Lockdown Browser Windows 10
Students should install Respondus tools (LockDown Browser and Monitor) well in advance of any quiz or exam to be taken, in order to test and resolve any potential issues prior to sitting for it.
Students utilizing assessments requiring LockDown Browser should utilize an Ethernet (wired) Internet connection; using wireless connectivity options or modems/laptop connect cards increases the chance of dropped connections with Canvas servers and may result in missed or interrupted interactions with them.
Getting Started
Respondus Lockdown Browser is a tool designed to protect student identities during online exams. Running full-screen mode, this browser prevents students from accessing other applications or files on their computers and disables external processes which could enable cheating during assessments. Compatible with Blackboard assessments, this browser makes for a convenient choice both instructors and students alike.
First step to using Lockdown Browser is downloading it from either your institution’s LMS or official website. Once completed, double-clicking on the installer file will install it automatically – after which time its interface will open automatically for your use and login with student credentials will allow access.
If you experience issues while using the Lockdown Browser, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can take. First, ensure your software is up to date; updates may be released during an exam which could cause issues. You can check for available updates by opening up the application, selecting “About” from its menu and clicking on “Check for Update.”
Another frequent browser-related problem is when it fails to load, often caused by viruses or malware infections. If this occurs on your PC, reboot and try again – rebooting may also help!
Finally, your antivirus or firewall could also be blocking your browser. You can address this by temporarily disabling virus protection; if that does not resolve it then please reach out to your vendor for more assistance.
Before using the Lockdown Browser for a quiz, it is recommended that all other programs not necessary for internet connectivity are closed down, along with any screen capture or instant messaging apps you may have running on your computer. Furthermore, be ready for potential connection drops while taking an exam using mobile networks; additionally it would be wise to ensure your device has backup batteries/chargers just in case the connection drops during an exam session.
Taking Quizzes
If your instructor has implemented a quiz in their course that requires Respondus Lockdown Browser and webcam, students must download it before taking an exam. This secure browser prevents students from printing, copying, going to another URL, or accessing other applications during assessments. Once installed, students should follow instructions to launch it and begin an online test; instructors may include links to Student Quick Start Guide to assist them through this process.
Before taking an online test, students should ensure they have a reliable Internet connection and close all other programs and applications on their computer. As browsers tend to be bandwidth intensive, an Ethernet (wired) Internet connection is usually recommended over wireless, USB modem or mobile hotspot connections which may cause dropped/interrupted connectivity issues that delay quiz loading times.
Once a student has completed the installation process, they can log into Canvas @ Yale and navigate directly to any quiz that requires Respondus Lockdown Browser (RLDB). When there, they should see a link titled “Download Respondus Lockdown Browser,” clicking which will lead them to a screen where they can select their operating system and download an install package for Respondus Lockdown Browser – once downloaded they can choose “Install Now”, accept its terms of use agreement, and launch their browser!
Once the browser is opened, students can take their online test using its features to prevent cheating. When their exam has concluded, students can exit by clicking the red X in the top left corner and back to their normal browser setup. They also have the option of reviewing post-exam feedback and results within the browser and provide any technical issues encountered during assessment.
Troubleshooting Issues
Lockdown Browser is used by academic institutions to combat cheating during exams by disabling other applications, files, and internet connectivity to ensure students focus exclusively on taking their exam. While this software has many advantages for ensuring students take exams without cheating, some students may experience issues. While solutions exist for fixing these problems with Lockdown Browser software.
At first, make sure that other programs aren’t running when trying to launch LockDown Browser. Antiviruses and VPNs may interfere with its proper functionality; updates or firewalls shouldn’t also be running simultaneously on your computer when trying to use this browser.
Many students are experiencing issues with the browser being able to recognize their faces, which could be caused by wearing caps, sunglasses or covering their faces with something else; backlights could also impact this capability of the webcam to detect faces.
If you are experiencing this issue, adjust the camera angle and brightness settings first. If that fails to solve it, try disabling facial detection feature or switching webcam. If all else fails, contact Respondus support team so we can help resolve this problem together.
Make sure that you’re using the most up-to-date version of Lockdown Browser. New updates contain important improvements that help prevent exploitation, so check frequently on its website and install all updates as they become available.
If you are using a Chromebook for an exam, be sure to follow these instructions to update its browser extension prior to beginning. The process only takes five minutes and should be simple enough for most users; you can find the latest version in Chrome web store for both PCs and Macs alike; compatible learning management systems include Blackboard Learn, Brightspace Canvas Moodle Schoology; however it is incompatible with Windows 10 S mode or SE versions of OSX operating systems.
Conclusions
if your instructor requires that you use Respondus LockDown Browser or Monitor for an assessment, be aware that these tools are designed to create a secure testing environment where quizzes or exams may take place. They do this by temporarily turning off all other programs on the computer while recording your webcam to record how you complete each question and restore all settings back to normal once testing has ended.
Students can download the browser from its official website free of charge and it works seamlessly on both Windows 10 and Mac computers. Furthermore, it integrates perfectly into testing environments provided by Blackboard and Canvas learning management systems.
Lockdown Browser differs from conventional browsers in that it cannot be minimized or switched between applications on your computer, but can still be easily seen during online assessments by instructors. Furthermore, all keyboard shortcuts except Back, Forward, Refresh and Stop have been disabled; printing or copying cannot occur at this time; plus there are no buttons or links allowed on the page as you cannot close out of it until after submission has taken place for grading.
Instructors can enable a setting in Lockdown Browser that will permit students to use spreadsheets with it, accessible on Windows, Mac and iPad editions of browser and working seamlessly with Apple’s VoiceOver. For assistance using any of the tools provided by Respondus Student Resources website or opening up a Support Ticket.
LockDown Browser recommends connecting with an Ethernet connection when taking quizzes or exams online, since wired connections provide more stable connectivity with the Brightspace server, decreasing chances of dropped or interrupted connections. Wireless, USB modems, and mobile hotspot connections may experience connection problems due to increased bandwidth consumption during an exam session.
Before beginning the LockDown Browser installation, it is recommended that all other programs on the computer be closed down and disabled, particularly any that access the Internet such as iTunes and media players, file-sharing agents like Bittorrent or instant messenger apps that could cause it to stop functioning properly. Also it would be a good idea to temporarily disable virus protection software.