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LockDown Browser - Respondus Instructor Quick Start Guide
This is a quick start guide for instructors using Respondus LockDown browser.
Preparing a test
- Make sure the exam has been deployed to a content area in the Blackboard course
- Select “Course Tools” below the Control Panel, select “Respondus LockDownBrowser”
- Click “Don’t show this page again” OR “Continue to LockDown Browser>" if prompted
- A list of all exams deployed in this course appears:
- Exams labeled “Required” currently require students to use LockDown Browser
- Exams labeled “Not Required” don’t currently require LockDown Browser
- To change the setting for an exam, click the icon to the left of the title, click “Settings” then select the desired option:
- Require Respondus LockDown Browser for this exam
- Don’t require Respondus LockDown Browser for this exam
- Optionally you can enter a password the student must enter to open the exam in Password Settings > Password to access exam (optional)
- LockDown Browser will prompt students to enter the instructor-provided password before proceeding with the exam
- Click Save + Close to confirm the new exam options
How does Blackboard know that the LockDown Browser is being used?
Respondus LockDown Browser relies on a dynamically generated password automatically added to the Test Options > Password field in Blackboard exams. This feature prevents students from using a regular browser to open an exam that has been set up for use with LockDown Browser.
This unique Respondus LockDown password should not be deleted or edited in the Blackboard Test Options. Changing the password will prevent LockDown Browser from working with the exam.
Where do students download Respondus LockDown Browser?
Respondus LockDown Browser must be installed on each computer being used to take an exam. The NDSU clusters all have the LockDown Browser installed on all machines so installation will not be necessary when students are using an NDSU cluster computer.
Students and instructors can download by visiting this page: LockDown Browser - Download/Install Respondus
Because the LockDown Browser installation is unique for each institution the installation files must be downloaded from this link only!
How students use the Respondus LockDown Browser
Students should not log in to Blackboard using a regular browser (i.e. MS-Edge, Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, etc.)
- Double-click the “LockDown Browser” shortcut on the desktop. (Mac users: launch the application from the Applications folder)
- If prompted to close a blocked program (e.g. screen capture, instant messaging, etc.) choose Yes when prompted
- Log in to the Blackboard course using normal NDUS credentials
- Navigate to the exam and click Begin
- If the instructor created a required password for this exam, a pop-up window prompts students to enter the required password to continue
- If students are prompted to enter a password but the instructor did not create a required password for this exam, they should contact the ITS Help Desk for assistance. Students should only be prompted for a password if the instructor required it!
- The exam will start. Once a student starts the exam, the Respondus LockDown Browser cannot be closed until the student clicks the Submit button.
Tip and Troubleshooting
Prior to the first scheduled test, have students complete a practice test that requires Respondus LockDown Browser to make sure they have installed it correctly.
IF students indicate that they are unable to access a test because they are being prompted for a password (or that the password provided to them doesn’t work), it usually indicates that they are trying to access the test using a standard browser rather than the Respondus LockDown Browser. They will see this screen if they attempt to open the exam using anything other than LockDown Browser:
They should click Cancel, log out of Blackboard and close the browser and open Respondus Lockdown Browser to log back into Blackboard.