Creating, Securing, and Proctoring Blackboard Exams

Instructors may use a variety of options and settings when creating and securing Blackboard exams.

Exam Options

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Blackboard offers a variety of options and settings to allow you to customize the testing experience for your students to meet your learning goals.

Question pools can be used to create a bank of questions to reuse in multiple tests. When building a test from a pool, instructors can select specific questions or categories to pull from. One of the main benefits of pools for exams, is that they can assist in preventing cheating as no two students have identical exams.

In addition, randomizing questions and answers and using timed exams can help to provide a more secure testing environment.

Information on the various test settings available in Blackboard can be found on Blackboard’s Help Page.

Learn more about creating exams in Blackboard

Respondus Exam Authoring Tool (Faculty)

Respondus Exam Authoring Tool is used for creating and publishing exams directly to Blackboard. Exams are created offline in Microsoft Word and formatted for easy conversion. Respondus Exam Authoring is compatible with Windows only. After uploading the exam file into Blackboard using Respondus, the questions can be edited just like exam questions created directly in Blackboard.

Learn more about Creating Exams with Respondus

In addition to Blackboard exam settings, such as randomized questions, question pools, and time limits, Honorlock proctoring is available for a higher level of security. Proctored tests offer both a secure testing environment and flexibility in scheduling.

Honorlock

Honorlock was selected as UND's primary proctoring solution after an extensive Request For Proposal (RFP) process in 2024. Honorlock is user-friendly for both students and faculty and is integrated in Blackboard Original and Blackboard Ultra courses. UND has an enterprise contract with Honorlock, so there is no cost to students and departments can use an unlimited number of exams.

Honorlock uses a hybrid model of proctoring, which allows students to start a proctored test at any time (without scheduling). Throughout the test, Honorlock uses AI to flag potential violations and a live proctor will check in on a student to determine if there is a valid academic integrity concern. If necessary, Honorlock will interrupt the student to stop the behavior before the student is allowed to continue with the exam. The full exam session is also recorded and available for the instructor to view at a later time.

This process allows proctors to provide a more seamless proctoring experience. Students appreciate less interruptions and spend less time waiting for a proctor.

Learn More about Setting up Exams with Honorlock

Other Legacy Proctoring Options

ProctorU

UND's contract for ProctorU ended on December 31, 2024. The College of Engineering & Mines has a separate contract for proctoring PDF-style written exams using ProctorU Pro (live proctoring). For more information, please reach out to the College of Engineering & Mines Distance Office.

Respondus LockDown Browser

We encourage instructors to transition to Honorlock, which has an option for Browser Guard instead of using Respondus LockDown Browser due to Honorlock's ease of use and improved compatibility with Blackboard Ultra.

Respondus LockDown Browser is NOT compatible with Chromebooks. When using Respondus LockDown Browser in Blackboard Ultra courses, an error may appear stating: "Blackboard.ndus.edu refused to connect." To fix the error, instructors must occasionally access their course and launch the Respondus Dashboard via blackboard.ndus.edu to maintain the integration. This security measure ensures continued access and functionality.

YuJa Proctoring

YuJa Proctoring will no longer be available after June 2025. We encourage instructors to transition to Honorlock now, which will automatically record the student taking their exam and store the recording securely for the instructor to view.

Due to YuJa no longer offering the proctoring service with our contract, students must use a legacy version of the YuJa recorder for proctoring. If the student follows the instructions correctly and uses the legacy recorder, then the recording is securely allocated to a centralized instructor folder.

Instructions for Enabling YuJa Proctoring - For instructors
Instructions for YuJa Proctoring - For students

YuJa Proctoring with Respondus LockDown Browser

We no longer recommend this option and encourage faculty to use Honorlock's Browser Guard and recording features instead.

Student Exam Security Information

Student Steps for Online Exam Proctoring - This web page includes information on the proctoring process for students enrolled in semester-based online courses. You may share this link with your students to help them get started with proctored exams.