Intro Text
Prepare to take your University of Iowa online exam with the virtual proctor, Honorlock, and to successfully navigate any technical problems by using Honorlock support.
What you need
Below are the system requirements for your virtually proctored exam. Honorlock provides a simple single-click test to check your system requirements.
- Operating System: Windows 10, MacOSX 10.13 and higher, ChromeOS
- Browser: Google Chrome (minimum version 84)
- Internet Speed: 1.5 Mbps download, 750 Kbps upload
In addition to the system requirements above, you will also need:
- a desktop or laptop (Mac, PC, or Chromebook),
- a webcam,
- a microphone,
- a quiet, private location, and
- the Honorlock extension.
Prior to taking an exam, you will need to download the Honorlock extension for Chrome. You can remove the Honorlock Chrome extension as soon as your exam is submitted.
NOTE: Honorlock is not supported on mobile devices.
Start the exam
Taking a virtually proctored exam with Honorlock is simple. Here is a short video to walk you through the steps below.
- Install Chrome and the Honorlock browser extension: Click here to download.
- Locate the exam: Click on either the Honorlock link or the Quizzes link in your left side menu of ICON. Once you find the exam you wish to take, click on the exam to get started.
- Pre-test checklist: Take the quick 60-second pre-test checklist to make sure you’re ready to go. It is available in the exam.
- Scan your test room using the webcam: This ensures that no one else is in the room with you and that you’re not using any external resources like a cell phone, textbooks, or notes
- Verify your identity: Using your webcam, take a picture of both yourself and your photo ID to verify that you are the student enrolled in the online course (this typically takes less than a minute)
- Begin the exam: show what you know!
For troubleshooting tips when starting the exam, visit the following website: https://honorlock.kb.help/honorlock-best-practices-for-test-takers/
Quiet campus spaces for testing
If you have a computer with Honorlock installed but need access to a quiet/private location, check the links below for locations across campus. Most locations are available on a first-come first-served basis.
Take the practice test first
Exam Services highly recommends that you take the practice test with Honorlock before taking a graded exam.
You should complete the practice test to:
- experience what it is like to complete an exam that is monitored and recorded by artificial intelligence,
- test your computer's compatibility with Honorlock, and
- practice completing a room scan.
Complete a quality room scan
Quality room scans are key to ensuring you have a private testing environment.
A good room scan allows the instructor to confirm whether or not you are consulting unacceptable sources. If the scan is poor, it is harder to determine whether or not academic misconduct has occurred.
The room scan should:
- include a 360 degree view of the entire room
- include the work surface
- include what is behind the computer
A poor room scan:
- is not 360 degrees
- moves too quickly or is blurry
- only shows the room at eye level
- doesn't show the work surface
- stops short of showing certain areas of the room
- has your face in the center for the entire room scan
Here is a sample of a good room scan: https://youtu.be/WBeh3ZSQptw
Virtual proctor exams can be taken on-demand. You may start your exam at any time during the exam window. You do not need to schedule a specific time to start the exam within the Proctored exams portal.
Student privacy
Honorlock acts at the request of your school to virtually proctor your exam to help your school detect (and prevent) academic dishonesty. We collect basic information from ICON such as your email address, and your name. During the virtually proctored exam, the following data is captured, analyzed, and stored:
- Webcam video, including audio
- Recording of desktop activity
- Your information in ICON, such as your name, course number, exam name, etc.
- Pages visited during the exam session
- Specific behavior that may indicate academic dishonesty, such as copy/paste into search engines
The extension records the data above when you begin the exam. When the extension is active, there is a flashing red indicator on the extension that indicates whether the extension is recording. The extension is no longer active once the exam is submitted. Click for more information about how Honorlock protects privacy.
Student privacy: secondary devices and network users
Honorlock does not employ any technologies to allow the detection of secondary devices connected to a student’s local/home network used during the online test proctoring session. No agents or applications are downloaded to these secondary devices to initiate any type of surveillance activities. Other users connected to the local/home network during your Honorlock online exam can process personal or confidential information at the same time without fear of the Honorlock session monitoring or eavesdropping on secondary device activities. In addition, our software is not capable of intercepting local/home network communications from devices connected during your session.
Student privacy: access to student data
Only appropriate school personnel have access to your data. The information recorded can only be viewed while in ICON. Key staff within Honorlock will have access, if needed, in order to provide quality control and support for your instructors. Honorlock employees are likewise bound to FERPA and privacy requirements.
The standard retention period for your data is 365 days. Schools can customize the data retention period – shorter or longer – based on their privacy and accessibility policies and needs. Your data is deleted after this retention period. Only a request by your educational institution will extend the retention period.
Support
Honorlock support is on-demand. US-based, trained support agents are available 24/7 via live chat. Support access is built into the platform in real time.
As you navigate through your exam, a link to live chat and support services is just a click away; no need to leave the test session or question how to find technical help when you run into a problem. You can either click on the bubble in the bottom right corner of the exam or click on the words "Live Chat" found directly underneath the exam timer.
Still have questions about using Honorlock? Visit the Honorlock website for additional information:
Certain issues frequently occur during virtually proctored exams and deserve special attention. To help you navigate these common challenges, we've compiled a list of frequently asked questions and their solutions. Visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
Certain issues frequently occur during virtually proctored exams and deserve special attention. To help you navigate these common challenges, we've compiled a list of frequently asked questions and their solutions on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.