetable and the Online Summative Assessment. The app has met the necessary requirements to be placed on all major app stores and may be securely downloaded for use as indicated. Although the candidate must proceed to use the app entirely at their own risk, every effort has been taken by the developer and MANCOSA to ensure it is compatible for the intended purpose.

Mobile devices regularly connect to a variety of networks, including public Wi-Fi networks shared with other (potentially malicious) clients. This creates opportunities for a wide variety of network-based attacks ranging from the simplest to the most complicated. It is crucial to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of information exchanged between the mobile app and remote service endpoints. Students are cautioned to ethically and responsibly share personal information and avoid unnecessary security risks compromising their Online Summative Assessments.

The MANCOSA Student Comms App has been developed with the most stringent security process available. However, considering the continually changing technology landscape, MANCOSA will update the application as required.

MANCOSA is committed to strict Legislative compliance in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). By using the MANCOSA Student Comms App, you signify that the personal information supplied to MANCOSA may be used for any lawful purpose related to your relationship or engagement with MANCOSA. Personal information includes, but is not limited to, your name, IP address, your identification number, biometric data etc.

We are authorized to collect your personal information, for a lawful purpose, by POPIA, as well as for the purposes that are related to your academic journey with MANCOSA. In order to access/collect/process your information, we act on your behalf as the “responsible party” requesting to access your personal information under the POPI Act in order to operate the authentication processes contained in the MANCOSA Student Comms App.