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Locking down computers for examination

With a KTH Digicertus Exam, the computers are locked with Safe Exam Browser (SEB) in order to ensure that students do not have access to anything other than the examination material. This page describes the solution, how to find out which computer rooms can be used, and how you order lockdown for your examination.

How locking with Safe Exam Browser (SEB) works

When an examination is conducted with KTH Digicertus Exam, the, computers are automatically started with Safe Exam Browser (SEB). With SEB, students only get access to parts of Canvas. The following parts of Canvas can be accessed with the lock:

  • Assignments
  • Quiz
  • Modules and files and pages that are published in modules
  • Embedded functions, such as Möbius quizzes

These parts of Canvas can be accessed for all course rooms the student has access to. The web, other programs on the computer and possibilities for communication through Canvas cannot be used. It is only possible to have one window open in SEB, so if there should be something in Canvas that the student can still access, it takes many clicks to get between different pages. 

Restrict access or give access to other parts of Canvas

Since students also have access to other course rooms, the lockdown may need to be supplemented so that they do not have access to course material, such as regular course rooms (if an examination room is used) and previous course offerings. In addition to restricting access, it is also possible to provide access to other materials, such as embedded services. Learn more about this here:

Remember to inform students about the materials they will have access to and which materials are unauthorized.

Using Möbius with SEB

You can only use embedded Möbius quizzes with SEB. To embed a Möbius quiz, the box "Load this tool in a new tab" should not be checked when Möbius is linked to the assignment.

Möbius for examination

Time frames for lockdown

Depending on whether the examination is during an exam period or between exam periods, the times for locking will vary.

During exam periods:

  • The lockdown starts approximately 25 minutes before the start of the writing time.
  • The computers will reset no earlier than 20 minutes after the end of the writing time.

Between exam periods (e.g. partial exams):

  • The lockdown starts approximately 25 minutes before the start of the writing time.
  • The computers will reset no earlier than 2 minutes after the end of the writing time.

Time frames for lockdown cannot be extended. It is also not possible to extend the writing time in Canvas during the exam in progress, therefore it is important that the examination assignment in Canvas is set so that the "until" setting includes a buffer of 20 minutes after the end of the writing time. Don't forget to do this also for students with extended writing time (Section 2 in the Examination Room). Read more about Recommended settings in Canvas .

Computer rooms with SEB installed

To find out which computer rooms have SEB installed, you can search for “Safe Exam Browser” in the list of software installed in computer rooms . 

Please note that SEB only works on KTH's Windows computers. 

Order lockdown of computers

To use KTH Digicertus Exam, the lockdown needs to be scheduled by IT support. To order the lockdown, fill out the ordering form  at least 5 working days before exam period starts. You can find dates for the current periods on the page Exam schedules . For examinations outside current periods, orders must be made no later than 5 working days before the examination.

Video explanation of examination on locked computer

This guide explains how the lockdown works and gives a good overview of what examination with lockdown looks like. The video is aimed at students and can be found on the page Student guide for examination in computer rooms (Student web) .