Practice Exams Are Important

Have students take an ungraded practice quiz that requires the use of LockDown Browser before the graded exam occurs. Leave the quiz available for the duration of the course, with unlimited attempts, so students can access it again if they use a different computer.

Part 1: LockDown Browser Settings

ICON Direct eTexts, the texts delivered in the RedShelf platform, can still be accessed by students using the Respondus LockDown Browser, if instructors adjust the settings for this tool. Learn how to access external web domains in LockDown Browser.  

1. In the LockDown Browser Dashboard, open the exam.
2. To modify the exam, click Settings and open Advanced Settings.
3. Select the Allow access to specific external web domains option. This setting allows a student to access any page or link within the specified domain.
4. Add a valid site, such as uiowa.courseload.com. Enter the domain of all the locations including any specific paths. Multiple domains can be entered, separated by commas. Do not include the http: or https: protocols or any parameters starting with a ? in the address.

Part 2: Adding a link to the book within the ICON Quiz 

You must also add the web link to the exam itself, this is usually done in the first question. 

The link can't be in any exam instructions outside the active exam. The web link(s) must also be configured to open in a new window or new tab, not the same window. Do this by adding target="_blank" at the end of your URL to ensure the link opens in a new tab for your students.

For ICON Direct content delivered through partners like ALEKS and Pearson license, a special edition of LockDown Browser called the OEM edition of LockDown Browser is needed. It can be downloaded from the partner's website or LMS for exams hosted by those partners.