Lockdown Browser

Respondus, the creators of Lockdown Browser, shares with us the below advice for securing assessments:

1. Offer more frequent, short quizzes so students keep up on their classwork. This also reduces the incentive to cheat because the value of each quiz is lower than a major, comprehensive exam.
   

2. Randomize the order of test questions and answer choices. Or, have questions randomly selected from a larger pool of questions. These are basic features of Schoology Assessments and Test/Quizzes, and their implementation will deter students from looking at someone else's screen.
   

3. Refer to the academic integrity policy with students prior to each test. Establish a culture of honesty early on - if you've explained that cheating is unacceptable and created an environment where cheating is difficult, students are much less likely to attempt it.
   

4. Apply a password to the test and provide students the password just prior to the start. This prevents someone from accessing the test outside of the classroom.
   

5. Require students to use LockDown Browser for online tests. LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment within Schoology. It prevents Internet searches, accessing notes or other applications on the computer, or copying the test questions themselves, among other things. LockDown Browser is used at over 2,400 school districts and colleges, protecting hundreds of millions of exams annually.