Testing Center — Columbia Campus
Students may take proctored exams in the Center for Teaching Excellence Testing Center on the Columbia Campus. The center, which is located at 1716 College Street, has 9 computers/testing workstations. The center is open Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Online Test Proctoring
Respondus LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment
within Blackboard.
How LockDown Browser Works
- Assessments are displayed full-screen and cannot be minimized
- Browser menu and toolbar options are removed, except for Back, Forward, Refresh and Stop
- Prevents access to other applications including messaging, screen-sharing, virtual machines, and remote desktops
- Printing and screen capture functions are disabled
- Copying and pasting anything to or from an assessment is prevented
- Right-click menu options, function keys, keyboard shortcuts and task switching are disabled
- An assessment cannot be exited until the student submits it for grading
- Assessments that are set up for use with LockDown Browser cannot be accessed with other browsers
Watch a brief introductory video that explains how LockDown Browser works from the student perspective:
LockDown Browser Overview Video
See in-depth demos, hear from users, and more:
Attend a free webinar
Monitor provides automated exam proctoring and enables students to take assessments within Blackboard. After a one-time installation of a plugin, each student follows a startup sequence that guides them through completion of requirements set by the instructor (these requirements are entered when you set up your assessment in Blackboard). Monitor records each student’s session for later review and applies monitoring algorithms to notify instructors of the timestamp of any suspicious activity for their review. This product is integrated in Blackboard, and available for use at no cost to students, instructors, or academic departments.
Introduction to Respondus LockDown Browser for Students (video: 2 minutes)
The secure online proctoring service, Respondus Monitor, lets you take assessments within Blackboard at times and locations that fit your schedule. You must also have access to a computer (Windows 7 or higher (but not 10S) or Mac OS X 10.12 or higher) with a webcam and reliable Internet connection to use Respondus Monitor.
Exams will be proctored using the secure online proctoring service, Respondus Monitor. You must also have access to a computer (Windows 7 or higher (but not 10S) or Mac OS X 10.12 or higher) with a webcam and reliable Internet connection to use Respondus Monitor.
The “Instructor Live Proctoring” option uses LockDown Browser to prevent cheating on the computer itself, while the instructor watches students via video conferencing. This method is only recommended for small class sizes where instructors can effectively observe and track students during the exam.
Watch: Using LockDown Browser with Zoom
The secure online test proctoring service, ProctorU, allows students to take exams at times and locations that are convenient to them. ProctorU's services are accessed using a computer equipped with a webcam and internet connection. ProctorU verifies the student's identity, records the testing session, and has every testing session reviewed by a certified proctor to ensure integrity. An $8-14 fee for online proctoring, depending on the length of the exam, is paid by students directly to ProctorU during their exam.
Instructors wishing to register an exam in ProctorU should contact Shannon Carson at scarson@mailbox.sc.edu or call 803-777-2189.
ProctorU Live+ Student – Prep Guide
ProctorU – How it Works – Test Taker
ProctorU Help Center
ProctorU FAQ
StudentTestingRights.org
What am I allowed and not allowed to do during my exam?
How do I uninstall ProctorU software?
How do I re-enable my Mac screenshot hotkeys?
The secure online proctoring service, ProctorU, lets you schedule exam times and locations that fit your schedule. ProctorU verifies your identity and records your testing session. Each testing session is reviewed by a certified proctor to ensure integrity. You will be required to pay an $8-14 fee for online proctoring, depending on the length of the exam, directly to ProctorU during your exam. You must also have access to a computer with a webcam and reliable Internet connection to use ProctorU.
Exams may be proctored using the secure online proctoring service, ProctorU, for a fee of $8-14 per exam, depending on the length of the exam. You must also have access to a computer (Windows Vista or higher (but not 10S) or Mac OS X 10.5 or higher) with a webcam and reliable Internet connection to use ProctorU.
Approved Testing Sites
Online students may opt to take an exam at an alternative on- or off-campus approved testing site.
The University of South Carolina System offers a number of approved testing sites. To schedule an exam, students must inform the Center for Teaching Excellence of
their preferred testing site, and then contact the site coordinator at least one week before each exam to schedule an appointment.
Off-Campus Sites
Students may use a proctor from any accredited college or university that has testing
services available. Most institutions have testing facilities or testing services
offered through their online program. Students will need to complete a Proctor Request Form [PDF] for approval to take exams at an off-campus testing location.
Before Contacting a Test Site
Contact Shannon Carson at scarson@mailbox.sc.edu to specify your preferred testing site.
Find a Testing Site
After you have notified Distributed Learning of your testing location, you can then contact the site coordinator at least one week before your exam to schedule your appointment.
| Location | Coordinator | Phone | County | Keywords (hidden column) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USC Aiken | Maureen Quinn | maureenq@usca.edu | 803-641-3435 | Aiken | tag 1, tag2 |
| USC Beaufort — Historic Beaufort Campus | Warren Cobb | wc7@uscb.edu | 843-521-4126 | Beaufort | |
| USC Beaufort — Hilton Head Gateway Campus in Bluffton | Melanie Hanes-Ramos | hanesml@uscb.edu | 843-208-8022 | Beaufort | |
| USC Columbia Campus | Shannon Carson | scarson@mailbox.sc.edu | 803-777-2189 | Richland | |
| USC Lancaster | Annette Horton | hortonm@mailbox.sc.edu | 803-313-7448 | Lancaster | |
| USC Lancaster | Summer Harmon | summert@mailbox.sc.edu | 803-313-7071 | Lancaster | |
| USC Salkehatchie — West Campus, Allendale | Dan Johnson | johns943@mailbox.sc.edu | 800-922-5500 or 803-584-3446 (ext. 153) |
Allendale | |
| USC Salkehatchie — East Campus, Walterboro | Jennifer Breland | 843-782-8600 | Colleton | ||
| USC Salkehatchie — East Campus, Walterboro | Lamar Hewett | dlhewett@mailbox.sc.edu | 843-782-8608 | Colleton | |
| USC Upstate | Testing Center Staff | testingcenter@uscupstate.edu | 864-503-7422 | Spartanburg | |
| USC Sumter* | Sharon Chapman | hamptons@uscsumter.edu | 803-938-3810 | Sumter | |
| USC Sumter* | Connie Pender | penderc@uscsumter.edu | 803-938-3797 | Sumter | |
| USC Union | Christen Mayes |
864-424-8062 |
Union | ||
| USC Union — Laurens | Matthew Dean | 864-681-1457 | Laurens | ||
| USC Union — Laurens | Connie Parker | crparker@mailbox.sc.edu | 864-681-1459 | Laurens |
* USC Sumter students must have parking decals. Decals can be picked up from the business office in the main administration building. With a decal, you can park in any designated student parking area.