Respondus Web Browser
Respondus LockDown Browser (often referred to as Respondus Monitor) is a program that prevents students from printing, copying, visiting another URL or accessing other applications during an assessment. Some Blackboard assessments require students to utilize this software.
Students need to download and install the appropriate program onto the computer they will use for their quiz or exam and close any additional programs before beginning it. Windows and Mac laptop users can take advantage of this program.
How to Use
Respondus Lockdown Browser opens a separate browser on your computer when taking an exam that requires it, to prevent you from printing, copying, visiting websites outside the exam, and accessing other applications during testing. Instructors can view your webcam to ensure everyone involved is honest during assessment and that there are no instances of cheating.
Before taking an exam that requires Respondus Lockdown Browser (LDB), please download and install it first by clicking either on its icon below or within exam instructions – either will open New Mexico State University’s LDB installer; if using a lab computer on campus, ask the lab administrator for assistance with installing Respondus.
Once LDB is installed, navigate to your course and click on any quiz requiring it. A window will appear prompting you to close other programs such as Skype; once completed you will be notified and can exit via clicking the X button in Respondus Lockdown browser.
If you want to change the font size within Respondus browser, simply click on the “i” icon. This will bring up a window allowing you to adjust zoom levels as well as screen brightness by clicking on an icon located in the top right corner.
Your iPad should work just like using it on a Windows or Mac PC, with only minor differences being encountered when working with VoiceOver on Apple devices.
Instructors can enable Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor as part of individual exams, making this tool particularly helpful for students with disabilities who take assessments on their own computers outside the classroom. Instructors may require all students taking assessments that require this tool take a practice quiz first – this will familiarize them with its functioning while simultaneously decreasing anxiety and frustration on test day.
Getting Started
Respondus Lockdown Browser is a special web browser designed to facilitate online quizzes and exams within Canvas without proctoring, by restricting students from printing, copying, browsing other websites, accessing other programs on the computer while an assessment is in process, using phones or other devices to communicate during testing and recording their eye movement to detect signs of cheating.
When an instructor creates a quiz or exam that requires Respondus, students will be directed to download and install the browser before taking their assessment. Students will find a link in their course’s Quizzes item which opens directly into Respondus with instructions on how to set it up on their computers.
Once installed, students are ready to start taking exams. The lockdown browser will notify students if any other programs needing closing need to be closed; students have the option of either manually closing these programs themselves or declining notifications altogether. Please be aware that if taking an exam that requires Respondus (iPad/Chromebook/Android tablet), respondus applications must be manually closed down by users in order to complete successfully.
Respondus Browser’s main drawback, in the eyes of many students, is its ability to monitor eye movement and facial expressions during exams. While instructors may use this technology as an assurance measure that students are taking their tests honestly, this constitutes an invasion of privacy that goes against the core principles of fairness in an educational setting.
Browsers can detect more than eye movements; they can also recognize when students touch their heads or shoulders, which the software then flags and sends to a remote proctoring service for review. While this technology has its advantages, it could potentially raise student anxiety levels further and discourage them from completing assessments when necessary.
Requirements
Respondus Web Browser is a specialized browser designed to prevent students from printing, copying text, browsing other sites or accessing other applications while taking online assessments in Blackboard. Respondus Web Browser prevents students from closing the assessment window before it has been submitted for grading; furthermore it prevents access to browser history, notes or history of other websites. Available both for Windows and Mac computers and requiring at least 2GHz processor and 8GB of RAM in order to operate efficiently with this technology a high speed internet connection is needed as well as instructors requiring students use of Respondus LockDown Browser during any or all online assessments taken within an online course.
Respondus LockDown Browser goes beyond simply blocking other browsers – it also blocks keystroke combinations, function keys, mouse clicks and screen capture/instant messaging apps on student computers. Any applications detected will prompt students to close them or restart their machine before starting an exam.
UVic does not currently use Respondus Web Browser/Respondus Monitor in our virtual proctoring services, but it can be an extremely helpful tool for instructors incorporating remotely proctored tests in their courses. UVic provides training on using this software via the Center for Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development website or contact Janice Florent for more details.
Respondus Monitor is an optional browser designed to protect against student dishonesty in remote testing environments. It records footage of student surroundings and behavior to assess whether cheating occurs; more so than other remote proctoring programs like Honorlock or Proctorio that simply limit basic navigation functions.
If your instructor has enabled a specialized browser for your test, a “LockDown Browser” link will appear within Canvas quiz. When clicked, this browser will open automatically and display your quiz within itself rather than your regular browser – this allows your instructor to verify that you’re taking it in an invigilated environment rather than at home.
Troubleshooting
If a student experiences difficulty with Respondus LockDown Browser (RLDB), it’s imperative that they notify their instructor as soon as possible so they can help troubleshoot and offer solutions. Instructors can also give practice quizzes that require using RLDB as an easy way for students to ensure everything runs correctly before their examinations.
Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor restricts a test taker’s ability to access other websites, programs, or applications during an online examination in Brightspace. It disables printing, screen grabbing, function keys and right-click menus as well as hundreds of instant messaging services that could aid cheating during their assessment.
Students can access Respondus LockDown Browser through links provided by their instructor in their quiz, from buttons on their Canvas homepage page or clicking the Launch Lockdown Browser and Monitor link in exam instructions. Instructors may also include Respondus LockDown Browser download links within exam instructions or on Assignments or Modules pages within their course or within To Do lists on Dashboard dashboards for students to download the browser directly.
Windows users who receive notifications that their Respondus browser requires an update are advised to disregard those messages and reinstall it using the link provided above, to avoid issues with other programs that could potentially clash with it. Doing this could prevent issues with other software that may interfere with Respondus browser use.
If a student is experiencing internet connection issues while taking an exam in their Brightspace course, they should attempt to restart their laptop or move closer to the router first. If these strategies don’t help, check the Best Practices before an Exam section of this page for steps they can take to reduce technical problems during their quiz. For additional assistance use UVic Responseus Support’s troubleshooting information or services that suit each type of issue; using an appropriate tool will ensure fast assistance is received as quickly as possible.