Test/Finals

[Stormshadow]

Is there a way to lock the students into the Canvas tab when they are taking a test/final so they don't cheat? 

[Jeff_F · Accepted solution]

Hello @Stormshadow - while Canvas itself does not have such a feature, there are several 3rd party add-on services that perform this function. One of the tools I've seen in use at my institution is Lockdown Browser from Respondus. https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/ 

One factor to consider is that while the computer the student is using can be set as 'locked' when the assessment is in progress, there is nothing that prevents them from using that pocket computer (cell phone) to query an answer to the question, or to ask for a paragraph on topic 'abc' to be written. And that is where you may consider the more complex tools that use a webcam to monitor student activity and movement during the exam. And/or those that serve to verify who is taking the exam via use of an ID card or using biometrics.

Solutions that attempt to address such issues include:

• https://honorlock.com/
• https://www.proctoru.com/
• https://proctorio.com/
• etc.

Each service has unique feature sets and these carry with them concerns about privacy, accessibility, student intellectual property, and much more.

[briczu]

Hello,

The respondus lockdown browser is a good solution, except I noticed this round of final exams a few issues with the Respondus lockdown browser. 

1. Students using chromebooks can get out of the lockdown browser without it being detected in the log. There is a button they can press on the top row of the keyboard that exits the lockdown browser, and then they can re-enter the quiz (if not passcode is set) without it being recorded in the log! This completely defeats the purpose of the lockdown browser! The MUST BE FIXED ASAP, as this feature basically makes it allowable for students to exit a quiz and use chat gpt to write responses, rendering the lockdown browser useless.
2. Our final exam requires students to draw a model and graph, in addition to answering free-response questions. This required us to have a paper portion along with the digital component in the lockdown browser. When students stop using the computer for more than 30 seconds, it is recorded in the log in New Quizzes as "Stopped viewing the quiz taking page". Canvas does not distinguish if they have just stopped viewing the page, or if they have exited the lockdown browser or opened a new tab. There must be a way to distinguished between a pause in viewing and opening a new tab. This NEEDS TO BE FIXED! 

[dbrace]

Hi @briczu,

I do not have a Chromebook at my fingertips at the moment (it is in my office) but thank you for bringing this situation up because my institution has students that have personal (not owned or managed by us) Chromebooks. When I get back to the office next week I will be trying to duplicate what you have described.

Have you (or someone else at your institution) reported this to Respondus Support?

-Doug