What is Respondus?

Caveats

Traditional timed, proctored exams are possible remotely using the tools available in Brightspace with Respondus LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor. Before committing to remote proctored exams, below are some considerations:

• Stress

• Planning

• Access to technology

• Privacy

• Accommodations

However, proctored remote exams have several drawbacks:

1. They are often even more stressful for students than in-person proctored exams, which can negatively impact student performance.
2. They require substantial planning and setup on the part of the instructor and the student, and may generate many “false positive” flags that must be reviewed by an instructor after the exam.
3. Not all students have access to the appropriate technology to use services like Respondus Monitor that requires a webcam; instructors will have to make accommodations for such students.
4. The technical infrastructure of services like Respondus LockDown Browser & Monitor has not been utilized at this scale before, so planning must include what to do if the proctoring service crashes during the exam.
5. Students may have privacy concerns about third-party recorded remote proctoring. Unlike when students agree to the use of such systems when they register for online courses, students did not agree to remote instruction when they registered for spring 2020 and instructors will need to make accommodations for these students.
6. LockDown Browser features do not address all access needs for students with approved accommodations.  If faculty intend to use Respondus LockDown Browser (with or without Monitor), they should consult Disability Access Center for those students who have identified themselves to faculty for accommodations.  That way, students can avert any accusations of cheating that may be due to use of approved assistive technology or accessibility issues.

For these reasons, during this time we recommend using alternatives to timed, proctored exams wherever possible. Large courses reliant on in-person exams should consider open-book exams or frequent low-stakes assessments as alternative assessment strategies that are relatively easy to grade. 

• Please note that in normal circumstance students should be made aware of need for a webcam BEFORE course begins as part of their required course materials if requiring the use of Respondus Monitor. In this current continuity of instruction period, instructors and departments should manage and communicate student webcam needs on an individual basis. Not all students have access to the appropriate technology to use services like Respondus Monitor that requires a webcam; instructors will have to make accommodations for such students.

• Respondus Monitor (LockDown Browser +Webcam) is NOT a live synchronous proctoring service. Students are recorded while taking the exam and instructors are alerted after the recoding is complete to any red flags that may have occurred during the testing sessions. Instructors will be able click on thumbnail recordings to review footage of flagged portions of students recorded testing sessions for review. 
• For a synchronous live recording of a testing session, instructors could use Zoom to schedule a Zoom session for the test time for students to join at the same time and monitor students in gallery view while taking the test. If students are unable to meet synchronously, accommodations would need to be made. 
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Testing Alternatives

Significant portions of the guidance in these pages are adapted with permission from Rutgers University, Indiana University, University of Minnesota, UNC-Chapel Hill & Willmington, and NC State University’s Keep Teaching sites.