Brightspace – Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor for Students

If your instructor is using LockDown Browser, or LockDown Browser with Monitor, this page will help ensure you have a problem-free experience.

» See an intro to LockDown Browser on YouTube
» See a Quick Start Guide for Students

LockDown Browser

Do I have the right technology to take the exam?

Note: if you have previously downloaded Respondus for use in Blackboard, it should be deleted. The only way to acquire a version of Respondus that will work with Brightspace is to click on a quiz that requires it. It will then prompt you to download and install the correct version.

» See Computer Requirements

What is it?

The LockDown Browser is like a normal browser, except that once you click “Begin” on your test, it prevents you from opening Word documents, instant messages, or email, and it blocks you from visiting other websites or accessing other parts of the course.

How do I get it?

If a test requires LockDown Browser, it will include a link in its summary page to download and install it. If you already have LockDown installed from before you started using Brightspace, you should remove the old version before installing the new one. Once it’s installed, you can click Launch LockDown Browser at the bottom of the test’s summary page to open the test in LockDown.

Your instructor should offer a practice test before the first real one to make sure your settings and permissions are correct.

LockDown Browser with Monitor

Your instructor may also be using Monitor in conjunction with LockDown Browser. When a test is proctored in a physical classroom, it means that someone is there to monitor students while they take the test. Monitor is an automated proctor that makes a video/audio recording of you taking the test. Afterward, it processes the video to find any activities of concern and flags them for the instructor to watch and review later.

Important Tips

We realize that taking a video-recorded exam can be stressful! Here are some tips to make sure the software won’t raise any flags:

• Before the exam begins, watch this two-minute video to help orient you to this type of testing.
• Make sure your face is visible the entire time.
• Don’t wear hats that extend beyond your forehead, including baseball caps.
• Place laptop computers on a firm surface like a desk or table, not your lap.
• Make sure your entire face is in the camera frame.
• Sit at a desk or table. Laying down on a couch or bed while taking an exam will increase the chance of you moving outside of the webcam’s video frame, thereby promoting Monitor to flag a suspicious behavior.
• Make all adjustments to your webcam BEFORE the exam starts.

Choose a Location & Maximize Bandwidth

• Make sure the lighting in room in which you are taking the exam works with Monitor:
  • Have light in front of your face and not behind your head.
  • Ensure there is light that is bright enough to show the details of your face clearly.  If your face is too shadowed, the automated video analysis is more likely to flag you as missing.
• Select a distraction-free environment with no interruptions during the exam. Not only will that help you concentrate, it will also keep your eyes focused on the screen. In addition, other people that come into view of the webcam may also trigger flags by the automated system.
• Ask other people in the house with you to stop using high-bandwidth services, especially video games or streaming movies, while your exam is in progress. The more bandwidth you have while taking your exam, the less likely you are to run into trouble.

Test Your Computer and Web Cam

• Run a web cam, system, and network check before starting your exam.  Note that this does NOT count as part of the total allotted exam time.

Trouble Shooting

• “Can’t detect or configure Web Cam” warnings.
• Web cam not detected on Mac.
• “Sending exam start notification” error occurs when starting an exam.

Getting Help

Help and resources are available from Respondus. Some built-in resources are also available within LockDown Browser if you encounter problems:

• The Windows and Mac versions of LockDown Browser have a “Help Center” button located on the toolbar.
• Use the “System & Network Check” to troubleshoot issues.