How can I restrict the use of other applications during an online exam?

Question

I have created a online examination web application. I want the users to avoid using browsers (for checking answers in Google).

How should I achieve this? Shall we have the full screen mode, even though I want to restrict minimizing the window or using Ctrl+Tab?

Is it possible?

Answer 1

There is a very simple solution: Set a time limit. Any student who has to browse the web for an answer will lose a lot of time compared to the ones who know the answer immediately.

Another solution: Don't care. It's not your job to make sure that students don't know about the Internet. Your job is to make sure they know their stuff when they start a job. So if a student is not able to memorize something but can look it up on Google? Why not? I'd award her extra points for working smarter rather than harder.

Answer 2

Speaking as a browser user, I hope it's not possible, since it implies that any web site could do the same thing, thus taking control of my computer away from me, against my will.