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Technical Requirements and Setup

Before using the Respondus LockDown browser, there are a few details that need to be set up.

Downloading the Browser Installers

Depending on your school, there may be a few ways for you to obtain the locked-browser installers.

Obtain the Installer from the Student Assignment Details Screen

  1. Create an online test that requires students to use the locked browser.

  2. Make the test visible to students, either by activating it or marking it as visible (by choosing the option labeled Display to students before it’s open, in the Step One section of the form where you create the assignment).

  3. Use Student Emulation to view the Coursework feature as a student:

    1. At the upper right corner of the screen, set the drop-down list to View as: Students.

    2. Click Change View.

  4. While in the student view, open the Student Assignment Details screen for the test that you created in the Step One section.

    Note

    This screen allows you to download either the PC or Mac version of the installer.

Obtain the Installer from MyJenzabar.net

Jenzabar makes LockDown Browser available on its support site, MyJenzabar.net (https://www.myjenzabar.net/ics/). If you do not have access to this site, check with an administrator for your school’s portal—they may already have the installers available for you.

If not, ask an administrator to obtain the installers from MyJenzabar using the steps below.

  1. Log in to MyJenzabar.net (https://www.myjenzabar.net/ics/).

  2. Choose Support > Jenzabar eLearning > Downloads > Jenzabar LockDown Browser Installers. The installers can be downloaded from this page.

Computer Requirements

This section describes prerequisites for students’ computers.

Windows

A Windows computer must have the following:

  • Windows 10 or 11

  • Microsoft Edge (or another Chromium-based browser, such as Google Chrome and Opera)

  • 4 MB of permanent space on the hard drive

Note

Prior to installation, the student (or an administrator) should have started Microsoft Edge at least once and dismissed any prompts presented related to settings or preferences.

Macintosh

A Macintosh computer must have the following:

  • OS X 10.3.9 or higher (Power PC or Intel)

  • Safari

  • 2 MB of free hard drive space

  • 512 MB RAM

Note

Prior to installation, the student (or an administrator) should have started Safari at least once and dismissed any prompts presented related to settings or preferences.

Chromebook

Students can use a Chromebook (2021 or newer) for the Respondus LockDown Browser. Jenzabar supports the latest version of ChromeOS. On the Student View of the Coursework Student Assignment Details screen, if an assignment is set up to use the Respondus LockDown Browser, a new link called "Install the extension (Chromebook)" is shown on the screen.

Respondus Lockdown Browser screen showing the "Install the extension (Chromebook)" link.

Student users can click this link to go to the Chromebook Web Store where they can search for and install the Jenzabar LockDown Browser extension for Jenzabar eLearning. The Jenzabar LockDown Browser page in the Chromebook Web Store is shown in the screenshot below. Clicking the Add to Chrome button on the top right of this page installs the Chromebook extension.

Jenzabar LockDown Browser screen shows the Add to Chrome button to download the Chromebook extension.

Setup Tips and Suggestions

Make sure students know well in advance that they must use LockDown Browser to take an online test. This is particularly important if students are required to install LockDown Browser on their own computers.

It is also recommended that you have students visit the test’s Student Assignment Details screen as soon as it is visible—even if they can’t yet take the test. The Student Assignment Details contains a confirmation link the student can use to make sure LockDown Browser is properly installed.

If you are giving the test in a computer lab, be sure that the staff has installed LockDown Browser on all computers there before your test begins.

It’s also a good practice for you to preview the exam using LockDown Browser. This can be done using the Student Emulation feature.

Once a student begins a test in LockDown Browser, the test will appear in a full-screen window, and all other applications and links will be locked down. The student cannot exit the test without clicking the Exit link or using the Submit button.

LockDown Browser will maintain the “locked” testing environment even if a question contains a link to another web page (which opens another secure browser window). However, all links that may appear on the new web page will be blocked, so be sure the content that students must see is available from the initial linked page.