Technological developers have created the newest app to prevent cheating in classrooms. This app, called LockDown Browser, creates a custom browser in which students are able to take exams and quizzes on Schoology and other platforms, but, this custom browser prevents students from going to other websites, exiting the application, taking screenshots, and copying the questions given on the exam.

Teachers at Riordan have taken an interest in incorporating it into the curriculum, and 16 teachers have agreed to participate in the pilot version of the app.

Director of Academic Technology Viggen Rassam ’87 said, “I think this is a step in the right direction because companies like Apple have been asked to decrease the dependency on technological devices. Since technology allows students to be fed endless information, it is important for [the students] to train themselves to be independent in learning.”

Not surprisingly, this app is not very popular among the students who use it. Feeling as if their privacy is being breached, angry students have bombarded the app with bad reviews, bringing its rating to a 1.6 stars on the App Store. Some students have even gone so far as to say that this app will be the cause of World War III or send the FBI to their home.

Sophomore Parth Solanki said, “I do not like the idea of because I feel it shows a lack of trust in our student body, and the process is more tedious than it needs to be.”

However, some students feel that is app is exactly what schools need. Varsity Golf player Aidan Horgan ’20 said, “I think the app is a good thing for the school because it prevents kids from cheating.”

By not allowing students to cheat, LockDown Browser ideally forces students to study and actually learn the material they are being tested on. LockDown Browser provides schools with a chance to improve the learning environment, encouraging every student to fulfill their roles in the classroom.