Cascadia College > Instructional Programs > honorlock

honorlock Student FAQs

 

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What is Honorlock?

With so many courses being taught remotely, many colleges and universities have turned to proctoring software tools to help ensure the integrity of their testing process. There are many different tools available but they all function in essentially the same manner. Cascadia has opted to use Honorlock.

It is simple and easy to use. Students DO NOT need to create an account or schedule an appointment in advance. Honorlock is available 24/7 and all that is needed is a computer with Chrome browser, a working webcam and microphone, and a stable Internet connection.


What if I don’t have the right technology?

Students can request laptops and other technology that they need to complete their classes from Information Services at Cascadia. To request to borrow equipment, please log in with your Cascadia email account at the Student Help Desk Portal and select the appropriate equipment type from what is presented.


Why do online exams need remote proctoring?

Sequenced courses, particularly in the STEM disciplines, need to ensure that students are mastering the required content. As a transfer institution, Cascadia wants to ensure the transferability of credits that students have worked hard to earn.

Cascadia recognizes that, similar to when the instructor remains in the room for an in-person exam, proctoring can create some discomfort. Cascadia also recognizes that online test taking without proctoring has the potential to tempt students to make choices that affect the integrity of the educational process.

Proctoring preserves the integrity of our testing process, and strives to ensure that students are evaluated on the merits of their own preparation and proficiency.

 

How does Honorlock work?

When you are ready to test, log into Canvas, go to your course, and click on your exam. Click "Launch Proctoring" to begin the Honorlock authentication process, where you will take a picture of yourself and show your ID. Honorlock will record your exam session by webcam, as well as record your screen. Honorlock also has an integrity algorithm that can detect search-engine use, so please do not attempt to search for answers.

Once you submit your exam, your session ends and your exam attempt is noted in Canvas. From there, your instructor can assess your work and, if needed, view the results of proctored sessions. The program concludes proctoring activities on your browser when you exit the exam. You then can opt to disable or remove the Honorlock extension.

Live “pop-in” support from certified proctors is available if students encounter an issue during an exam session.

Honorlock’s website contains a helpful demonstration video.

 

What does Honorlock track/record?

Honorlock can log the websites that you access, or attempt to access, from Chrome (which processes the request) and only when you are actively in an exam. The program collects your IP address, email address, and name from Canvas. It also stores your Photo and ID for a limited period of time after the exam, in case the college requires those for authentication. The session recording will contain audio and video of the session.

Honorlock identifies when a student exam ends. This is determined by the student submitting an exam within Canvas. When this occurs, Honorlock automatically stops all recording and ends the exam session monitoring. This ends the recording of the webcam, the desktop screen, and the audio.

 

What will I need to participate in a remote proctored exam?

The Honorlock extension is a small program that modifies the Chrome web browser and not your computer. Students can remove the Honorlock Chrome extension as soon as they submit their exam. Please note that the Google Chrome browser must be used when taking a proctored exam with Honorlock.

Additionally, you will need your ID to help verify your identity and you will need to have a working webcam, microphone, and either a laptop or desktop computer. Either an integrated or external USB webcam will work. Honorlock’s website contains a helpful demonstration video.

 

How secure is Honorlock?

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, made the option of Honorlock available to the 34 institutions in our system. Additionally, Cascadia’s Information Services team and an external cybersecurity consultant have reviewed and vetted the software.

Honorlock is FERPA compliant and uses securely encrypted protocols to save and view all test taker assets. Honorlock's certified proctors and your instructor are able to review test session videos until deleted based on the school's retention policy. You can find more information on privacy on Honorlock’s student site.

 

Does Honorlock sell my student information to third parties?

No. Cascadia’s agreement does not permit selling student information to third parties.

 

Does Honorlock monitor my entire network?

No. Honorlock does not scan or monitor a student’s device or network or monitor data from other devices connected to the network. The program can detect secondary devices, such as phones, but this does not occur via network snooping. Because the browser extension does not get installed onto secondary devices, the program cannot procure data from those devices, nor can it capture web traffic from other devices on the student’s network at the time of the exam.

Honorlock does not have any access to your network or any devices connected to your network. Please review Honorlock’s Privacy Statement for more information.

 

Does Honorlock determine who is cheating?

No. Honorlock simply reports possible incidents to your instructor. As is the case with any suspected violation, your instructor must contact you and request an explanation for the observed conduct before reporting anything to Cascadia’s Student Conduct Officer. Ultimately, your instructor determines if cheating may have occurred by viewing the video recording and considering any explanation offered by the student and will follow up in accordance with established Academic Dishonesty Process.

 

What about accessibility and students with special needs?

Honorlock is VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) certified and fully accessible to students with special needs. Additionally, Honorlock works with screen readers if needed. However, Cascadia’s Student Accessibility Services (Student Accessibility Services) is working with students with accommodations and, where appropriate, providing alternative options for online test administration.

 

Where can I find more information?

Please visit the Honorlock instructor and student sites for more information and FAQs. Additionally, 24/7 support is available at https://honorlock.com/support. If those resources do not provide the answer to your specific questions, you are welcome to contact the Dean for Student Learning.