Troubleshooting common student issues

Students aren’t actually opening and using Respondus

  1. Respondus LockDown Browser is a browser application (not an extension like Proctorio was). It needs to be downloaded. Students then access the exam via that browser.
  2. Verify that students are downloading LockDown Browser using the link provided when they try to access their quiz in WebCampus. They CANNOT Google and download LockDown Browser from the Respondus website.
  3. The LockDown Browser link provided in their quiz on WebCampus is specific to UNR. If the student has used LockDown Browser at another school (e.g., TMCC), they will need to uninstall that version and then install the UNR-specific version. (See enabling iPad use for Students below for instructions about how iPad users download LockDown Browser.)
  4. Students must close whichever web browser they were originally using and open LockDown Browser to access their exam.

Respondus settings aren’t working

Every time you copy your class from a previous semester, you must activate Respondus for the next semester’s class by logging into your class, clicking on LockDown Browser on the course menu, and then clicking on the exam settings.

Enabling iPad use for students

If you want to allow students to use iPads to take their exam, you must make sure you have checked the “Allow students to take this exam with an iPad (using the “LockDown Browser” app from the Apple App store)” box in the LockDown Browser Advanced Settings. Students can then download the application by searching for "Lockdown Browser" in the Apple App store.

Access code for the University Testing Center

If you plan on allowing students the option to use the University Testing Center and the option to test online using LockDown Browser, you must do the following:

  1. Make sure to create an access code in the LockDown Browser Settings of your course, NOT the Canvas Quiz settings.
  2. Under LockDown Browser Settings, make up the access code and place it in the “Access Code for this exam (required)” space within Password Settings (Respondus does not provide access codes as Proctorio did).
  3. Under the “Proctoring” section for Respondus Settings, expand the “Advanced Settings” tab, and check the “Allow this exam to additionally be delivered in a proctored lab” box.
  4. Provide the University Testing Center the access code for your exam. See the Testing Information for Faculty webpage for more information.

Get ahead of the confusion: Provide a practice test!

ODL highly recommends setting up a Practice Test for students to try out the tool prior to high stakes tests and exams in your class. Learn more on ODL’s Allowing a student practice quiz page.

Student internet connectivity issues

Students should be encouraged to use a hard wired Ethernet connection, if possible. Otherwise they should be as close to the router or access point as possible. We also recommend restarting the computer, and shutting down all other programs running on the computer as well as those that might be running on their network (e.g., Netflix). It may also help to restart any home-based modem/router.