Enabling Respondus in a Quiz
What is the Respondus Lockdown Browser?
LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment in the learning management system (CourseLink). Used at over 1500 higher educational institutions, Respondus LockDown Browser is highly effective for securing online exams in classrooms or proctored environments.
When a CourseLink Quiz is set up to use the Lockdown Browser and/or Monitor, a student is prevented from performing any other action on their computer while they complete their Quiz. Additionally, the Lockdown Monitor uses the student’s webcam and microphone to ensure the test-taking environment they are working in is secure, monitors the student’s activity and provides the instructor a video log of their actions to review after the attempt.
Respondus Monitor at U of G
Over the course of the W23 term, a working group considered teaching modes, students’ needs and expectations and other factors in developing recommendations on the future use of Respondus Monitor at U of G. The recommendations were presented to and approved by the provost.
For in-person, synchronous and asynchronous courses, excluding DE:
Respondus Lockdown Browser may continue to be used without the monitor function.
Use of Respondus Monitor will be limited to exceptional situations, including:
A proctored online exam is required due to external accreditation requirements.
A fully online course where there is no expectation that students attend campus.
Students enrolled in courses with scheduled in-person assessments who cannot attend the University to sit an in-person assessment should use the academic consideration process.
An instructor who wishes to use Respondus Monitor should request permission from an associate dean (academic), including the rationale for its use, and details of what alternatives to Respondus Monitor will be offered to students.
Alternative arrangements for students who object to the use of Respondus Monitor will continue to be made following current guidelines: Students may request an alternative assessment that does not use Respondus Monitor by contacting their instructor. Such requests must be made at least three business days (weekdays) in advance of a scheduled assessment.
For Distance Education courses:
DE course assessments may continue to be delivered in an online or remote format, including through Respondus Monitor.
The use of Respondus Monitor in DE courses must be communicated to students in the course outline, and all best practices in using the tool must be followed. Instructors must include in their course outline what alternative arrangements to Respondus Monitor they plan to utilize.
Alternative arrangements for students who object to the use of Respondus Monitor will continue to be made following current guidelines: Students may request an alternative assessment that does not use Respondus Monitor by contacting their instructor. Such requests must be made at least three business days (weekdays) in advance of a scheduled assessment.
If an instructor wishes to provide an in-person assessment they may request a location through Scheduling Services; however, the instructor must be prepared to deliver two exams (online and in-person).
In all cases, the AVPA should be informed by the relevant ADA of the intended use of Respondus Monitor.
Respondus Lockdown Browser
Any quiz in your CourseLink course can be set to require the Lockdown Browser. Your students will be required to download and install the Respondus Lockdown Browser before they take any Lockdown Browser enabled quiz.
The Respondus Monitor can also be set as an additional requirement. The Respondus Monitor requires that the student have a working webcam and microphone on the computer that Lockdown Browser installed on it.
Respondus LockDown Browser requires the user to have administrative access to the computer to install and run the software. Some corporate or university computers may require that you request access from your IT admin team.
Adding a Sample Respondus Lockdown Browser test
We strongly suggest adding a sample Respondus Lockdown Browser quiz to your CourseLink course if you are using Lockdown Browser or Monitor. Having a sample test lets your students attempt a quiz using the Lockdown Browser to see how the browser runs, what equipment they need and the steps they need to take a Lockdown Browser quiz and troubleshoot any technical issues they might encounter.
Download this course package and using the the using the import component tools add this quiz to your CourseLink course site.
Note: after this quiz is imported into your CourseLink course site, you will still need to enable the Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor tools for it.
Enable Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor
By default your quizzes will not require the Respondus Lockdown Browser or Monitor. To set up a quiz to use these tools, from the Quizzes tool, select ‘LockDown Browser’.
All of the Quizzes in your course will be listed, and whether they are set to require Lockdown Browser or Respondus Monitor.
Select the Dropdown next to the assessment you want to require LockDown Browser or Respondus Monitor for and select ‘settings’.
From the Lockdown Browser Dashboard, select ‘Require Respondus LockDown Browser for this exam’
Note: The Respondus Monitor tool is dependent on having the Lockdown Browser enabled. Monitor is not required, but cannot be used without the Lockdown Browser
Select ‘Require Respondus Lockdown Browser’ for this exam.
You may want to enable the on-screen calculator if your test requires one.
If you want to require the Respondus Monitor in your Quiz; select ‘Require Respondus Monitor for this exam’. Enabling Respondus Monitor will
You may want to review and modify the default ‘Environment Check’ provided to your students. Prior to starting the Respondus enabled quiz; they will be notified to show the camera the location they are located to ensure academic integrity. You may want to specify additional requirements; that they present any blank paper, ‘cheat sheets’ or other tools they are allowed to use during your specific quiz.
Select ‘Save + Close’. The quiz title will be amended to indicate what tools are required to attempt it.
LockDown Browser has been distributed for over 14 years and is used to take over 100 million online exams annually. It is widely implemented at over 1,500 universities, hundreds of school districts, and thousands of certification and testing centers. There has never been a situation where Respondus has distributed a version of LockDown Browser that had a virus/malware attached to it. The security of these applications have been vetted by hundreds of institutions, including annual checks by third-party security companies. Any executable that requires a user to install it to their computer will be rated as a high threat in terms of virus/malware security.
Tutorial Videos
Related Resources and Programming
Standard Question Format instructions (Respondus)
Sample Question Set (Respondus)
Sample Import Format (CourseLink)
Related Tools
Need More Help?
If you're still having trouble, please contact the CourseLink Support team for assistance.