Overview
The Respondus LockDown Browser (LDB) is a custom browser that instructors can use to lock down their testing environment in Schoology. Using the app, instructors can require students to use the LDB when taking tests, quizzes, assessments, or managed assessments (AMP) in a Schoology course.
The Respondus LockDown Browser displays the test in full-screen mode and prevents students from navigating away from the assessment or navigating to other applications, such as the Internet or their notes, while the test is in progress. The browser also prevents copy and paste, right-clicking, screen capture, messaging, or printing.
The Respondus Knowledge Base provides instructions on how to push out the browser to a large set of machines. Additionally, the Respondus support team is trained in various types of software used for this purpose and can help admins with this step.
Students also have the option to download the LockDown Browser software directly from the launch page of their Schoology test.
Requiring the LockDown Browser on tests or quizzes does not affect any functionality available to instructors on Schoology. All Schoology test/quiz settings remain available, and the workflow for grading student submissions remains the same whether or not the LDB is required.
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If your school or organization currently has a license for the Respondus LockDown Browser, your System Admin can install the Respondus app in your Schoology account.
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If your school or organization currently has a license for the Respondus LockDown Browser, monitor, or both, visit the Respondus Help Center to review their Quick Start Guide for Instructors and Students.
Create an exam requiring Respondus LockDown Browser
After you have created the test/quiz or assessment in your course, you can require the Respondus LockDown Browser for it from the LockDown Browser Dashboard.
In courses with linked sections, a test, quiz, or assessment must be published in the master section to be displayed in the Respondus LockDown Browser Dashboard. If it is not published in the master section, it will not display. The Respondus settings follow the master section. As a workaround, you can make the item available to all sections, enable Respondus, and then hide it from the linked sections as needed.
All Respondus LockDown Browser settings must be configured in the master section. You cannot customize LDB settings for individual linked sections. To make a test accessible to specific students, use the Individually Assign feature as a workaround.
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From the course, select the Respondus app to display the Respondus LockDown Browser Dashboard.
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From the item title, choose Settings from the list.
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Select Require Respondus LockDown Browser for this exam.
If the app is uninstalled at the course or system level, all LDB requirements will be removed from the Test/Quizzes and Assessments in your Schoology courses.
LockDown Browser settings
Click + Advanced Settings to review and configure additional settings for the LockDown Browser for the test/quiz or assessment.
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Advanced settings |
Details |
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Lock students into browser until exam is completed |
Prevents students from exiting LockDown Browser before an exam is submitted for grading. Optionally, a password can be entered to enable a proctor to close the browser during an exam. When this option is not selected, a student can exit the browser if their Internet connection fails or there is an emergency. Students will receive two warnings before they can close the browser and must enter a reason for exiting the exam early. The reason will be available to the instructor from the Respondus LockDown Browser Dashboard. |
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Allow students to take this exam with an iPad (using the LockDown Browser app from iTunes |
To successfully utilize this option, the student device must meet the following requirements:
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Allow specific students to access this exam with screen readers (e.g. JAWS, Window-Eyes) |
Enter the names of students permitted to use screen reader software to take their Schoology tests in the Respondus LockDown Browser. |
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Enable Calculator on the toolbar |
Allow students to access a standard or scientific calculator from the top toolbar of the LockDown Browser while taking the test. |
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Enable Printing from the toolbar |
Allow the print option from LDB toolbar when a student opens the test. |
Monitor webcam settings
If your school has a Respondus Monitor license, you can enable and configure the Monitor feature for a test, quiz, or assessment by selecting Require Respondus Monitor for this exam. Schools without a Monitor license will not have these options in the LockDown Browser Dashboard. Contact your Respondus representative to learn about available Monitor options.
Alternatively, from Monitor Webcam Settings, select Either Respondus Monitor or a proctored lab can be used to take this exam. When this option is selected, and an exam password is entered, students can take the exam using LockDown Browser only by entering the password. In this case, the exam session will not be recorded with a webcam. This setting is typically used when students can take the exam remotely with Respondus Monitor or in a proctored lab without webcam monitoring.
The optional exam password can also be used in emergencies, allowing students who are unable to get their webcam working to bypass webcam recording and take the exam using LockDown Browser only.
All webcams are compatible with Respondus Monitor. If a test requires Monitor, students are responsible for using a computer with a working webcam. As a best practice, instructors may schedule a practice Monitor test so students can resolve any technical issues in a low-stress environment before taking their first exam with Monitor.
Allow submissions
After you have selected the Respondus settings for the exam, click Save and Close. Then, return to the Course Materials page and make the Test/Quiz or Assessment available to your students by activating submissions.
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For an assessment, select the item’s gear icon and choose Edit. Alternatively, from the Assessment view, select Actions and choose Edit.
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For a test/quiz, select the test/quiz name and navigate to Settings.
If the instructor sets the View Submissions option in the Settings tab of the test to either Yes or Yes with correct answers, the students will need to launch the LDB to review their completed submission.
Student experience overview
Students taking a test in Schoology using Respondus LockDown Browser can access the test, quiz, or assessment from the Course Materials page. When a student opens the test, they are prompted to launch LockDown Browser to take and submit it.
LockDown Browser functions like a standard web browser but with several features inactive, including browser menus and the URL field. Only the back, forward, stop, and refresh buttons are available. The content and design of the test will be displayed similarly to Schoology, but students’ ability to navigate or use other browser tools is restricted.
LockDown Browser is supported on Chromebooks using a Chrome Extension in kiosk mode, and on iPads or mobile browsers if the latest LockDown Browser app is installed and the Allow students to take this exam with an iPad setting is active. Instructions for deploying the Chromebook version are available in the administrator area at http://Respondus.com.
Begin the exam
When an instructor requires Respondus LockDown Browser for a test, quiz, or assessment in Schoology, students must download and install the browser before starting the exam. Tests and quizzes that require LockDown Browser display the following message:
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This assessment requires LockDown Browser and will launch in a new window.
Students can download the browser from the Download LockDown Browser link on the exam’s Instructions page. This link uses the download URL configured by the system admin in the app’s Custom Parameters.
After the LockDown Browser is installed, students can click Start New Attempt to display the test in a new window and complete it using LockDown Browser.
If other applications are running on the student’s device when they click Start New Attempt, a warning will be displayed listing the blacklisted applications. The student can select Kill these applications to close them and continue launching the exam in Respondus LockDown Browser.
If a student experiences network issues or a power outage and cannot connect to the LMS, a browser timeout error may occur during the exam. In this case, the student should use the Student Exit feature and resume the exam later, after the connection is restored.