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Inspera Exam Portal (IEP) - lockdown browser for timed assessment

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What is IEP?

Inspera Exam Portal (IEP) is a "lockdown browser" designed, developed, and supported by Inspera for the purpose of running examinations and other timed assessments in a secure environment. IEP has been used at UQ since Semester 1, 2022 for off-campus exams and is now being adopted as the preferred lockdown browser for on-campus exams as well, replacing Safe Exam Browser (SEB).

How does IEP work?

IEP runs students through a “system check" to ensure their devices are configured correctly to run the exam. Screen capture is disabled, and the clipboard is cleared. After that, students log into IEP using their UQ Authenticate username and password, then select the exam from the list of assessments available to them. Students are prompted for a “PIN-code” to enter an IEP exam. The PIN-code is provided to students in the room on exam day for on-campus exams, or via their course site for off-campus exams. After the PIN-code is accepted, students commence their exam under standard exam conditions.

What are the benefits of IEP?

  • IEP runs a “system check” to ensure the student’s device is able to run the exam, mitigating potential technical issues before the exam commences.
  • A more straightforward launch process (no need to open a separate web browser beforehand).
  • Customised application that is designed and supported by Inspera for the purpose of running Inspera assessments.
  • Smaller application size for a faster download and installation process.

Using IEP for off-campus exams

IEP creates an environment where students are "held" in the assessment so they can only access permitted resources on their computer while the assessment is in progress. Even for non-invigilated assessment, IEP can be set up to disable copy/paste and screen capturing capabilities to limit the saving or copying of assessment content.

For off-campus exams, in addition to disabling screen capturing capabilities such as screenshots, screen recordings, and the saving or copying of exam content, IEP can have an additional recording feature enabled called Inspera Smarter Proctoring (ISP). ISP presently allows for "record and review" off-campus students, i.e. students' webcams, microphones, and screens are recorded, and certain events in those recordings are flagged to be reviewed after the exam sitting.

Using IEP for on-campus exams

As with off-campus exams, IEP can be configured for on-campus exams to "hold" students in the assessment so they can only access permitted resources on their computer while the assessment is in progress. This is the same configuration as has been used for on-campus exams using Safe Exam Browser since Semester 1, 2021.

How can I prepare my students for using IEP?

If you’ve held a digital on-campus exam using Inspera prior to Semester 2, 2023, your students will have used SEB as the lockdown browser for sitting this exam. In Semester 2, 2023, as we are moving to IEP as the lockdown browser in place of Safe Exam Browser, students will need to get prepared.

Communicating this change to students early allows them to get prepared before the exam.

  • In the Course Profile indicate that the exam will be a digital on-campus exam using Inspera Exam Portal (IEP).
  • In the course site via Learn.UQ (Blackboard), add information to the Assessment content area to provide students with a link to the UQ Library guide, Using Inspera Exam Portal, where students can learn more about IEP and download and test the application.
  • Use a course site announcement to post a message that directs students to find assessment information for this course in the ‘Assessment’ content area, to prepare their laptops with Inspera Exam Portal for the digital on-campus exam in Inspera.
  • Be aware that students may have used Safe Exam Browser in previous semesters, so highlight the importance of downloading this new application before the exam.
  • The UQ Library guide, Using Inspera Exam Portal will instruct students to uninstall Safe Exam Browser and ensure they have Inspera Exam Portal installed on their laptop instead.
  • Set up a practice opportunity for students to complete using their laptop with IEP installed, to help students develop familiarity for using IEP in Inspera. The question set used for practice may use the same type of questions and style of stimulus etc., however, the content does not need to be from the course.
  • If your students require assistance with preparing their devices, they should contact AskUs.