ITS supports the use of the Respondus Test Software, Respondus LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor. Training for faculty is available through both Respondus and the SDSU ITS Help Staff. To register for Respondus training webinars, go to the Respondus Webinar Training Website.

Prior to utilizing Respondus Monitor in your course, please reference the Respondus Monitor Environment Check Feature job aid and view this short video (2:28 min) outlining the process students must complete in order to take an exam via Respondus Montior:

SDSU Flex Respondus Considerations:

Faculty who plan to use Respondus Monitor must notify and receive approval from their Dean’s office (policies on notification and approval may vary by college). SDSU’s contract with Respondus requires Respondus to honor student privacy under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Faculty and students with additional questions may review the Respondus privacy statement.

Faculty who plan to notify and receive approval from their Dean’s office to use Respondus Monitor should be aware that there are several ways in which students can circumvent the software, and that use of the tool is in no way a guarantee of the academic integrity of your exam. Furthermore, we recommend you carefully consider alternative assessment strategies due to student bandwidth and specialized hardware requirements, as well as privacy concerns associated with Respondus Monitor. Please see the Tips for Authentic Testing and Assessing Students Virtually guides for more information.

The following chart can help you make decisions about which testing software to use:

Testing Software Recommendations for SDSU Flex
Testing Software	Tool Functionality	PROS	CONS
Canvas (recommended for all users)	Canvas contains a basic test creator which can help faculty create test pools, while also providing options to randomize questions and/or answers, set a test time limit, prevent question backtracking, automatically grade/score forced-choice items, and more. Questions can include multiple-choice, multiple-select, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, essay, matching, ordering, and more. Can also create individual exceptions or groups to provide testing accommodations.	Can deploy many different types of questions to ensure “authentic assessment” Allows test item that can have students upload a PDF of handwritten work Compatible across devices (desktop, mobile, Chromebooks, etc.) Includes advanced functionality to mitigate cheating (including time limits, question randomization, and question groups). Imports grades directly into Canvas Gradebook	Can be time consuming to create lengthy exam Requires creating new exam questions each semester to ensure exam validity Able to be cut-and-pasted or photographed by students into a “cheat-sheet”
Testing Software	Tool Functionality	PROS	CONS
Respondus Test Creator (recommended for advanced users only)	Respondus Test Software is a powerful PC-based tool for managing exams that can be printed to paper or published directly to Canvas. Exams can be created offline using Microsoft Word or other text editors.	Saves time (over Canvas test creator), after a steep learning curve, by allowing faculty to write multiple choice and true/false questions in Microsoft Word and upload to Canvas	Windows Only for test creation (not compatible with Macs) Not intuitive; may require significant technical support Requires specific formatting, which can introduce additional technological complexity and increase likelihood of technical problems
Testing Software	Tool Functionality	PROS	CONS
Respondus Lockdown Browser (not recommended for new users mid-semester)	Respondus Lockdown Browser is a web browser (like Safari, Chrome or Firefox) which works with Canvas to help prevent online test-takers from accessing applications and websites on their computers as well as printing and copying the test while the test is running.	Prevents student use of other web tools on the same device on which exam is being taken Prevents copy/paste functionality (harder for students to screen-grab Q&A for sharing) Improves Canvas performance to mitigate exam crashes	Does not ensure cheating does not occur (students can take photos of the exam, use a secondary device such as a smartphone, etc.) Disadvantages students who do not have a laptop computer or iPad (not compatible with Chrombooks, iPhones, Android Phones, and other mobile devices) Introduces barrier to access by requiring that students download software in advance of testing “Practice” test strongly recommended, so that students can debug their experience
Testing Software	Tool Functionality	PROS	CONS
Respondus Monitor (not recommended for new users mid-semester; use with caution due to student bandwidth and specialized hardware requirements, as well as privacy concerns)	Respondus Monitor is a companion to LockDown Browser that enables institutions to protect the integrity of non-proctored, online exams by using students’ webcams to record them while they take a test.	Mitigates cheating through video surveillance	Disadvantages students who do not have a webcam-equipped computer Not “fair” if students did not have the chance to “opt out” during drop/add Students feel surveilled Students report increased test anxiety Produces false-positives that are time consuming for faculty to investigate Introduces barrier to access by requiring that students download software in advance of testing Requires increased bandwidth capacity for student video streaming Students are put in a queue during the pre-exam webcam check when a high volume of students are taking an exam causing students to begin their exam late.
Testing Software	Tool Functionality	PROS	CONS
ProctorU, Proctorio, and other online proctoring (not supported; not recommended for new users mid-semester; use with caution due to student bandwidth/specialized hardware requirements, privacy concerns, as well as additional unanticipated student/college costs)	These tools enable institutions to protect the integrity of non-proctored, online exams by using students’ webcams to record them while they take a test.	Mitigates cheating through proctored video surveillance	Disadvantages students who do not have a webcam-equipped computer Not “fair” if students did not have the chance to “opt out” during drop/add Students feel surveilled Students report increased test anxiety Introduces barrier to access by requiring that students download software in advance of testing Requires increased bandwidth capacity for student video streaming Additional cost to college or passed on to student

Respondus Training Resources

Respondus LockDown Browser

Respondus LockDown Browser is a web browser just like Safari, Chrome or Firefox which works with Canvas to help prevent online test-takers from accessing applications and websites on their computers as well as printing and copying the test while the test is running. LockDown Browser has also proven to be an excellent way to mitigate online test crashes by preventing resizing a browser window, refreshing the page, switching to another application, etc. Students are locked into the test until they submit it for grading. If the test crashes, a message is usually entered into the Respondus dashboard. Respondus hosts several videos on faculty and students use of LockDown Browser.

How do students use Respondus LockDown Browser?

Download the SDSU-specific version of the LockDown Browser and install on your computer.
When you take a test using LockDown Browser, choose either Canvas depending on which system your course is using.
If assistance is needed, please contact the SDSU Student Computing Hub, https://library.sdsu.edu/computers-technology

How do faculty use Faculty Respondus LockDown Browser?

Make sure all of your test options are finished.
Go to your course => Control Panel => Respondus LockDown Browser
Your tests will be listed in the new window. Find your test and modify the settings to require LockDown Browser.
Do NOT make any changes to your test after you have required Respondus LockDown Browser or it may prevent students from taking the test.

Respondus Monitor

Respondus Monitor is a companion to LockDown Browser that enables institutions to protect the integrity of non-proctored, online exams by using students’ webcams to record them while they take a test. The videos are then available for viewing within Canvas. Monitor is currently being tested at SDSU and is only available to our beta testers. See Respondus Monitor Website for more info. Beginning Spring 2021, all faculty interested in using Respondus Monitor need to get approval from their Dean.

Respondus Test Software

Respondus Test Software is a powerful PC-based tool for managing exams that can be printed to paper or published directly to Canvas. Exams can be created offline using Microsoft Word or other text editors. Questions can be imported from many textbook publishers. Respondus can save you hours whether you create simple or complex exams. Faculty may acquire the software or an updated license by contacting us. All of the workstations in the Faculty Instructional Technology Center
have Respondus installed. Get started by reviewing the Respondus Test software site.

Respondus

Respondus Overview for Faculty

SDSU Flex Respondus Considerations:

Testing Software Recommendations for SDSU Flex

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Respondus Training Resources

Respondus LockDown Browser

Respondus Monitor

Respondus Test Software

Assessment Resources