Rollout of LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor for Instructors

These resources will help instructors quickly learn how to use LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor.

Training Webinars

Instructor training webinars are free and offered several times each month. Registration is required. Learn more

In-App Training Resources and the LockDown Browser Dashboard

Once the LMS administrator has completed the initial setup for LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor, instructors will see the LockDown Browser Dashboard tool in their courses. The LockDown Browser Dashboard can be accessed from any course in your learning management system (LMS).

The tabs in the Dashboard contain instructor resources for LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor, including demonstration videos, Quick Start Guides, and everything you want to communicate to students. Many of these resources are also available on the Respondus Monitor Resources page.

The LockDown Browser Dashboard is also where you will find:

  • A list of exams in the course
  • The settings for LockDown Browser and proctoring options, including Respondus Monitor
  • Proctoring results for each exam (select “Class Results” from context menu)
  • Additional exam statistics (select “Exam Stats” from the context menu)

If you can’t locate the LockDown Browser Dashboard in your course, contact your LMS administrator to ensure everything has been installed.

Instructors using Blackboard Learn (original view) should see this important article about the LockDown Browser Settings.

What learning systems are supported?

LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor are available for tests and quizzes in:

  • Canvas (New and Classic Quizzes)
  • Blackboard (Learn and Ultra)
  • Brightspace
  • Moodle
  • Schoology

Respondus Monitor is also available for use with ALEKS by McGraw-Hill and Pearson MyLab. These integrations work a bit differently. Learn more: ALEKS | Pearson MyLab

What do students install?

Students need to download and install the LockDown Browser application, which includes everything needed for Respondus Monitor and other proctoring options.

Students using Windows, Mac, or ChromeOS simply use the unique download link for each institution to install LockDown Browser.

Instructors can find directions for students to install LockDown Browser by following these steps: go to the LockDown Browser Dashboard in the course, select Resources (top right of screen), select “Getting Started,” and then “Add information to your Syllabus and Course Description.”  (For some learning systems, the download link will appear to students when an exam requires the use of LockDown Browser.)

  • iPad: If you’ll be permitting students to use LockDown Browser on an iPad, it can be downloaded from the Apple App Store. Go here for more details.
  • Chromebook: LockDown Browser for Chromebook is available for most learning systems. Contact your license administrator for details.

System Requirements for Students

  • LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor are available for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and iPad devices. For complete details, see the section System Requirements (Students).
  • iPad Users – Note that the LockDown Browser settings have an iPad option that must be enabled on a per exam basis. Instructors sometimes don’t permit students to use Respondus Monitor with an iPad unless it’s placed on a stand and used with an external keyboard (the video recording has too much motion otherwise.) See this KB article for more details.
  • Chromebook Users – Chromebook support is available for most learning systems, but may be restricted by the Respondus Monitor license administrator. Contact your license administrator for details.
  • Mobile Phones – LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor aren’t available for use on mobile phones, such as the iPhone or Android phones. (Many LMS don’t support exams taken on mobile phones either.)
  • Online exams require a stable internet connection. Provide students with a practice quiz so they can test their computer setup and bandwidth. Here are some tips for improving poor internet connectivity.

Technical Support Resources and Live Chat

  • Respondus Support - The best way for an instructor to get assistance with a technical issue is to open a support ticket. Tickets are responded to quickly by the Respondus Support team.
  • Knowledge Base – Here you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions, and even a few obscure ones.
  • Help Center – This is available within LockDown Browser itself and helps students troubleshoot technical issues (webcam, microphone, internet connection, etc.) and get technical assistance.
  • 24/7 Live Chat for Students – Students having technical problems with Respondus Monitor can initiate a live chat with Respondus Support. This 24/7 service is available within Respondus Monitor and is accessed from “Help Center” and the “It’s Not Working” links that appear in the pre-exam startup steps. Additional resources for students are available here.
  • Contact a Respondus Trainer – Do you have a question about LockDown Browser or Respondus Monitor that isn’t really of a technical nature? Are you confused with how something works? We recommend joining one of our training webinars or scheduling an Office Hours meeting with a trainer by going to the LockDown Browser Dashboard, opening the proctoring settings for an exam, and clicking on "Questions?"  You can also reach out to a Respondus Trainer by emailing [email protected].

Create a practice quiz

This is the best advice on the page! Have students take a practice quiz that uses LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor to ensure the student’s computer/device, webcam and internet connection function properly. Make the practice quiz available with multiple attempts so students can try it anytime they are using a different computer or networking environment.

Tips for a successful practice quiz

Where are the proctoring results?

Everything an instructor does with LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor occurs from the LockDown Browser Dashboard within the online course (see above topic on this).

Once a completed exam has been processed (this can take several hours), go to the LockDown Browser Dashboard and select “Class Results” from the context menu to the left of the exam name. The class roster and proctoring results for the exam will appear.

The Review Priority ranking will help to quickly evaluate the proctoring results and determine whether an exam session warrants deeper scrutiny.  Use the timeline or thumbnails to quickly review any part of the exam video.

Here’s a great overview on Understanding Proctoring Results for Respondus Monitor. It explains how flagging works, facial detection, and other goodies.

What about student privacy concerns?

Proctoring results, including the student video, are only available to the instructor from within the online course. Respondus staff do not watch or review student videos. The Respondus Monitor Terms of Use is the official word on privacy, but the following document (one page) answers most privacy questions asked by instructors and students:
Data Privacy Overview.

Can students use scratch paper or notes during an exam?

Yes. Students can be directed to use external resources (scratch paper, notes, books, etc.) during an exam. However, keep in mind this can affect facial detection results if they are frequently looking away from the webcam. If this behavior is what you expect, just ignore the flags associated with using other resources.

Also, you may want to go to "Facial Detection Options" in the Respondus Monitor settings, and turn off “Notify students during the exam if face cannot be detected”, so they aren't prompted to fix the problem during the exam.

If you wish to have students show written work, a feature called Show Your Work can be enabled to require that students take additional photos of written materials with their webcam. Here’s an article on how this works.

Resources for License Administrators

Admin resources or LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor can be found in the Administrator Area for Respondus products.

License contacts will need login credentials to access the Admin Area. The User ID is provided in the "welcome" email for your institution’s license.