LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
The Safe Exam Browser
Innovative Open Source Software
for Online Examinations
Daniel R. Schneider ([email protected])
Wednesday, 30. January 13
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LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
The Safe Exam Browser
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How to secure your exam computers
What is the Safe Exam Browser (SEB)?
SEB‘s advantages
Examples
Upcoming features
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Questions to ask in the beginning
§  What kind of examinations?
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Questions to ask in the beginning
§  What kind of examinations?
> Computer-based exams
> Online examinations
§  Are special assessment computer rooms necessary?
Do you have the necessary resources?
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LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
Questions to ask in the beginning
§  Which kind of examinations?
> Computer-based exams
> Online examinations
§  Are special assessment computer rooms necessary?
Do you have the necessary resources?
> No
§  How can you prevent manipulation, fraud, plagiarism and
the obtaining of information from the Internet?
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One possible answer ...
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What is the Safe Exam Browser – SEB?
§  Secured web browser application
§  for conducting online examinations
§  using learning management systems and
web-based quiz/e-assessment systems
§  available for free, open source
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LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
What is Safe Exam Browser – SEB doing?
SEB prevents
§  opening any website
§  switching to undesired applications
§  operation system specific key combinations and functions
§  quitting the secure browser anytime
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LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
What is Safe Exam Browser – SEB doing?
SEB prevents
§  opening any website
§  switching to undesired applications
§  operation system specific key combinations and functions
§  quitting the secure browser anytime
SEB allows
§  connecting to web based learning management systems
and web-based quiz/e-assessment systems
§  use of selected third party applications during the
examination
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Architecture
Kiosk
Application
starts
starts
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Browser
URL to
Test
Learning
Management
Systems
Moodle, ILIAS, ...
Third Party
Application
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LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
The SEB-Browser
Kiosk
Application
starts
Browser
Mac
starts
Party
OS Third
X
Windows
Application
WebKit
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URL to
Test
Learning
Management
Systems
Moodle, ILIAS, ...
Mozilla Gecko / XULRunner (Firefox)
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SEB‘s advantages
Application!
(vs. booting restricted OS)
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SEB‘s advantages: Application
§  Easy to install
§  No complex administration of exam computers necessary
§  No special network configuration necessary in the
exam room
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LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
SEB‘s advantages: Application vs. booting special OS
§  Don‘t have to create, test and regularly update
special boot images
§  Very good compatibility with a wide range of hardware
§  Windows and Mac OS X third party applications
can be used in parallel with the exam
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Examples
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Examples
§  Examination in “Systematic Botany”:
Standard question types plus subject-specific questions
about images of plants in Herbar third party software
§  Examination in "Biomedical Engineering”:
Spacially separated examinations/distance assessment
§  Examination in "Informatics“:
Using Java-based SIOUX examination system
started up in and secured by SEB
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Upcoming features
In project phase until April 2013
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Examinations on students’ personal computers
§  Securing integrity of the SEB application
§  Encrypted and signed individual configuration
for each exam
§  SEB server – a third component in addition to the
examination computer and the LMS server would provide
more security especially on unmanaged exam computers
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3) Student
chooses exam
from a list
SEB-Server
2) Student starts
SEB, which connects to the SEB
server
1) Student
installs SEB
Student
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4a) SEB Server sends
SEB configuration,
quiz URL and quiz
token to SEB
k
Noteboo
5 SEB connects
5)
tto the quiz. After
vvalidating the
ttoken, the exam
ccan start
LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
SEB
Server
4b) SEB Server
sends quiz token
to LMS
LMS
ILIAS
Moodle
...
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Exams using tablet computers
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Improved control when using third party applications
§  Problem: Using additional applications during an exam is a
challenge, particularly on unmanaged student computers
§  Control over third party applications has to be improved
§  Solution: Integrate a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)
client software into an exam system based on SEB.
§  SEB kiosk application secures exam clients
§  SEB browser and third party applications are running
in a virtual desktop
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LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
Exam Client #1
Exam Client #2
Mobile student computer
(running Windows or Mac OS X)
SEB Starter
locks client in kiosk
mode and
starts just the virtual
desktop client
Mobile student computer
(running Windows or Mac OS X)
…
Virtual
Desktop
Client
“Camera” Software
“Camera” Software
records automatically all exam
activities and archives recordings
after exam is finished
Virtual Desktop #2
Virtual Desktop #1
SEB Browser
Virtual Desktop
Infrastructure
generates an individual virtual
desktop for each client
LMS Server
ILIAS
Moodle
OLAT
...
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connects with LMS
and switches to
allowed third party
applications
Third Party App 1
…
Third Party App 2
…
Exams with third party
applications on virtual desktops
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LET – Lehrentwicklung und -technologie
Thank you!
More information and download at
www.safeexambrowser.org
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