Our previous LMS was integrated with Safe Exam Browser. It was not perfect, but it worked great for my purposes. You can find information on this lock down browser product on the web if you search for it. It does take some configuring to get it to run the way you want it to.

I understand for distance learning it is not possible to fully restrict students, but in the classroom, having a lockdown feature would be helpful to reduce quickly accessing notes while a teacher is helping another student. Cheating is not preventable, but locking down the window/browser, etc. is one way to reduce it.

The reason this doesn't exist is there isn't really an easy way to do this just through a web browser. Imagine if some random website you went to could execute some code to allow the full control and restriction of what you could do on your computer! Companies like DigiExam have had to develop special clients or an app for Mac, Windows, and Chromebooks to achieve this functionality. I agree this feature would be very useful, but it could be argued even developing apps to achieve a 'secure assessment' doesn't inherently make the exam secure ...

Assuming a student has some software installed that for a set time prohibits access to other websites, programs, etc. for the purposes of an exam, are we also viewing students through their device's webcam as they are taking the exam? What prohibits a student from having another computer or a mobile device off camera that doesn't have any restrictions so they can look things up or communicate with other students?

I think these are all valid questions and which make a major software development effort on Blackbaud's part seem a bit futile when there are so many other functions of the system (especially on the admin side) which need addressing.

I'm not saying the need isn't there and wouldn't be valuable. But there are significant technological hurdles to get there, not to mention the fact any student going to take a secure assessment would undoubtably have to install some additional software and be on a compatible device.

While I think most students have a computer or Chromebook, what if a student only has an iPad? Does that mean Blackbaud has to also develop and fully support all of these apps for secure exams? I'm not even sure an iPad could allow you to simultaneously stream video as part of a video call while taking a locked down assessment ...

Long story short, there's a reason there are companies out there solely dedicated to online / secure exams.

This is a HUGE issue for remote learning situations. We need to lock down the assessment window so students cannot open any other windows while taking the assessment. This feature should be an option that teacher turn on for a specific assessment.

Maybe this could be accomplished by a pop-up to the student that says something like "are you sure you want to leave the page? your work will be submitted as is"

or something like that?