LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor: Important Notes and Tips for Instructors

When using LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor for proctoring test in Canvas, please follow these important guidelines and tips for optimal results —

Data privacy and security information for students

Some students may have concerns about the data privacy practices of LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor. You can share the following information with them:

  • Like all Tufts-approved software, LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor have been rigorously screened and approved by Tufts' information security team.  
  • Respondus Monitor does "face detection" in that it looks for a face (any face) in the video frame during the exam, but it does not do any kind of identity recognition (e.g. matching a face to information about that person), and does not capture or store any biometric data.
  • Please share with students Respondus Monitor's Data Privacy Overview for a list of what the software does and does not do.

Have students improve their internet connection

A reliable internet connection is essential for any student to have a good online test experience. Be sure to read through this guide from Respondus and share these pointers with students well before their actual exam:

LockDown Browser: Ensure a Smooth Test-Taking Experience

Always give a no-stakes practice test with LockDown Browser a week before the first proctored exam

To support students' success using LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor always set up a no-stakes practice quiz in Canvas with LockDown Browser (and Respondus Monitor if you're using that), and have students take it a week before the actual exam.

This allows students to step through the process of downloading and using the most recent version of the software ahead of time. It also gives them time to troubleshoot any technical difficulties by reaching out to Respondus tech support in the LockDown Browser Student Help Center.

Include a Timer for the Test

Use Canvas quiz settings to include a timer for tests that use LockDown Browser.

LockDown Browser hides everything on the student's  screen, including the date & time clock which usually appears in the corner of their desktop.  This can be disorienting for students who usually look at that clock to see how much time they have left on exam.

A workaround is to make sure you give the exam a specific duration in Canvas. This will cause a count-down timer to appear in the corner of the Canvas screen so students can gauge their progress.

Be sure to "pad" the amount of the time you give the students with an extra five minutes, as that's about how long it takes them to click through the LockDown Browser set up.

For in-classroom exams use LockDown Browser (but not Respondus Monitor)

Use LockDown Browser only (not Respondus Monitor) to avoid overwhelming the room's wi-fi service.

When you give an exam in a classroom and you or other instructors or proctors are present, use the LockDown Browser only, without the Respondus Monitor feature. There are several reasons for this:

  • The LockDown Browser software will suffice to prevent students from opening other content and tools on their computers.
  • When you or other instructors/proctors are in the classroom with students you are monitoring them, so there's no need for additional software monitoring by Respondus Monitor.
  • The Respondus Monitor tool requires a large amount of wi-fi bandwidth when used in a classroom, because it simultaneously records the webcam and screen of all the students in the room, and streams that content to the Respondus cloud for temporary storage. This can overwhelm the room wi-fi, preventing students from accessing the exam in Canvas.
  • The Respondus Monitor tool will detect multiple people in the video frame for any given student, generating false "flags" in exam review sessions.

For in-classroom exams with LockDown Browser have a paper exam available as backup

Students taking an exam in class may have technical difficulties with their laptops (unrelated to the proctoring software) which delay or prevent them from accessing Canvas and LockDown browser. In these cases it's good to have a paper copy of the exam handy so students can complete it in the time allowed.

New Quizzes Time-on-Tests Accommodations

For students needing additional time on tests, if you built the tests in New Quizzes in Canvas, be sure to give the time accommodation for each student on each test (rather than for the semester).  If you try to set this for the semester (but not for individual tests) it won't work in New Quizzes.

See: How do I add accommodations for a student in New Quizzes?

Respondus Instructor Trainings

Respondus offers short trainings throughout the year for instructors using LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor. These are helpful, concise webinars for you to brush-up on the tools. See:

For help getting started with LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor in your Canvas course at Tufts, please email [email protected]