Respondus Monitor Instructions and Information from the Searchable Syllabus

Most of this information is from the syllabus. Some of it is reordered or has a heading to make it easier to find or is spread out to make it easier to read.

Required Course Materials: 1

Distance Education’s Statement of Requirements. 1

Departmental Final Exam—F for the Course If Not Taken. 1

Requirement to Do the Sample Respondus Exam Correctly in Order to Take the Final Exam.. 1

Introduction to Respondus Monitor. 1

Exam Conduct: Respondus 1-page Checklist Used to Grade the Sample Respondus Exam and the Final Exam.. 1

Respondus 1-page Checklist. 1

How to Make the Full 10 or 15 or 20 Points and Save Time. 1

 

Required Course Materials:

Distance Education’s Statement of Requirements

You will need a computer, an external webcam and microphone, a reliable internet connection, and access to the WCJC Blackboard site. Following the method recommended by the Distance Education Department, this course requires an external (clip-able) webcam.

Caution: You must use an external (clip-able) webcam. Clip-able means that you:

1.       Unclip the external webcam from your laptop or from the monitor on a desktop computer.

2.       Point the external webcam at your laptop or desktop computer showing all of the areas left and right in the checklist.

3.       When you are done, clip the external webcam back on the laptop or monitor of your desktop computer.

4.       Then you look again at Respondus Monitor’s screen to be sure the external webcam continues to point at your face and shoulders and you stay in that position during the test.
Caution: Respondus Monitor alerts instructors to problems with “facial recognition” so your staying so your face is consistently visible is essential.

Tips for buying the external webcam efficiently and cheaply. After Spring Break, I did check with Distance Education to confirm that it is still true that WCJC bookstores have cheap but adequate external webcams. I also learned that “students can also use their financial aid to purchase them if need be.”

Departmental Final Exam—F for the Course If Not Taken

The Final Exam consists of 25 questions, at 4 points each. A review is provided in Learning Modules. Cautions:

·         Departmental policy is an F for the course if you do not take the Final. Example: if you have an A average for all the prior work in the course and if you do not take the Final Exam, your instructor is required to enter an F for your final LETTER grade for the course.

·         Do not ignore the requirement to do the Sample Respondus Exam correctly in order to do the Final Exam. Meet that due date early in the 3 weeks that the Sample Respondus Exam is available to be sure you are safe.

Requirement to Do the Sample Respondus Exam Correctly in Order to Take the Final Exam

Introduction to Respondus Monitor

Distance Education has provided this introduction: This course requires the use of Lockdown Browser for taking online exams. The Lockdown Browser software prevents a user from accessing other applications or going to other websites during an exam. The webcam records you during the exam to ensure you're only using resources that are permitted. Together, these tools make it possible for students to take online exams from any location, and at times that are convenient. It also creates a fair testing environment for everyone in the course. Instructions for downloading the Lockdown Browser software are posted in the course.

Exam Conduct: Respondus 1-page Checklist Used to Grade the Sample Respondus Exam and the Final Exam

In this course, we use Respondus Lockdown Browser only with the Final Exam. You have a 3-week period to take the Sample Respondus Exam and have me watch it so you can be sure you know what to do when you take the Final Exam.

All students must observe carefully Distance Education’s excellent video. Online at How to Test with Respondus. Link address: https://softchalkcloud.com/lesson/serve/8hkmXWAjVbt9S4/html.  Respondus 1-page checklist of each action shown in the video serves a reminder to students and a way for your prof to grade your video.

Respondus 1-page Checklist

Click here for the Respondus 1-page Checklist or here if you prefer to see the checklist with more space between lines. The one that fits on 1-page is easier to use as a checklist that you follow when you set up the test area and when you do the Respondus Steps. I also use it to grade by. 

Tip: In this course, you may use this 1-page checklist to help yourself to do Respondus correctly in the Sample Respondus Exam. At the start of your taking the Sample Respondus Exam, show the Checklist. Then check it off as you work. Redo incorrect steps until you know you followed the checklist.

