Respondus Lockdown Browser Chrome
Respondus Lockdown Browser is software designed to restrict student access to external applications like Google, instant messaging services and screen capture programs. Available for Windows, Mac and now Chromebook (beta).
Before taking their first Respondus-enabled exam, students should complete a practice quiz in order to familiarize themselves with its use and identify any issues before sitting an important examination.
Installation
Respondus Lockdown Browser Chromebook is a new Chromebook extension developed to enhance Respondus Monitor proctoring solution. Available to students taking exams in Blackboard and student-owned and managed Chromebooks alike, Respondus Lockdown Browser Chromebook requires using its installation link within Blackboard exams (which leads directly to Chrome web store), where they will then need to select “Add to Chrome.
Before taking an exam that requires Respondus Lockdown Browser, students must close all unnecessary programs from their computer – such as instant messaging or screen capture software – which might otherwise interfere with taking their test. Once these have been closed off, students can run the Respondus Lockdown Browser shortcut from either their desktop computer or (for Mac users) Applications folder and get started taking their exam.
Once Lockdown Browser is running, students can take their exam or quiz by opening it in their browser’s new tab. If their instructor requires Respondus Lockdown Browser as part of an exam requirement, a pop-up window may appear asking students which option they would like.
Students requiring access to specific external web domains during an exam should enable this setting from the Monitor Webcam Settings menu in order to access limited pre-approved external sites, such as an e-book library or government sites, during their examination period.
Once their exams are over, students can exit the Lockdown Browser by either using their Quit Password (if provided) or restarting their devices. They should check to make sure all other programs they had open have been closed off and that they have finished their formative assignment. Instructors should encourage their students to practice tests beforehand so that they become acquainted with using both browser and monitor.
Configuration
Respondus Lockdown Browser Chrome is a software tool that prohibits students from printing, copying, going to another URL or accessing applications during online non-proctored assessments and detects behaviors indicative of cheating. When used together with Respondus Monitor – an additional proctoring software program which monitors webcam activity during non-proctored assessments to detect cheating behaviors – Respondus Lockdown enables institutions to provide virtual proctoring without physically travelling to exam locations.
Instructors can enable this tool on an exam by exam basis in Canvas (it also works with Blackboard Learn, D2L Brightspace, Moodle and Schoology; however it is not currently supported by Schoology). To do this in Canvas for Chromebook version of LockDown Browser and/or Respondus Monitor configurations go into Exam Settings of an individual quiz in Canvas then Advanced Options -> Require Lockdown Browser/Monitor Requirement option in Advanced Options section of Exam Settings of an exam and select Require LockDown Browser/Monitor Require Respondus LockDown Browser/Monitor option from Canvas’s Advanced Options menu of each quiz exam settings section.
Once an exam is set up to require Chromebook LockDown, when students access their quiz in Canvas they will receive a notification that this app is necessary, along with a link for downloading its extension and clicking to start their exam.
Students may occasionally experience issues with the application, often caused by security windows that pop up behind LockDown browser. Most often these issues can be rectified by performing a hard shutdown and then relaunching their browser before continuing their exam.
Other issues frequently encountered include difficulties with webcam functionality and inability to close applications. If these persist, students should contact IU Support or Respondus Support immediately in order to resolve them. To reduce these issues, instructors are advised to offer students a practice test several days before their initial examination. This may help alleviate nerves during test day itself. Practice exams provide students with a low-stakes environment in which to become acquainted with an application, test their computer hardware, and evaluate internet connections, thus helping ease anxiety about taking real exams. Furthermore, practice tests give students a chance to identify any issues with an app which might have arisen during previous practice tests but that might have not been addressed through practice tests alone.
Security
Respondus Lockdown Browser, however, remains compatible with Chromebooks for exams, with this vendor creating a Chrome extension allowing students to use Respondus Lockdown Browser without restrictions on exams taking place on them. Students can install this extension by following their school’s installation link for Respondus Lockdown Browser; once installed they should click on “Add to Chrome”, log into Blackboard, navigate directly to tests which require Respondus Lockdown Browser before clicking “Take Exam.
Once an exam begins, students will be locked out of their browsers so that only materials or websites provided by Indiana University or their instructor may be accessed – this security measure aims to protect student privacy and academic integrity by preventing cheating or any forms of misconduct during examinations. It is crucial that they read their exam instructions thoroughly before starting an exam; accessing other materials before, during or after taking it is forbidden.
Rarely, programs running on a computer such as iTunes or other media players, file sharing agents like Bittorent, instant messenger applications and similar programs may cause browsers to lock up or stop responding; in such instances, it is recommended that students close all such programs and reopen the browser in order to resume taking assessments.
Practice tests are the best way to familiarize oneself with taking quizzes or exams in the Lockdown Browser environment, while providing students with an opportunity to assess hardware and internet connection in a low stakes environment. This can also help ease anxiety about taking an exam in Respondus Browser.
When encountering technical difficulties during exams, students should reach out immediately for help from both their instructor and Respondus support. This step is critical in safeguarding both privacy and academic integrity; furthermore, all IU and Respondus guidelines regarding test taking must also be strictly observed; be sure to sign and date each examination in addition.
Support
Student can access a Lockdown Browser that works on their Chromebook or iPad from within an exam that requires it. To install the extension on their Chromebook, they simply click on the “LockDown Browser Required” link in Canvas and follow your regular installation link (NOT from Chrome web store directly). The Chromebook/iPad LockDown Browser supports features like standard and scientific calculators as well as text fields for convenient study and examination purposes.
Respondus Monitor software uses students’ microphone and camera to record their behavior during online, non-proctored quizzes, in order to deter cheating by recording video footage of student actions during tests and providing instructors with access to student videos afterward. All recordings uploaded directly into Respondus Monitor accounts by instructors can then be reviewed in Instructor View of Quizzes.
Lockdown Browser can record students’ keyboard and mouse activity as well as video. The data compiled can then be analyzed by instructors for potential areas for improvement in student test-taking and overall performance.
As it’s best to give students ample practice time with any new software before their first quiz or exam using it, a practice test should be administered several days in advance of taking a real quiz or exam using it. This will enable them to download all necessary tools, become acquainted with its interface, test out their computer’s hardware and internet connection under low stakes conditions and potentially troubleshoot any potential issues before appearing during real exams.
Slow software may slow down performance on older machines. To improve their experience, students may benefit from downloading the Respondus plugin for faster browsing. Dell Dock or Google Desktop might impede Respondus Lockdown Browser functionality – to check for this, open the program, select “About” in its toolbar menu, click ‘Check for Update’ (Mac only) then if this fails try rebooting your machine; this should clear any potential issues.