The artificial intelligence of Respondus Lockdown Browser (AI) depends on SO many things. Having a low camera (laptop on lap), having low light, having a shadow on your face can all trigger a high reading. A bright light on the face will help immensely with all complexion types. The most important takeaway is that the AI rating is merely a TOOL/GUIDELINE for you to use to detect possible cheating and is not foolproof. Anytime something flags as High you should watch the entire video to look for signs of cheating. Never take that rating at face value (no pun intended).
LockDown Browser® is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment (a student’s computer) within OAKS Quizzes. There are three ways to use it:
- Lockdown Browser – this method locks the student into the quiz/test and prevents them from going anywhere on the computer or web, from taking screenshots, or from recording their screen. It cannot prevent them from checking their phones or getting help from others in the room.
- Lockdown Browser + Webcam (Respondus Monitor) – this method locks the student into the quiz/test and prevents them from going anywhere on the computer or web, from taking screenshots, or from recording their screen. It also requires them to have a webcam on throughout the entire test, show their picture with a picture ID and show their testing area. When the test is finished, you can look at the videos of anyone flagged as suspicious.
*If you select this option and see a prompt that indicates you need to contact the administrator if you are interested in using it, just click Continue to Respondus Monitor. You do not need to contact anyone to use this. - As of June 2021, it is now possible to use Respondus Lockdown Browser with Zoom for live proctoring. Read about how to enable this. Note: this is not turned on by default and requires instructors to take a few steps when configuring Respondus for a given exam. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that this should be practiced on a no-stakes exam.
Important Note: This system deters cheating and makes it more difficult but cannot prevent it entirely.
How LockDown Browser Works
- Assessments are displayed full-screen and cannot be minimized
- Browser menu and toolbar options are removed, except for Back, Forward, Refresh and Stop
- Prevents access to other applications including messaging, screen-sharing, virtual machines, and remote desktops
- Printing and screen capture functions are disabled
- Copying and pasting anything to or from an assessment is prevented
- Right-click menu options, function keys, keyboard shortcuts and task switching are disabled
- An assessment cannot be exited until the student submits it for grading
- Assessments that are set up for use with LockDown Browser cannot be accessed with other browsers
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Students will NOT have access to Insert Stuff, Insert Image, or Insert Quicklink options when taking a quiz so if you are using those questions types that require any of those options then you should not use Respondus LockDownBrowser.
- Read&Write is not currently working with LockDown Browser for Mac. Respondus recommends alternative accessibility software listed on the following page https://support.respondus.com/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/187/
- When using Respondus Lockdown Browser + webcam (Respondus Monitor) if instructor wants to download the recording not just view it, they will need to request approval. For student data privacy reasons, Respondus requires that approval for the video download first be granted by the Respondus Admin. In order to better protect student privacy, Respondus cannot permit automatic approval of the instructors request. Visit the following page https://bit.ly/2GhRoU6 for information on how to request and the process for approval and downloading.
- When you activate Respondus Lockdown Browser it removes the check mark to add it to the course calendar from the quiz setup. This is a known issue and the best option at this time is to enable the LockDown Browser requirement for the quiz first and then update any calendar or notifications.
- Although we do not recommend Chromebooks because they cannot run all of the software you may need and some models have issues connecting to our wireless network, we understand this cannot always be helped in some situations. We recommend having students with Chromebooks test on a PC or Mac in the Library when possible.
Important Best Practices
- Students will NOT have access to Insert Stuff, Insert Image, or Insert Quicklink options when taking a quiz so if you are using those questions types that require any of those options then you cannot use Respondus LockDownBrowser.
- Students need to be aware that they will have to download and install Respondus LockDown Browser and possibly disable certain settings (e.g., remote sharing) and apps (e.g., screen capture) before attempting the quiz. Knowing this, students should NOT wait right before the deadline to attempt the quiz, as this process may take 5-10 minutes or longer. A statement/warning should be included in OAKS, as well as in your syllabus.
- Consider letting students complete a practice quiz, with Respondus LDBM enabled, before their first graded quiz. Alternatively, you could enable Respondus LDBM on your Syllabus Quiz.
- It is a good idea for a student to check for any updates each time they use Respondus LockDown Browser.
- Check out the Respondus LDMB Cheat Sheet for more information and resources.
