Respondus Tools

Respondus Exam Creation

Respondus is an application that lets instructors create exams and assessments offline and publish them directly to a BeachBoard or Canvas course. In addition, over 2,000 publisher test banks are available to instructors who use Respondus.

Note: Respondus is not compatible with Apple operating systems.

System requirements

  1. Access the Software Depot with your MyCSULB campus ID and password.
  2. Click on Product Search and type Respondus in the white box.
  3. Follow instructions so that you can access the software.
  4. Download the software and license key.
  5. Close your web browser.
  6. Double-click on the Respondus35Campus.exe file to install Respondus to your computer. Follow the on-screen prompts. The Institution Name, Local Support Contact(s), and Installation Password can be found in the General_Respondus_License_Key_Info.doc file.

Once you have downloaded, installed, and registered Respondus, view the demo movies and manuals linked below for instructions on how to use Respondus and how to publish your Respondus assessments to BeachBoard.

  1. Go to BeachBoard and log in.
  2. Enter a course that you are teaching and copy the URL address.
    BeachBoard URL
  3. In Respondus, make sure you have selected Desire2Learn as your current personality.
  4. Click Open if you have previously created quizzes in Respondus, or click Create to create a new quiz and give it a name and description.
    Respondus Personality Option
  5. Click the Preview and Publish tab.
  6. Select the section labeled Publish from the menu on the left and then click the Publish Wizard button.
    Retrieve
  7. Next to Desire2Learn Server, select Add New Server from the drop-down menu.
    Add new Server
  8. In the New Server Settings, select No, I want to enter the server settings Manually. 
    Manual Server Settings
  9. Paste the URL address in step 2.
  10. Click Extract. Respondus will automatically fill in the fields in Step 3.
  11. In step 4 and 5
    • Enter a Description for your settings, so you may easily refer to it later (example: d2l csulb).
    • Enter your campus ID and BeachBoard password under login information. You may save this information on your computer so you don’t have to enter it every time you use Respondus, by selecting the checkbox.
  12. Click OK.
    Set up server

The new Desire2Learn server has now been added to your Respondus.

Respondus will "retrieve" an exam from BeachBoard, which then allows the file to be edited, published to another online course, or printed using Respondus. (Printing straight from BeachBoard yields an unattractive format.)

  1. Click the Retrieval tab.
  2. Click the Retrieve Questions button.

     

    Retrieve Questions button
  3. Choose the Desire2Learn (BeachBoard) server from the drop-down menu and then click Next.
  4. If you elected not to store your login information, type your Campus ID and BeachBoard password into the prompt and click OK.
  5. The Retrieve Questions Wizard window will appear
  6. Choose a course to retrieve from the drop-down menu.
  7. Choose the specific quiz, survey, self-assessment, or question library section.
  8. Enter a new name for the Respondus file you are creating.
  9. Click Next.

     

    Choose Course and Quiz to retrieve prompt
  10. The status window will update after each step in the retrieving process. When it says, “Completed successfully,” click Finish.

     

    Successful retrieval
  11. Click the Edit tab to edit the questions of the retrieved quiz.

 

Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor

Before employing the use of Respondus Monitor for your exams, please read this memo from the CSU Vice Chancellor of Academic Programs, Innovations, and Faculty Development: Assessment of Student Learning in Fall 2020; Remote Proctoring Services [PDF]

Please note: Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor compatibility with iPads must be turned on manually.  The tool is now compatible with Chromebooks.

  • Respondus LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment within BeachBoard for securing online exams in classrooms or proctored environments.
  • Respondus Monitor is a companion tool to the LockDown Browser; it uses a webcam and algorithms to detect suspicious activity during exams. Recordings of student exams are only available within BeachBoard to the course instructor and BeachBoard system administrators.

Faculty Instructions and Training

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some students may not have the time or resources to acquire the correct equipment before you begin using proctored testing. You may need to determine what your students' readiness is and also consider giving the affected students an alternative assignment to demonstrate what they have learned.

Survey Your Students

To use Respondus Monitor, students will need the right equipment and will need to download the application. However, some students may not have the correct operating system, or webcam, or some other technical limitation. We recommend you survey your students to see what technology they have.

Possible Questions to Ask:

  • Do you have either a laptop or desktop computer available?
  • Are you using Windows (10, 8, or 7) or Mac OS X (10.10 or higher)
  • Do you have a web camera (internal or external) and microphone?
  • Do you have a broadband internet connection?
  • Is your only device a Chromebook, iPad, or other device that does not use Windows or Mac OS X?
  • Anything else you deem relevant for your course that you may need to know about your students

Using the Results to Adjust Your Course:

  • If some students do not have the necessary equipment to do proctored testing, you may want to consider giving these students an alternative assignment to demonstrate what they have learned.
  • Randomized quizzing is an option to help with academic integrity.
  • If they have the right kind of computer and operating system but no webcam, you can use the Lockdown Browser with a randomized quiz.

Create a “trial” exam to allow students to install the tool and troubleshoot any issues before an actual exam.

Proctored remote exams require substantial planning and setup on the part of instructors and students. It may be helpful to consider alternative formats for assessing learning. Below is a selection of articles and resources to guide your planning:

Student Privacy and Virtual Learning

The links below are a collection of CSU memos and government notices related to student privacy issues. Find all of these links in the ATS guide, Virtual Learning: Student Privacy and Online Assessment [PDF].

Ogletree vs. Cleveland State University 

In an August 2022 ruling, a district court in Ohio found Cleveland State University in violation of a student’s Fourth Amendment rights "to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures," when the student was asked to show areas of their bedroom using a webcam for an online exam.

Read the response and FAQs about this ruling from Respondus, the developers of the Lockdown Browser and Monitor online exam proctoring tool.

     

     

    Student Instructions and Training

     

     

     

     

    To use Respondus LockDown Browser with Monitor, students must have computers with the following system requirements:

    PC

    Mac

    • Mac: OS X 10.10 to 10.14: Check Your macOS
      • LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor may continue to run in older operating systems that have reached “end-of-life” but students may encounter unexpected results. Students running OS X 10.13 (High Sierra) should use LockDown Browser version 2.0.3.03 or newer for best performance.
    • 512 MB RAM: Check your RAM
    • Webcam: Check our webcam with Photo Booth
    • LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor may continue to run in older operating systems that have reached “end-of-life” but students may encounter unexpected results. Students running OS X 10.13 (High Sierra) should use LockDown Browser version 2.0.3.03 or newer for best performance.

    iPad

    All

    • Broadband Internet: There is not a specific required Internet speed because the webcam recording quality will automatically adjust to slower connections. However, students should ensure others on the same network connection are not using large-bandwidth services during the exam (gaming, movies, etc.). Test your Internet connection
    • Disable or remove incompatible programs. Use the LockDown Browser System Check
    • Screencastify and Google Remote Desktop must be uninstalled in order to use LockDown Browser