Alternatives to Respondus Lockdown Browser & Monitor
Providing online exams for college students is becoming increasingly complex, especially as AI tools grow more powerful and accessible. These technologies can easily assist in generating answers or completing assessments, challenging the very notion of what an exam measures. As AI capabilities continue to evolve, ensuring that online exams authentically reflect a student’s understanding may require rethinking traditional assessment methods altogether.
We are receiving an increasing number of requests to provide online proctored exams. While Rutgers offers tools such as Respondus LockDown Browser, which prevents students from leaving the test site, and Respondus Monitor, which provides video surveillance during the exam, these solutions are not without challenges. They can sometimes be challenging to implement, and some students may lack the necessary equipment or a suitable testing environment.
This blog post aims to discuss these concerns and suggest some alternatives to help you assess students fairly and equitably.
What are some concerns about using Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor?
- Increases test anxiety
- Equipment access barriers (e.g., webcams)
- Privacy and security concerns
- Accessibility challenges, such as needing a screenreader
- Damages student-instructor trust
- Technical problems with tools like Respondus LockDown Browser (e.g., Microsoft sandbox conflicts, iPad limitations, webcam issues, outdated software)
Specific to Rutgers Camden
- If students lack compatible equipment, they must take the exam on campus in computer labs. In Camden, Respondus works only on lab PCs (not Macs), and outdated software or difficult-to-find webcams often cause delays and added stress.
Finding the Webcam at the Robeson Lab
Locating and Using the LockDown App at the Robeson Lab
What exam features in Canvas can you consider instead to preserve academic integrity?
- Large question bank
- Randomizing question order
- Mixing question types
- Setting time limits
- Add open-ended questions after the multiple-choice questions for assessing student reasoning (For example: What course content guided your choice in the previous multiple-choice question? Explain why you selected that answer.)
- Use scenario-based/applied multiple-choice questions (Table 1 for Question Comparisons added here as short code for drop-down.)
- If you want help revising multiple-choice questions, try the custom Multiple Choice GPT available via Explore GPT in ChatGPT. It’s designed to help improve questions and suggest scenario-based examples.
What alternatives to online proctored exams can you consider to preserve academic integrity?
Written & Digital Submissions
- Memorandum or brief
- Op-ed newspaper article
- Student-designed exam questions and answers
- Blog post
- Take-home exam with complex application questions
Multimedia & Web-Based Projects
- Poster session
- Website creation (e.g., Google Sites without AI tools)
- ePortfolio
- Recorded think-aloud solving complex problems
Peer & Interactive Assessments
- Self-assessment and peer assessment
- Peer mock job interviews (recorded)
- Class debate (e.g., using Kialo EDU)
- Cumulative in-class poll responses (synchronous)
Visual & Conceptual Tools
- Concept mapping (e.g., Lucid Chart Assignments)
- Depth of knowledge grading via rubrics
Presentation-Based Assessments
- Student presentations with Q&A (Q&A review ensures student-created presentation content)
Collaborative & Integrated Assessments
- Integrated video case study with collaborative problem-based assessment
- Projects aligned to course learning goals
What support can IDT provide if you decide to implement Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor?
If you choose to use Respondus Monitor and LockDown Browser, our team is available to answer any questions you may have about the setup process. We strongly recommend that you require students to complete a practice quiz prior to the actual exam to ensure they have the necessary equipment and can troubleshoot any issues in advance.
Please be aware that once an exam begins, we will not be able to provide real-time support to students. Additionally, the IT staff cannot remotely access a student’s computer while LockDown Browser is active; therefore, if technical problems arise during the exam, it may not be possible to resolve them in time. The time to remedy a problem with Respondus tools is well before the exam begins.
Access information on setting up Respondus LockDown Browser or Monitor here.
Resources
Langenfeld, T. (2020). Internet-based proctored assessment: Security and fairness issues.
Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 39(3), 24–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/emip.12359
Lee, K., & Fanguy, M. (2022). Online exam proctoring technologies: Educational innovation or deterioration? British Journal of Educational Technology, 53, 475–490. https://doi-org.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/10.1111/bjet.13182
Menke, J. L. (2014). Implementation of Online Poster Sessions in Online and Face-to-Face Classrooms as a Unique Assessment Tool. Journal of Chemical Education, 91(3), 414–416. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed400665n
Multiple Choice Questions GPT – https://chatgpt.com/g/g-L5i4sIq2e-multiple-choice-questions-gpt