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Blackboard Help: Respondus Help

Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor

Respondus is a browser that allows students to take exams and quizzes online in a controlled environment.To use the browser, students need to download it and log in.  To help you with this, here are instructions for how to download, install and log in to Respondus.  Those instructions are linked here. Respondus video tutorials:

These are available from the Respondus Tool in Blackboard also.  If you click on Respondus Lockdown Browser in the Course Tools in the instructor only portion of the left-side menu, the first thing you see, even if you don't actually want to set up a test, is an "anteroom" with various types of help.  

Respondus and Chromebooks

Respondus does not work with Chromebooks.

Respondus is a browser in itself, like Firefox, Edge, or Safari. A Chromebook, by its Nature, will only run Chrome. One possibility is, if students have an iPad, you can allow iPads to be used.  It is a setting in the advanced options in the Respondus test setup. They would then download the Respondus app.  There is no version for Android and no evidence that it would work on an iPhone.

 

Respondus Monitor Training and Troubleshooting

How to get up-and-running with online proctoring (from Respondus):
 
1) Daily Training Webinars with Live Q&A – These 45-minute trainings are the best way for instructors to learn how to use Respondus Monitor for online proctoring. Each session is followed by an extended Q/A period where questions are answered live. Register: https://go.respondus.com/e/710093/webinars-/g92dv/62201779?h=unDDQ0JQZTKL10H-6O18lGhIUtjZ-qydfoeV1QqK6nU
 
2) Rapid Rollout Guide for Instructors – Here is the essential information for using Respondus Monitor with online exams: https://go.respondus.com/e/710093/rapid-rollout-instructors-/g92dx/62201779?h=unDDQ0JQZTKL10H-6O18lGhIUtjZ-qydfoeV1QqK6nU 
 
3) Create a Practice Exam – Have students take a practice exam with Respondus Monitor to ensure their computer, webcam and Internet are working properly. Allow students more than one attempt on the quiz so they can try the practice exam whenever their device or networking environment changes.
 
4) 24/7 Live Chat – Remember that students can access built-in troubleshooting and live chat from within Respondus Monitor if they encounter a technical problem. You can find more resources for students, including how to access Live Chat, here: https://go.respondus.com/e/710093/student-help-/g92dz/62201779?h=unDDQ0JQZTKL10H-6O18lGhIUtjZ-qydfoeV1QqK6nU

Avoiding Errors when Launching Respondus tests

Important to note when setting up a test for Respondus

Please note that on the Respondus set up screen there is a warning of fields in the Blackboard test that you should not modify; they are used by Respondus to control the test.

Do NOT modify in the Blackboard Test Options:

  1. The test name.
  2. The Open Test in New Window setting.
  3. Do not set the Require password setting in the test options. If you wish to exempt a student from having to use Monitor during the test, you can set a password in the Respondus test setup screen and then those students who need it. The password field in the test options will be set regardless of whether you are using Monitor or setting exemptions. Ignore the field in the test options, only set it in Respondus. NOTE: this seems to be the most common cause for students seeing that the test has an error when they try to acces it.
  4. Do not set a password in the test options, only in Respondus. See #3.