Preventing Test Printing

[spipitone]

Did you know that your online tests are not secure and can be easily printed from your browser (although not within Canvas)? Simply open a quiz in Canvas and use the print function in your browser. According to a Canvas Product Manager, " printing quizzes was a popular request by other institutions and the complexity surrounding the ability to block a browser is already developed by other vendors, this is not a priority for the quizzes team at this time." I do realize that some instructors might want to give students the ability to print their tests, but those of us now teaching online need better security for our tests. I think a lockdown browser should be a part of Canvas with instructors given a choice as to whether or not they want to use it. Yes, it is available from other vendors, but it is an added cost.

Does anyone have a script that would prevent the printing of tests from a browser?

[nwilson7]

@spipitone Being able to print the quizzes/tests has always been around, there are even browser extensions that you can install that make it print very clean.  I think your best bet if you want to block this is to look into one of the lockdown browsers that can be purchased such as Respondus, Proctorio, HonorLock, etc. Yes, I realize this is an additional cost but might be the best answer. While someone could probably write a script to block printing, students could still copy and paste/screenshot and still blocking anything does not prevent students from using their cell phones to take picture of the exam.  

We use Proctorio as it also has the ability to record the student during the exam (this is for the cell phone piece.). I know this technology is very controversial but because some of our courses ultimately are high-stakes exams, we have to have some sort of test security in place.  We have also tried to teach faculty to use test banks when they have to use multiple choice and to create other means of assessment that even if shared would not be super helpful.

I know this is not the answer you are looking for but thought I would share.

-Nick

[spipitone]

Hi,

Thank you for the response. I agree that lockdown browsers are the best option for preventing test printing, but I think Canvas should have one as part of the LMS

[Chris_Hofer]

@spipitone ...

I could be wrong, but I don't think there has been any suggestions from Community members that I could find here in the Community to prevent printing.  You might want to consider submitting your own idea using this link:

• Canvas Ideas - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)

Here are some other helpful links:

• What is the feature development process for Instru... - Instructure Community
• How do Ideas and Themes work in the Instructure Co... - Instructure Community
• How do I participate with themes? - Instructure Community
• What are the guidelines for submitting a new idea? - Instructure Community
• How do I create a new idea in the Instructure Comm... - Instructure Community

Hope this helps a bit.  Good luck!

[spipitone]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I have found several free lockdown browsers that I am going to try.

Steve