 

Personal Comment about why I take Respondus and cheating so seriously.

1.       I believe that people who get away with cheating are not prepared for the world of work—unless they live with mom until they die. In my view of life, it’s not honorable for me to let you cheat because you will be damaged.

2.       Also consider that a prof who let people cheat would get in trouble with WCJC and—with Respondus—if I let people cheat, WCJC could prove it with same videos that prove that you cheated.

Think about both of those for a bit.

 

Exam Conduct Requirement:

Consequence for Violation of Exam Conduct:

Valid photo ID shown

Penalty up to minus 30 percentage points

Correct placement of webcam

Penalty up to minus 30 percentage points

Complete environment scan

Penalty up to minus 30 percentage points

Microphone turned on and recording

Penalty up to minus 30 percentage points

Sufficient lighting of the testing environment

Penalty up to minus 30 percentage points

Student is in seated position with computer on hard surface (desk, table, TV tray etc.)

Penalty up to minus 30 percentage points

Student remains in webcam view during exam

Penalty up to 0 for the Exam

No unauthorized materials near desk area

Penalty up to 0 for the Exam

No talking with others during the exam or playing of music or other audio recordings.

Penalty up to 0 for the Exam

How to Make the Full 10 or 15 or 20 Points and Save Time

You must earn 5 for points for the grade “Video Review“ to see the Final Exam. You may earn 10 or 15 or 20 points for this assignment if you act early and are correct the 1st time as measured by the Respondus 1-page checklist (above):

·         20 points - 1st week Respondus is available and you meet Distance Education’s (DE’s) requirements the 1st time.

·         15 points - 2nd week Respondus is available and you meet DE’s requirements the 1st time.

·         10 points - 3rd week Respondus is available and you meet DE’s requirements the 1st time

·         5 points - Any time in the three-week period but you had to try more than 1 time to meet DE’s requirements

To succeed the 1st time with the sample exam and have no Penalties with the Final Exam, do these practical things:

1.       Use the top of the Respondus 1-page checklist. Examine where you will take the Sample Respondus Exam and later the Final Exam. Check off each item to be sure you have prepared the room as required. Caution: If you were correct with the Sample Respondus Exam, you must also be correct on the Final Exam. Do not trust your memory or you will lose points on the Final Exam. Check off each item for the Final too.

2.       Use the bottom of the Respondus 1-page checklist as you look carefully at the Distance Education video (above) to understand what you must do. Then use the 1-page checklist as you do the Sample Respondus Exam--Just tell me in the video that you are using it. As you work, slow down and look at yourself. Respondus Monitor lets you see how you did and—if you look at yourself and realize you are incorrect—it lets you try again. Get it right.

3.       If you trouble making your name readable and your picture clear enough in the external webcam so your instructor can confirm your identity, you may make a clear picture of your photo ID and email it to me using Course Messages (Email). When you take the Sample Respondus Exam and the Final Exam, remind me a) orally in the video and b) by an email just before the exam that I have a picture of your Photo ID on file.

4.       When you are sure you meet the requirements and want me to check the video, reply in the Respondus Sign up discussion. I check your last sample exam and reply in the discussion saying to check your Course Messages.

5.       When I say I have checked, go to Course Messages. I either tell you that you did fine and enter the points or—if there is a problem—I send you screen prints so you can see what I see and you can redo the Sample Respondus Exam correctly. If you do not understand, just email me back or call during office hours. I am glad to help you succeed, not only with history but with meeting these requirements all Distance Education students must meet.

6.       Before you do the Final Exam, use the Respondus 1-page checklist to remind yourself of the steps. Tip: If where you live has people who play loud music or come into your room even with a sign on the door or if you do not want to buy an external webcam, remember WCJC has Respondus testing facilities at its campus locations.