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Proctoring Tools in Canvas
As of Summer 2020, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside has two proctoring options available for use in the Canvas LMS. Both options provide the same services, but this page lists some of the key differences between the two.
Respondus LockDown Browser
Respondus Resources & Guides – Link
Supported Devices – Windows, Mac, Chromebook (beta), iPad*
Exclusive Features
•Can be used on iPads via the Respondus Lockdown Browser app (*must be enabled on the per-quiz basis)
•Directly compatible with the New Quiz Tool
•Fully locks down the student's device while running
•Will be adding the option to have the instructor live proctor via a third party tool such as Teams or WebEx (currently in early beta; do not attempt to use it yet)
As the name implies, the Respondus proctoring tool runs as its own internet browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Students will not be able to access any other programs or windows while the Respondus Lockdown Browser is running. They will be brought directly to the Canvas login page upon launching the browser, after which they can navigate through Canvas like usual. If they try to access their quiz outside of the Respondus Lockdown Browser, it will prevent them from doing so. On quiz startup, Respondus will ask permission to automatically shut down certain functions and programs on the student's device. Note that some functionality, such as screenshotting or pop-up notifications on Macs, may not be automatically restored upon finishing the quiz. Restarting the device will usually restore these services.
While Respondus can directly integrate with the New Quiz Tool, we still highly recommend making your Canvas quizzes in the Classic Quiz Tool due to its stability and flexibility.
In early 2020, Respondus rolled out a beta option for live proctoring in place of the recorded, automated, proctoring service. This option is still in early beta so instructors should avoid this option until its reliability improves. If you choose to utilize this option while still in beta, know that your students may not be able to access their quiz and will have no workaround options available to them.
The traditional automated proctoring does not require the instructor to do anything while the quiz is being given. If live proctoring is selected, the instructor chooses a webcam meeting option (Teams or WebEx) in which their class will meet before beginning the quiz. The instructor will provide the room link to students ahead of time (usually on the quiz introduction page or a course announcement), and will then provide students with the quiz password in the webcam meeting room. This option does not record the student's webcams in Respondus and therefore will not provide a cheating probability rating afterwards. This option is recommended for small classes only because the instructor will need to be able to view multiple webcams and have free reign over switching between them during the quiz.
Honorlock
Honorlock Resources & Guides – Link
Supported Devices – Windows, Mac, and Chromebook
Exclusive Features
•Has 24/7 live chat support for students and instructors
•Has an option to have an Honorlock proctor manually check student footage after the quiz is submitted
•Can allow students to bypass the proctoring requirement via a password from the instructor if necessary
•Allows instructors to create settings presets and apply them to other quizzes
•Can automatically generate & publish a brief practice quiz so students can test Honorlock on their device
•Supports File Upload question types
•Supports third-party assignments to a limited extent, including the New Quiz Tool
Due to the original incompatibility between Respondus and Chromebooks (which is now in beta), Parkside acquired Honorlock as a proctoring alternative. Honorlock runs as a browser extension within the Google Chrome web browser, so students will need to use Chrome to take their quiz. As a result of this, the Honorlock download is much smaller and faster to install compared to Respondus. Students can freely delete or deactivate the extension after they finish their quizzes with no negative effects since Honorlock is such a small add-on compared to Respondus. Canvas will ask the student for a password if they try to begin an Honorlock-enabled quiz without Honorlock active. You can choose to give a student this password in emergency situations where proctoring isn't an available option on their end.
Being a Chrome add-on, Honorlock cannot fully lock down a student's device. However, any attempts to leave the quiz screen will be detected and flagged. The quiz will lock itself down if they deactivate any necessary proctoring services. Additionally, Honorlock has methods to detect if students search for quiz answers while they take their quiz. It is worth noting that this does not involve monitoring any of the user's other devices or internet network. Please visit the following Knowledgebase page if you have any concerns about proctoring tool policy: Proctoring Privacy F.A.Q.s
How They Work
Both Respondus and Honorlock use automated proctoring. If there is suspected academic misconduct during a student's quiz attempt, the proctoring service will flag timestamps in their attempt for the instructor to review. It will be up to the instructor to determine what, if any, action is taken for flagged footage. Footage being flagged does not automatically indicate that academic misconduct has occurred.
Both proctoring tools are free to faculty and students. Enabling one of the tools on a quiz will automatically add its respective download link to the quiz description. Honorlock can also be found through an internet search or on the Google Chrome extension storefront.
There can only be one proctoring tool active at a time for a quiz. Enabling both options on a single quiz would make the it inaccessible since the proctoring tools would prevent each other from working.
Here are some of the features that both of these services provide, most of which are optional:
- Device/browser lockdown
- Prevents students from accessing other programs or websites during their quiz unless otherwise specified in the proctoring settings. Both tools will require students to close most other programs on their device when the quiz start-up process begins. The degree of device lockdown depends on which tool you use and the settings you choose.
- Webcam audio & video proctoring
- Both services use artificial intelligence to perform automated scans for suspicious activity such as talking to someone or leaving the room during the quiz. The footage is deleted after a set period of time and is not viewable by any third parties. This setting is optional when setting up your proctoring options.
- Screen-captures the student's desktop while taking their quiz
- Pre-quiz room scan (requires webcam monitoring)
- Student photo (requires webcam monitoring)
- There is an additional option that is turned on by default that asks students to show an ID before taking their quiz. Keep in mind that not every student may know where their university ID is or even have one if they are fully remote.
- Disabling copying, pasting, or printing
- Honorlock will inform you if a student tried to copy, paste, or screenshot their quiz
- On-screen calculator
Viewing Proctoring Results
The incident probability report for both tools function in a similar fashion. Every student will be given a priority rating based on how "suspicious" that student's actions were during their quiz attempt, such as if they left the room, were talking to someone else off-camera, or were using their phone. Clicking on the student's attempt will bring up the video stream from their recording as well as a timestamp log of their quiz. This log will include timestamps for when the student answered individual questions as well as any times where the automated scan believes academic misconduct may have occurred. It is very important to remember that even if a student's quiz attempt receives a high priority rating, that does not necessarily mean that any academic misconduct has occurred. The listed priority level cannot be used as evidence of cheating on an assessment. It is up to you as the instructor to verify if the detected "offenses" are legitimate or false positives as well as what actions, if any, should be taken.
You can see more a more detailed guide on viewing proctoring results on Respondus and Honorlock's respective websites.