An exam can be bounded by an extra layer of security (Safe exam browser) that prevents a student from opening new browser windows or files or programs not related to the exam. The security settings are configured via SEB config tool application (available on Windows) to generate a configuration file (.seb extension). That file is placed on Moodle’s homepage where students click on it to launch it. The Moodle team has launched many exams using SEB, hence they have a template configuration file which is used throughout the process.
The settings we change, according to the course URL, are:
- General settings pane
Start URL (the redirection page upon launching the seb file)
Quit/restart password (known by the administrator, teacher, and his colleagues)
- Config file pane
Settings password (for launching the SEB settings and securing the browser)
Note: the settings password is changed for every exam
- Exams pane
Link to quit SEB after exam (this link appears right after a student submits the exam on Moodle which saves him time compared to typing the quit password)
- Network pane
In this section, we filtered URLs based on two states (allow and block). The allowed URL is https://lms.aub.edu.lb/ and the blocked ones are messaging within Moodle, LinkedIn, and Facebook etc...
Note: Other panes can be configured based on the exam’s requirements (applications to be launched while exam, browser view mode, download directory…)