By: McMaster University Technology Services (UTS)
Respondus is McMaster University’s online proctoring tool.
As part of the review process, the interoperability of Respondus with standard, up-to-date operating systems (Windows and Mac OS) was undertaken and there were no issues that arose. We are committed to providing technology support to help you use Respondus and also prepare your computer for use. You can find out more information on the Respondus FAQ.
Should you experience any technical difficulties while using Respondus, you can connect with their technical support by emailing support@respondus.com. If you have concerns about your computer after using Respondus, you may contact our UTS Service Desk (UTS HelpDesk) for technical guidance.
For the Respondus LockDown browser to operate, it will have to make changes to local policies on students’ laptops (e.g., controlling/restricting access to resources and other applications during a session). While these changes are probably seamless on a healthy system, older computers or computers that may not have been updated or have older operating systems may run into trouble when applying or removing these restrictions. It is not Respondus itself that may cause issues, it is the combination of Respondus with these other factors that may result in some aspect of their system not working as well.
To mitigate any risk to their device, students should patch and/or update supported versions of their operating system (Windows or MacOS) and software, remove any unused software, conduct frequent full-disk scans with antivirus/antimalware software, use browser security plug-ins, and clean up old files, etc. Most of these actions are precautionary only and are standard computer maintenance activities.
Additional McMaster Resources
- Instructor-facing resource: Contains FAQs, information on how to request and use Respondus, and pedagogical considerations.
- Student-facing resource: Contains FAQs about what Respondus is, how it complies with McMaster security, privacy and accessibility policies, and who to contact for review and selection process.
Vendor support and resources
Support is handled within the LockDown Browser, through the Help button — a diagnostic must first be run to report an issue.
Cyber hygiene resources
- Canadian Centre for Cyber Security: Contains general tips and advice for malware prevention.
- Microsoft support: Contains advice for Windows computers on preventing malware.