The purpose of the Respondus LockDown Browser app is to attempt to reassure faculty and administration that it makes cheating more difficult. Can it prevent cheating? No. Can it reduce or discourage cheating? Sure.

The Respondus LockDown Browser can prevent students from accessing other apps, web pages or other content on their computer while taking a Quiz in Canvas, including screen capture software, as well as preventing right-mouse functions. It also prevents copy/paste and print commands.

The Respondus LockDown Browser works with Canvas on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and iOS (when specifically enabled by the instructor). Instructors can set up the LockDown Browser directly within Canvas. When students click on the Canvas Quiz link to start a quiz, the LockDown Browser will open automatically, then the quiz will display within the LockDown Browser rather than in the original browser. LockDown Browser works with both Classic and New Quizzes.

View this PDF to learn about Respondus' top 10 reasons.

The Respondus LockDown Browser is intended for use in proctored settings, such as in a computer lab, classroom or testing center. To fully utilize the LockDown Browser in an unproctored environment, it should be used in conjunction with Respondus Monitor.

If you have a student in your course who uses Kurzweil or another assistive technology, such as JAWS or Magic, then you will need to create two instances of a Quiz before any students take the quiz - one requiring the LockDown Browser and one assigned to any students needing to use assistive technology which does not require the LockDown Browser.

Note that you should only copy a Classic quiz one time within the same course or it will overwrite the copy. For a New Quizzes quiz, you can duplicate the quiz multiple times without overwriting the copy.

According to the Respondus website, here is how the browser works:

• Assessments are displayed full-screen and cannot be minimized
• Browser menu and toolbar options are removed, except for Back, Forward, Refresh and Stop
• Prevents access to other applications including messaging, screen-sharing, virtual machines, and remote desktops
• Printing and screen capture functions are disabled
• Copying and pasting anything to or from an assessment is prevented
• Right-click menu options, function keys, keyboard shortcuts and task switching are disabled
• An assessment cannot be exited until the student submits it for grading
• Assessments that are set up for use with LockDown Browser cannot be accessed with other browsers

Cal State Fullerton faculty can use the LockDown Browser for New Quizzes or Classic quizzes. We do not, however, have the Respondus Monitor or Instructor Live Proctor add-ons.

When students start the LockDown Browser, it will cause the Zoom app to exit and will remove the student from a meeting if they are in one. It will also not allow any screen capture apps to run while the LockDown Browser is activated.

You have now learned about the purpose and use for Respondus LockDown Browser.