Does ALEKS Track Tabs? What ALEKS Can and Cannot See

Key takeaways

• ALEKS assignment requirements can vary: an institution or instructor may require LockDown Browser for tests, quizzes, scheduled Knowledge Checks, or placement assessments. [1]
• LockDown Browser restrictions prevent access to other applications and task switching while a configured assessment is active; that is not the same as a published ALEKS list of outside tabs. [2]
• Respondus Monitor integrates with ALEKS and can analyze webcam video, screen recordings, and other data for an online exam. The source says students complete a webcam check and any other instructor-set requirements. [3]
• Screen recording is conditional: Respondus says it requires both LockDown Browser and Monitor and an instructor selecting Webcam & Screen for that exam. [4]
• McGraw Hill says Monitor flags suspicious activity for institutional or instructor review; a flag is not a final academic conclusion. [1]

What first-party sources support

What standard ALEKS records

ALEKS reporting can record activity within defined ALEKS categories. McGraw Hill describes the Classic ALEKS Activity Time Breakdown report as showing the average time a student spends on each activity category. Its broad Other category means time while the student was logged in but outside Learning Mode and Knowledge Checks. It should not be rewritten as time in another browser tab or application. [5]

Those documented activity reports are different from an assessment-proctoring setup. The sources reviewed do not establish that normal ALEKS creates a complete browser-tab, screen, nearby-device, or network inventory.

When Respondus changes the answer

McGraw Hill says that an institution or instructor may require LockDown Browser for specified ALEKS tests, quizzes, scheduled Knowledge Checks, or placement assessments. In that configured environment, LockDown Browser restricts access to other applications. [1] Respondus separately says the ALEKS and ALEKS PPL products integrate with Monitor, and that the exam startup sequence includes a webcam check and other instructor-set requirements. [3]

Respondus screen recording is not described as a default for every ALEKS assessment. Its official screen-recording page says the instructor enables Webcam & Screen on a per-exam basis and that both LockDown Browser and Monitor are required. [4]

Tabs, screens, second monitors, phones, and other devices

The careful answer is conditional. LockDown Browser can prevent task switching and other application access in a configured assessment, but the first-party ALEKS sources reviewed do not describe an ordinary ALEKS browser-tab history or say that every tab change becomes a report. Screen recording can apply when the separate Monitor configuration is selected for an exam.

The reviewed sources do not establish a universal capability to identify or interpret every second monitor, nearby phone, IP address, or device on a shared network. They also do not document that a physical-device observation alone determines an academic outcome. Students should rely on the instructions and privacy notice presented for their own assessment rather than assumptions based on a platform name.

How to read an ALEKS or Respondus record fairly

Identify the assignment type and the actual configured tool first. A time category, assignment attempt, secure-browser restriction, webcam recording, or proctoring flag refers to a different kind of information. McGraw Hill states that Monitor flags suspicious activity for the institution or instructor to review. The source does not say that a flag decides misconduct by itself. [1]

Student checklist before an ALEKS assessment

1. Read the assignment instructions and identify whether LockDown Browser or Monitor is named.
2. Use the official ALEKS version of LockDown Browser when the assessment requires it; Respondus says it is separate from an LMS version. [3]
3. Check the visible webcam, screen, and other pre-assessment requirements before starting.
4. Use only permitted materials and devices, and raise a genuine technical or accessibility concern through the institution’s approved process.

Frequently asked questions

Does ALEKS track browser tabs?

The reviewed official sources do not establish that ordinary ALEKS independently tracks a browser-tab history. If a specific assessment requires LockDown Browser, the browser can restrict task switching and access to other applications while the assessment is active. [2]

Does ALEKS record my screen?

Screen recording is documented for a configured Respondus Monitor and LockDown Browser exam when the instructor selects Webcam & Screen. It is not documented as an always-on ALEKS feature. [4]

Can ALEKS see a second monitor, phone, or every device on my network?

The accessible first-party sources used here do not support that blanket claim. They describe specific supported devices and separately configured Respondus controls, not a universal inventory of physical or networked devices.

Does a Respondus flag decide an ALEKS academic-integrity case?

No. McGraw Hill says suspicious activity is flagged for institutional or instructor review. Any academic decision depends on the applicable policy and review process. [1]

Sources and further reading

1. Respondus: McGraw Hill ALEKS and ALEKS PPL integration
2. McGraw Hill ALEKS: Respondus LockDown Browser requirements and installation
3. Respondus: LockDown Browser overview
4. Respondus: Screen Recording for Respondus Monitor
5. McGraw Hill ALEKS: Activity Time Breakdown Report