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Lockdown Browser

A secure internet browser that locks out other computer activities while students are taking tests online

7.4

31 Votes

Lockdown Browser is a product intended for use with schools to keep a user engaged only with their browser. It is based on Chrome and has many features that can help with remote testing but also may become a standard in the physical classroom. The reason for this is that it is versatile and has very few bugs, therefore it is an ideal option for use in educational settings.

One of the biggest plusses is that it allows for testing online without the risk of cheating. Since it prevents the user from using any other tabs or programs on their computer while the browser is open, it is virtually impossible to cheat. This is not only good for remote learning, which is helpful in times of Covid, but also very useful when there are poor weather conditions, for community colleges, and even in a physical classroom. Often one complaint many teachers and professors have about doing testing is that it takes a long time and a lot of effort to grade. In the same manner, students often complain about the lack of feedback they receive, while it simultaneously takes way too long to know how they did. With online tests, this problem is solved, because students can receive instant results and teachers and professors do not have to spend hours of their precious time grading.

Lockdown Browser comes with many features to prevent cheating. One of these features includes camera recordings. Before taking an exam, a camera is used to record the surroundings of the student to detect if there are any notes, friends, computers, or other disallowed help around them. During the exam, the camera pays attention to the student and uses eye-tracking and other features to detect any cheating or other shady business. In addition, Lockdown Browser will generate reports for teachers and professors detailing any potential cheating and allow the instructors to manually review them, making their job much easier. The other features to prevent any untoward business, as suggested by the name, involve locking down the user so that the only thing they can view is the test. All of this works very well to prevent any sort of cheating.

Lockdown Browser has been designed to integrate with testing environments already used by schools everywhere. Blackboard and Canvas are the two most commonly used platforms for testing and Lockdown Browser supports both, making it an extremely easy integration for professors, students, and anyone else trying to use it.

Pros:

  • Easy integration with tools already used by schools
  • One simple program that works for everyone with good support
  • Helps prevent cheating and allows for online testing
  • Available for free

Cons:

  • Requires for students to download an additional program, which may take time and troubleshooting
  • Many students are against monitoring and may cause additional stress
  • May generate false positives for cheating, so each tape should be reviewed before making assumptions

Company
Respondus
HQ Location
Redmond, WA
Year Founded
2000
LinkedIn® Page
https://www.linkedin.com/company/5165271 (23 employees)
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