Conduct Online Assessments on devices with Connect for macOS

Some online assessment platforms use macOS’s Assessment Mode to lock and configure macOS devices during testing. However, Assessment Mode can prevent Connect in Web Filtering Mode for macOS from filtering.

To ensure a smooth testing experience, you must follow the steps below.

1. Apply DNS Filtering to Affected Users

You can change the filtering mode to DNS for some, most, or all of your users for the duration of testing. This keeps filtering active while preventing Web Filtering Mode from interfering with the assessment platform.

Assessment platforms that can’t be used in Web Filtering Mode (macOS)

When using Web Filtering Mode, certain applications may not function correctly during testing. Below is a list of commonly affected platforms:

• Cambium Assessment
• College Board BlueBook Exams
• Kite Assessment

1.1 Change filtering mode for a minority of users

You can use a DNS Filtering Group to change the filtering mode for only one or more Groups of users. This is the best approach when only some students are affected, either because you operate a multi-OS environment or because only some students will be testing.

1. Create a Group containing macOS users who will be under assessment. This can be a local group, even in a synced environment.
2. Sign in to Linewize Filter and go to Configuration > Mobile Agent
3. Under the On Linewize Filter Network heading, look if filtering is enabled. If so, add your Group to the DNS Filtering Groups field.
4. Under the Off Linewize Filter Network heading, look if filtering is enabled. If so, add your Group to the DNS Filtering Groups field.
5. Save your changes.

1.2 Change the filtering mode for a majority of or all users

You can change your default filtering mode from WEB to DNS to apply DNS filtering to all users not in a Bypass Filtering or Web Filtering group. This is the best approach when all or most users have macOS devices.

1. Create a Group containing any users you want to exclude from DNS filtering. This can be a local Group, even in a synced environment.
2. Sign in to Linewize Filter and go to Configuration > Mobile Agent
3. Under the On Linewize Filter Network heading, look if filtering is enabled. If so:
   
   1. Set the Default Filtering Mode to DNS.
   2. Add your exclusions Group to the Web Filtering Groups field
4. Under the Off Linewize Filter Network heading, look if filtering is enabled. If so:
   
   1. Set the Default Filtering Mode to DNS.
   2. Add your exclusions Group to the Web Filtering Groups field.
5. Save your changes.

2. Create an allow policy for your assessment platform

If you don’t already have one, you should create a content filtering policy that allows your chosen assessment platform.

1. Create an Allow Policy with your platform’s signature as the Type:
   1. Cambium Secure Browser: Cambium Assessment
   2. CollegeBoard Blue Book: CollegeBoard
   3. Kite Suite: Kite Assessment

2. Drag your policy to the top of your Content Filtering Policies list to ensure that it will take precedence over any other rules.
3. Test your policy with several users to ensure that they will have access to the platform.

3. Create a calendar reminder to revert your changes

Your changes will not revert automatically. Use your preferred calendar tool to create an alert reminding you to revert your changes when testing is done.