Respondus LockDown Browser (RLDB) is a customized browser that increases the security of test delivery in Brightspace. Respondus LockDown Browser is intended for use by students while taking assessments that have been prepared for use with Respondus LockDown Browser. When students use Respondus LockDown Browser to access an exam, they are unable to print, copy, go to another URL, or access other applications. Once an assessment is started, students are locked into the assessment until it’s submitted for grading.
Respondus Monitor, an option that is used in conjunction with Respondus LockDown Browser, is a tool that will allow for proctored, or supervised, exams that students will take online in front of a web cam. Respondus Monitor can help ensure exam integrity for students taking their tests online outside of a testing center.
There are advanced features available when setting up an assessment that requires Respondus LockDown Browser. Advanced settings that instructors have the option to use are:
- Allow students to take the exam with an iPad, using the free LockDown Browser app
- Allow students to access to specific external web domains during the exam
- Provide students with a calculator or print function in the LockDown Browser toolbar
The “Allow access to specific external web domains” option is a relatively new feature of RLDB. By default, if an exam contains a link to an external web domain, students can view the initial page but all links and navigation from that page are blocked.
When the “Allow access to specific external web domains” setting is selected it allows a student to access any page or link within the specified domain when taking the exam. This is useful, for example, to provide access to an e-book during an exam. More information about the “Allow access to specific external web domains” setting can be found in this Knowledge Base article.
Additionally, RLDB includes a tool that enables .xls/.xlsx spreadsheets to be viewed and manipulated during an exam session. To enable spreadsheets to be accessed in RLDB, the instructor would add a link to the spreadsheet in the question wording. When a student selects the link within LockDown Browser, an Excel-like spreadsheet tool will open. The spreadsheet can be pre-populated with content or it can be a blank spreadsheet created in Excel that students use to prepare their answers. The instructor can require the students use the spreadsheet to calculate their answer to a quiz question as shown in this example:
Alternatively, the instructor can require students to create or modify a spreadsheet and submit the spreadsheet for grading as shown in this example:
Spreadsheet functionality is available for students taking RLDB exams using Windows, Mac, and iPad editions of LockDown Browser. More information about this feature and how to set it up can be found in the “Can spreadsheets be used with LockDown Browser?” Knowledge Base article.
Want more information?
Respondus LockDown Browser FAQ
RLDB Instructor Quick Start Guide
LockDown Browser Advanced Settings webinar recording
Respondus Monitor FAQ
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