Canvas Quiz Solver

[DeteesWuber]

Hi,

I just wanted to ask if anyone is familiar with this Google Chrome extension "Canvas quiz solver": https://canvasquiz.com/ It automatically answers canvas quiz questions based on an algorithm.

I imagine there are a lot more AI extensions out there for cheating on a Canvas quiz. Do you have any experience with these features and any ideas on how to deal with them if we want to use Canvas as an exam platform?

Thank you.

[Gabriel33 · Accepted solution]

My university has a lab with monitored computers for exams which I use, and should help stop students from installing extensions. At the same time, if I catch someone managing to use it, I don't think the conduct office would care enough to even allow me to lower their grades, so it's more of a security theater.

Some universities may use locked browsers, such as LockDown Browser. I don't have any experience with it and don't know if it stops specifically this extension, but I believe it should.

I guess an admin could experiment with changing some of the things it probably looks for in the quiz page's HTML. An instructor could also try making the quiz less readable for a scraper, but that might also break screen readers.

[Gabriel33 · Accepted solution]

My university has a lab with monitored computers for exams which I use, and should help stop students from installing extensions. At the same time, if I catch someone managing to use it, I don't think the conduct office would care enough to even allow me to lower their grades, so it's more of a security theater.

Some universities may use locked browsers, such as LockDown Browser. I don't have any experience with it and don't know if it stops specifically this extension, but I believe it should.

I guess an admin could experiment with changing some of the things it probably looks for in the quiz page's HTML. An instructor could also try making the quiz less readable for a scraper, but that might also break screen readers.

[dbrace · Accepted solution]

Hello @DeteesWuber,

You would need to do one of the two options that @Gabriel33 suggested:

1. use a "testing center" at your school
2. use a virtual proctoring solution such as Respondus LockDown Browser (along with its optional Respondus Monitor for webcam and microphone recording) or Honorlock

The only other option would be to use a one-on-one proctor and a computer that has reduced functionality to reduce the likelihood of cheating.

-Doug

[KirstenThomson]

Is Canvas itself doing anything about this? Can Canvas make it so extensions don't work while in the LMS, for example? Is Canvas suing for use of their copyrighted name in the Canvas Quiz Solver website? It's very disheartening for this all to be on the back of instructors. My University won't allow me to do proctored, in-person exams for asynchronous online classes for one thing. I have been trying to use Responds Lockdown Browser but there have been glitches and they have terrible customer service so far, so I haven't been able to make it work for my situation. I know students can cheat in other ways, but this extension is so ridiculously easy to cheat with that I feel like I can't even use assessments in Canvas anymore if something isn't done to combat it.

[DeteesWuber]

Thank you @dbrace and @Gabriel33 for your responses.

We use Respondus and I will test it. We have just moved away from 'exam labs' or 'PC rooms' and are moving more towards 'bring your own device' exams, but I hope it should be no problem if we use Respondus.

Thank you very much.