When LockDown Browser is used with “Instructor Live Proctoring,” the instructor watches students remotely during an online test. This feature requires the use of a web conferencing program such as Microsoft Teams, WebEx, or Blackboard Collaborate, and is intended for small classes (25 or fewer students) where the instructor can view all students on the screen at once.
The instructor and students meet in the video conferencing application at a specified time. When ready, the instructor provides students a start code for the online exam – students start LockDown Browser from there. The instructor can then watch students via the video conference system for the duration of the exam.
Note that Instructor Live Proctoring does NOT record the student video, nor does it alert the instructor to suspicious events. These features are only available with Respondus Monitor, the automated proctoring solution.
To record the test session, use the recording feature of the video conferencing application you choose to use.
How to Conduct Live Proctoring
- Provide students the instructions for downloading and installing LockDown Browser. The instructions can be found in the UToledo Online Student Guides for Respondus LockDown Browser.
- Convey to students, in advance, that LockDown Browser and a video conferencing system will be used with online exams. (Important: Schedule a practice exam so everything can be tried in advance to a real exam.)
- Once the exam has been created, locate the LockDown Browser Dashboard in your learning system, select “Require LockDown Browser for this exam,” select “Allow live proctoring for this exam …” and then supply a “Start Code” (which prevents students from starting the exam early). See the guide for Configuring the Live Proctoring Setting for more detail.
- Use your normal process to create a meeting for the video conferencing system (Collab, Teams, etc.). Distribute the meeting information to students prior to the exam.
- At the scheduled time, confirm you can see and hear all students in the video conferencing system. When ready, provide the start code to students to commence the exam.
- Remind students the video conference will continue to run in the background, enabling you to see and hear them during the exam. However, they will NOT be able to access the video conferencing system during the exam.
Note: The student iPad app does not support the Live Proctoring option. An iPad doesn’t allow you to run a video conferencing app and LockDown Browser at the same time. Consider these alternatives:
- Have the student use a different device altogether (Windows or Mac recommended)
- Have the student use a second device for the video conferencing
- Allow the student to shut down the video conferencing system on the iPad when it’s time to start the exam
Only provide start codes to students when they are in the web conferencing program at the scheduled time. Do not provide the start code in advance of starting the exam, as the student can then use the start code to enter the exam without being proctored.