Student Lockdown Browser
If an instructor checks “Require Respondus LockDown Browser for this Exam” when creating an online quiz or assessment in Canvas, students will need to download and install this customized browser before taking their exam. This ensures they cannot access other applications or websites – including screen capture software – during testing.
1. Easily Distribute
Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor (RLDB) makes use of proctored exams more secure for both proctor and student by restricting what can be seen on student screens and prohibiting printing, accessing other applications or visiting websites during tests; students cannot leave RLDB until instructed to by instructor.
Faculty who want to use Respondus Lockdown Browser exams can easily create one in Canvas and select the radio button marked, “Require Respondus Lockdown Browser.” For additional assistance, a 2-page Instructor Quick Start Guide is also available.
If an instructor chooses to enable screen recording in RLDB, students will need to download and install screen recording software prior to taking an exam. This can be accomplished from their home page by clicking “Help Center” icon and following instructions; should any issues arise they can use searchable error list to locate resolution or contact 24/7 live chat support for assistance.
Though lab computers are recommended, students may take exams on any personal device as long as it meets technical requirements outlined in the RLDB Help Center Guide.
Students taking exams or quizzes from home should use the RLDB features with Monitor to ensure their exam progress is properly monitored. Exam feedback for “classic” Canvas and Blackboard Learn quizzes in RLDB can be accessed by clicking “It’s not working”, while instructor-assigned proctors can be reached using contact forms in Canvas/Blackboard Learn respectively.
2. Prevents Copying
Respondus Lockdown Browser app was developed to prevent online test-takers from accessing websites, programs or content while taking a Quiz in Canvas (such as screen capture software) or printing an exam, in order to discourage cheating. As it does not prevent students from communicating between themselves or with a proctor during exams using mobile phones and/or texting them; ETS recommends instructors utilize both Lockdown Browser and Monitor Add-On together in order to create an environment conducive to testing.
Instructors requiring Respondus Lockdown Browser will include a link in their course that opens it for their students, who then cannot close or navigate away from it until it has been submitted for grading.
Once students complete an exam they will be instructed to sign-out and exit the application. Chromebook users have two methods available to them to exit Lockdown Browser Mode: physical power button or software shutdown.
Lockdown Browser app not only limits access to other applications and content on browser tabs during an exam period but also prevents printing and copying activities during that period. Furthermore, should an online proctor observe any student using features which could disrupt an exam they will be immediately informed.
Lockdown Browser can be easily downloaded via Canvas’ LTI integration – meaning students simply click a link from their course page and it will install itself directly onto their devices for easy quiz-taking.
3. Prevents Printing
Your instructor may require that Respondus LockDown Browser is used during quizzes in Cougar Courses (Canvas). This customized browser prevents students from printing, copying, going to another URL, accessing applications or programs on their computer or closing a test before it has been submitted for grading. Instructors can also enable Respondus Monitor which records students while they take an online exam using LockDown Browser.
Respondus Monitor will automatically activate your webcam when entering an exam if it is set up to do so, with a recording icon at the top of your screen during its entirety. To turn it off and stop recording this exam altogether, click “Do not record this exam”, though be aware that once an examination has been closed it cannot be reopened again.
Student Lockdown Browser goes beyond blocking printing and other desktop features to protect students from accessing websites, launching other applications/programs/taking screenshots/taking photographs etc. Furthermore, it prevents them from accessing their mobile devices or downloading software that could lead to academic dishonesty.
Based on your instructor’s preferences, the browser may also enable audio responses by typing directly into a field and reformat audio for review on mobile devices.
The LockDown Browser differs from its standard counterpart in several ways, including its toolbar which has been condensed to only include Back, Stop, Refresh and Information functions. Furthermore, the browser cannot be minimized or resized and links open in new windows; print, keyboard shortcuts, screen capture and function keys are disabled; further details on these differences can be found in the LockDown Browser Quick Start Guide.
4. Prevents Accessing Other Applications
Students using non-approved browsers during an exam are restricted from printing, copying, visiting another URL, accessing other applications or closing their custom browser – helping prevent cheating during assessments and exams held in supervised classrooms or lab environments. Respondus Monitor requires webcam access from students but provides enhanced monitoring features (see our blog article about it for more details).
At the conclusion of an exam, students can leave without answering further questions, but are only permitted back until their assessment has been submitted for grading. LockDown Browser presents its browser in full screen, so it cannot be minimized or resized, with keyboard, mouse, function keys and screen capture disabled. Students should ensure all mobile devices and other programs are closed prior to taking a quiz with LockDown Browser. Background running programs, such as instant messenger apps, iTunes or media managers, file sharing agents such as Bittorent or screen capture software can cause your Browser application to hang or stop responding altogether; to maintain optimal results while using this browser it is best to avoid running programs in the background such as these.
Instructors can ensure students use the appropriate browser when taking online assessments by adding a statement in the course syllabus that states, for instance: “All Blackboard Learn and Canvas Classic quizzes must be taken using Respondus Lockdown Browser.” Faculty should include this information on the course website under Exam Info to aid their students’ preparation for exams and reduce support calls to CETS. Dependent upon their system configuration, LockDown Browser may take a few minutes to load after clicking the Start button. Students should utilize Blackboard Learn or their institution’s LMS’ Test Exam and Practice Quiz feature as soon as the app loads correctly before taking an official graded quiz with LockDown Browser.
5. Prevents Accessing Other Websites
There are various online proctoring tools designed to prevent cheating during online learning courses, the most prominent being browser lockdown software which blocks students’ ability to access other websites, apps and desktop functions – this helps ensure students don’t use mobile phones, tablets or another computer while taking tests or taking paper notes while testing.
While taking exams using LockDown browser, students cannot print or copy anything off of their screen, access other programs or websites (unless their instructor includes links within test questions), close browser windows until their exam has been submitted for grading, nor use zoom function to enlarge text on screen or take screenshots or keyboard shortcuts of their exam.
Students using LockDown browser may encounter occasional computer freeze-up or crashes when accessing additional course material or external program files like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat. Should this happen, they should immediately contact their instructor in order to discuss available solutions for taking their exam.
Faculty should become acquainted with Respondus LockDown Browser/Monitor and understand its system requirements before using this tool to administer tests. The Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development offers faculty training on this tool; workshops can be found on Brightspace website. Instructors may refer to Instructor’s Guide of Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor for detailed instructions on setting up and administering tests using this tool.