Moodle Safe Exam Browser for Faculty

What is Safe Exam Browser?

Safe Exam Browser is a customized web browser available for Windows (7, 8.1, 10), macOS (starting 10.7, recommended 10.11 or newer) and iOS (9.3.5 or newer). The application must be downloaded and installed on the device that the student uses to attempt the quiz.  TLT strongly encourages faculty members to create a SEB test quiz for students before administering any high-stakes test or exam to ensure SEB behaves as expected. 

During a SEB enabled quiz

  • Students will only be able to attempt the quiz if they are using Safe Exam Browser.
  • The browser window won't have a URL or search field and back/forward navigation and reload can be disabled.
  • Safe Exam Browser cannot be closed until the test is submitted.
  • Switching to other applications is disabled by default, but it's possible to allow to use specific third party applications during an exam.
  • Shortcut keys such as Win+Tab, Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Alt+F4, Print Screen, Cmd+Tab are disabled or cannot be used to close Safe Exam Browser or to switch to other user accounts on the computer. The possibility of taking screen shots is disabled.
  • The clipboard is cleared when starting and quitting Safe Exam Browser.
  • The browser context menu is disabled.
  • Specific web sites/pages/resources can be configured to be accessible during an exam, using a URL filter.
  • Spell checking and dictionary lookup is disabled, but can optionally be allowed.

Creating / Editing a Quiz in Safe Exam Browser (SEB)

You can use Safe Exam Browser on existing quizzes or new quizzes.

Note: SEB must be activated before students attempt the quiz. Once there has been at least one quiz submission, SEB can no longer be activated for that quiz. Students must use Edge, Chrome, or Firefox web browser to launch SEB quizzes.  Using Safari will display an error.

 

  1. Create your quiz using the Activity Chooser or click 'edit settings' on an existing quiz.
  2. Scrolling down you will see an option called "Safe Exam Browser".
    • Image of moodle screen of "Adding a new quiz" with the eighth option "Safe Exam Browser" circle to click into.
  3. Choose 'Yes - Configure Manually' to edit how you want Safe Exam Browser to behave
    • Image of the "Safe Exam Browser" drop down section with the first field circled for "Require the use of Safe Exam Browser" with a drop down option to the right filled with the option "Yes - Configure Manually".
  4. Choose 'Yes' to "Show Safe Exam Browser download button". By allowing this button to be visible within Moodle, it makes it easy and quick for your students to download Safe Exam Browser on whatever device they're taking the quiz on. If students have previously downloaded Safe Exam Browser onto their personal device, it is not necessary for them to do this step again. 
    • Image of the same "Safe Exam Browser" drop down section with the second field, "Show Safe Exam Browser download button", circled with a drop down option to the right filled with the option "Yes".

  5. For an explanation of settings, see the attached PDF. The video below will also walk you through how to enable Safe Exam Browser. 

    • Before administering a quiz in SEB, we strongly suggest setting up a practice quiz for your students so that you can get ahead of any technical issues that students may encounter, this may be their first time using SEB. 

  6. After you have configured SEB, you can download this configuration and use these settings for future quizzes.  Otherwise, select 'Edit Quiz' or 'Back to the course' . 

    • Image of the "SEB Quiz" with the button in the middle labeled "Download Configuration" circled.

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