Respondus Lockdown Browser with Live Instructor Proctoring

Overview

Respondus Lockdown Browser with Live Instructor Proctoring allows instructors to proctor quizzes and exams over Zoom while students work within Lockdown Browser.  This provides a way for instructors to ensure that students are neither accessing other resources on their computer nor referencing external materials (e.g., a textbook, mobile device, another person). Unlike Respondus Lockdown Browser with Respondus Monitor, this feature does not record students or attempt to automatically flag suspicious behavior. 


What you need to know...

  • This feature is supported on Windows PC and Mac. It is not supported on iPad.

  • With this feature, students will remain in your Zoom session while they take a quiz. They will not be able to see any other students or the instructor while they take the exam. However, they will be able to hear anyone talking within the Zoom session and communicate with you/others if their microphone is unmuted. Students cannot adjust their Zoom settings while taking the exam. In advance of your exam, we recommend that you consider whether students should be muted or unmuted in the exam. If muted, students will not disturb each other, but they also will be unable to ask questions within Zoom. If unmuted, students can ask any questions they have, but may disturb other students.

  • Respondus recommends this feature for smaller class sizes, as it will be difficult to monitor individual students with 25 or more students. However, this feature will work with larger classes provided that there are multiple instructors to monitor the students.

  • When using this tool, we recommend setting up a one question test quiz to allow students to get comfortable with Lockdown Browser and troubleshoot any potential issues. You can make this quiz always available and give students unlimited attempts so they have as many opportunities to work out issues as they need. We recommend making this available at least a few days before the exam. Students may need to update their Lockdown Browser, so that gives them plenty of time to do so. Instructions on updating Lockdown Browser can be found on the Respondus help website.

  • Since Live Proctoring involves video and audio recording, it is going to need a strong internet connection. Students should use the best internet connection available to them. Instruct students to use a private wired or wireless connection whenever possible and avoid public wifi or a cellular network if they can. If using a wireless connection, sit as close to the router as possible. 

  • Any loses of connection or restarts of the Lockdown Browser system will be logged for your review. We also recommend that, if you have an enforced time limit on the exam, you set it to “Allow the student to continue working”. This will flag the quiz as late, but give you and the student flexibility should an internet issue occur. That way, a technical issue won’t shorten their time or otherwise inhibit them from finishing.

  • While Live Proctoring is a useful tool, you might also consider other academic integrity techniques such as randomizing the question order, creating question pools, using a strict time limit, and designing open book/notes quizzes. 

Setting up Respondus Lockdown Browser with Live Instructor Proctoring

 

Step 1. To begin, click on Quizzes from the Assessments menu.

q

Step 2. Then, select the Lockdown Browser tab to open the Lockdown Browser dashboard.

Click the Lockdown Browser tab

Step 3. After the dashboard loads, a list of your Quizzes for the course will appear. Click the drop-down menu to the left of the quiz for which you want to enable Lockdown Browser Live Instructor Proctoring and select Settings.

Click the dropdown next to your quiz and select Settings

Step 4. The Settings selection window will appear. Select Require Respondus Lockdown Browser for this exam.

Select Require Respondus Lockdown Browser for this exam

Step 5. Then, under the "Proctoring" section, select Allow instructor live proctoring for this exam (via Zoom, Teams, etc). This will further expand the section. 

Select the ALlow instructor live proctoring for this exam option

Step 6. In the expanded box:

  • Select your video conferencing system: Zoom
  • Enter a Start Code. This is what you will provide to students to allow them to start the quiz.
  • Decide whether to include additional instructions for students, and edit the additional instruction text if desired.

After deciding on these settings, click the blue Save + Close button to save the settings.

Select Zoom as the video conferencing system, decide on a start code, and include additional instructions if you would like.

Administering a Live Proctoring Session

 

Step 1. To start your Live Proctoring Session, first start your Zoom session as normal. Instruct students to join the Zoom meeting BEFORE opening the quiz in Lockdown Browser. For specific instruction on using Zoom in D2L Brightspace, please see our Getting Started with Zoom in D2L Brightspace page.

Select Zoom from the Communication dropdown menu

Start your meeting from Zoom within D2L Brightspace

Step 2. Once all students have joined the Zoom meeting, you can provide any needed instructions (i.e., what to expect, whether they should mute themselves etc.). Then, have students start the quiz/exam as normal. They will be prompted to open Lockdown Browser.

Step 3. In Lockdown Browser, students will be prompted to enter the Start Code you entered when setting up the Live Proctoring session. You will want to give this code out only after all students have joined the Zoom session and you have provided the needed instructions.

The student view when entering the Start Code for the quiz.
Figure. The student view when entering the Start code for the quiz

Step 4. Once students enter the Start code, they will begin the quiz. You can then monitor all students using video and audio (if desired).

  • You will want to be "Gallery View" while students take the quiz. If you are not in Gallery View, click the View button in the top-right corner of Zoom and select Gallery View from the dropdown.

Select Gallery View from the dropdown menu

  • While students are taking the quiz, they will be able to hear anyone who has their microphones enabled. This allows the instructor to provide further instructions and clarifications to students. However, it also allows students to potentially hear each other. If you need to mute students during the quiz/exam, you can do so using the controls in the "Participants" window. This allows you to easily Mute one student or Mute All as needed. (Note: Students cannot be unmuted once they are muted within Lockdown Browser.)

You can mute students within the Participants window

Step 5. Once students complete the quiz/exam, they will close out of Lockdown Browser and remain in the Zoom session. Once all students are done, you can close out of Zoom or continue with the rest of your class session.