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Solutions & Considerations with Quizzes in Brightspace

Brightspace Content is Getting Upgraded

Beginning with the Fall 2027 semester, Brightspace courses will begin using the New Content Experience by default. Additionally, Instructors now have the ability to enable or disable the New Content Experience in their own courses ahead of the change in Fall 2027. For more information about this transition, see our New Content Experience Transition page.

💡 Use this as a quick reference for common quiz issues in Brightspace during midterms, exams, and quizzes. For urgent or unusual cases, contact Vanderbilt Brightspace Support.

General guidance

  • If a quiz is timed, time continues even if a learner is disconnected.
  • For access issues, check Availability dates, Hidden status, and Special Access first.

Key Considerations

  • A student accidentally submitted the quiz before completing all questions. What can I do?
    • Either:
      • Or allow another attempt (if they need to start over)
  • A student lost access to a quiz and cannot reenter. Why?
    • This is usually because the time limit ended before the student submitted.
    • Solution: Contact Vanderbilt Brightspace Support so we can submit the attempt on the student’s behalf.
      • This allows the instructor to grade what the student completed within the time limit.
  • A student can’t access the quiz because of availability dates. What should I check?
    • This is almost always due to the Start and/or End date.
    • Solution: The instructor will need to adjust those dates to allow student access.
  • The quiz is published but not appearing for the student. What are some common causes?
    • Most commonly, either:
      • The quiz is hidden.
      • Special Access is incorrectly set up.
    • If hidden:
      • Instructors, TAs, and admins can still see it.
      • There will be an eyeball icon next to the quiz name.
      • Solution: Click the down arrow beside the quiz name and select Make Visible to Users.
    • If there is no hidden icon and the student still cannot see it:
  • Will my quiz auto-save if I am logged out accidentally?
    • For questions where a student selects a predetermined answer (multiple choice, matching, true or false, etc.), Brightspace saves answers as soon as they are selected.
    • For text-based questions (short answer, fill in the blank, written response, etc.), Brightspace saves when the student clicks out of the text box.
  • Accommodation settings are not being applied correctly. What should I do?

Respondus LockDown Browser quick fixes

Below are fixes for common issues that arise when Quizzes use the Respondus LockDown Browser. If you have problems with the Lockdown Browser and these suggestions do not fix them, contact Vanderbilt Brightspace Support.

  • The LockDown Browser crashes mid-exam
    • Restart LockDown Browser.
    • If needed, restart the computer.
  • The student loses internet connection while using LockDown Browser
    • Restart LockDown Browser.
    • If needed, restart the computer.
    • Note: If there is a time limit, it will still be in effect even if the student is not actively in the quiz.
  • The student cannot exit LockDown Browser after completing an exam
    • Restart the computer
  • Updates are required before quiz access

    The LockDown Browser should update automatically at launch, but if it does not, users can .

    If the LockDown Browser still does not work after updating:

    • Restart LockDown Browser.
    • If needed, restart the computer.
  • Students see an error message that states the "instructor needs to use the LockDown Browser 'dashboard' to enable settings for this exam."

    If students see a message like this, instructors need to go to the Quizzes page of the course and click on the LockDown Browser tab. This will activate the LockDown Browser tool in this course and enable it for any quiz that has it enabled.Ìý
    Screenshot of the Quizzes page in a Brightspace course where the LockDown Browser tab is highlighted