How To Set Up Respondus Lockdown for an Exam

Owned by Adonis Hamad (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Oct 14, 2021
3 min read

Summary

This article explains how to set up Respondus Lockdown Browser for one of your exams.

Be sure to refer to the recommended Canvas Quiz settings before enabling Lockdown Browser.

Respondus Lockdown can be enabled in any Canvas course. Before you enable Respondus Lockdown for one of your tests, you must first create an exam in Canvas. The test content does not need to be finalized at the time of enabling Lockdown Browser for the assessment.

Instructions

  1. Click the Settings link in your Canvas course navigation menu.

  2. Click the Navigation tab at the top of the settings page.

  3. Find the Lockdown Browser item under the list of hidden/disabled menu items and enable it in your course by dragging it to the list of active items.

  4. Click the Save button at the bottom of the page.

  5. Click the Lockdown Browser link in your course navigation menu.

  6. Find the desired exam and click the carat button next to the exam title. Select Settings.

  7. Configure the settings as needed. Refer to the setting explanations below.

Restriction Settings Available for Respondus Lockdown Browser

 

  • Select Require Respondus LockDown Browser for this exam to prevent students from other browsers for the assessment.

  • Access code for exam (optional): If the exam is un-proctored, do not set a password. There is no benefit to setting a password if the test can be taken in an unmonitored environment. If you are using a password for the test per the recommended settings for in-class exams, the access code used in the Canvas Quiz Settings will automatically appear in this field.

  • Require LockDown Browser to view feedback and results: This setting requires that students use Lockdown to view their detailed test results (correct/incorrect responses). This setting is helpful for preventing copying and pasting of exam material, but keep in mind that it is not as effective in unproctored environments. If you would like students to be able to view their results and feedback outside the proctored environment, this setting should be disabled.

  • Lock students into the browser until the exam is completed: This setting should NOT be used. Using this setting can lead to an infrequent but difficult technical issue for students who are forced to quit an exam early. As an alternative, instructors should rely on Respondus Lockdown’s early exit logs. If a student needs to close Lockdown Browser and end the test before it’s completed, they are required to type an explanation of the closure into a dialog box, which the instructor can review later.

  •  Allow students to take this exam with an iPad using the "LockDown Browser" app from the Apple App Store: You can find out more about this option in Respondus' support documentation. It may be helpful to enable this for students, but it has not been tested extensively at Boise State.

  • Allow access to specific external web domains: Respondus Lockdown does not have a built-in address bar. If the instructor provides links to any resources inside the exam, students will be able to click and open these pages but they will not be able to navigate to other pages on that domain. Domain-wide permissions can be listed here. This is useful for situations where an e-textbook is permitted on the exam. Remember to include links for students inside the exam description field in the Canvas settings. Students will not be able to enter URLs to navigate to.

  • Enable calculator on the toolbar: Enabling this setting allows instructors to include either a standard (four-function) calculator or a scientific calculator on the exam.

  •  Enable Printing from the toolbar: Enabling this setting allows students to print the contents of their exam screen. This setting should remain disabled.