Introduction
CyberExam is
one of the easiest to use quizzing programs. It does not require
any programming to use. The
CyberExam web site provides more information. You can create exams,
assign students to take them, and view the results, including statistics.
You can install
CyberExam in one of two different ways. The first way is illustrated
with the image below:
In this way, the CyberExam resides
on a server. Your College Technical Support Team would probably
install it on the College server for all faculty to use. You would
use your Netscape browser to create the exams that would reside on the
server. Students would use the browser on their machines to take
the exams that would reside on the server.
The advantage of this method for installing
CyberExam is that instructors don't need to install or administrate
the CyberExam program. They only need to create exams and assign
them to students.
A second way to install CyberExam is
illustrated below:
In this way, CyberExam resides on the
instructor's computer. You would be responsible for installing
it yourself. You would create exams using your Netscape browser,
but the exams would reside on your personal computer. Students
would use the browser on their machines to take the exams residing on
your computer. This option allows you a great deal of flexibility,
but you are required to administer CyberExam yourself and to operate
a web server on your desktop computer.
Cost and Availability
Current costs
should always be determined from quotes directly from the company.
Virtual Learning Technologies
allows downloading of demo version for 30 days. The demo version is
fully functional.
Virtual Learning Technologies also
allows downloading a Classroom version that is fully functional, does
not expire, but will support only 50 test takers (students). For individual
faculty this is a nice feature.
Starting the CyberExam server
If your College
technical support team is installing CyberExam, you will not
need to perform this step.
However, if you
are running CyberExam on your own computer, then you will need to start
the server program before you can create tests.
In the CyberExam
directory (C:\CyberExam is the default installation directory) double
click on the test.exe file to start the CyberExam server.
When the server has started you will see a box like the one below:
The CES Server Status field
indicates that the server has started. You can use this window
to stop the server by clicking the Stop button.
When the server is running you
can create tests and students can take tests. When the server
is stopped, you cannot create tests and students cannot take
tests. You can minimize the server window to remove it from your
screen, but if you close it, then students cannot take tests.
From the File menu, click Properties
to see the properties of the server running on your computer.
The first box give the IP address
of the server on your machine. You will use this number to access
CyberExam. See next section for details.
Logging in
Start your Netscape
or Microsoft Explorer browser.
In the URL box,
type the server address for CyberExam. If CyberExam was installed
on your College server, then the URL will be similar to this:
http://serverName.myCollege.cc.il.us:1273
For this workshop,
the URL will be similar to this: http://128.174.109.56:1273
Note that there is a colon immediately preceeding the number 1273.
If you are successful, you will be asked for a login ID and password
in a box similar to that below:
If you are logging in for the first
time, and CyberExam is installed on your computer, the login name is
"admin" and the password is also "admin".
If CyberExam is installed on your College
server, your administrator will provide you with a login name and a
password.
Beginning to Use CyberExam
When you have typed
in a login ID and a password successfully, you are presented with the
Home Page with options. The Home Page looks similar to the image
below:
The buttons on the top are for creating and administering
tests. The buttons below with the green background are various kinds
of help. The Tutorial takes
the test creator through the basics of creating a sample test. It
is a good place to start. The Design Guide
is a guide for creating tests. Everything you want to know about
using the program to create tests is found here. It is a good reference
and seems to be well written. The FAQ's
answers common questions. Many of them are of a technical nature.
You may not need to consult them.
The buttons on the top are for creating and administering
tests. The buttons below with the green background are various kinds
of help. The Tutorial takes
the test creator through the basics of creating a sample test. It
is a good place to start. The Design Guide
is a guide for creating tests. Everything you want to know about
using the program to create tests is found here. It is a good reference
and seems to be well written. The FAQ's
answers common questions. Many of them are of a technical nature.
You may not need to consult them.
Design Center
The Design Center
is where to go to create and edit tests. It is available to Test
Designers and to the administrator. The Design Center is also the
place where you add or create new Test Takers. Once you have one
or more Tests, and some Test Takers, you can assign one or more Tests
to your Test Takers. If you are teaching two or more courses, you
can have different exams assigned to different Test Takers.
Results Center
The Results Center
allows the Test Designer to look at the results of student exams.
It displays scores and statistics.
Administration Center
If you are not the
CyberExam Administrator you will not see this button. This Center
allows creation of new Test Designers. In the non-demo version you
can have as many Test Designers as you like.
Testing Center
This button is
the one students would click to take an exam. Note that students
only see Testing Center and Results Center when CyberExam detects that
a Test Taker is logging on.
Types of Questions
CyberExam will allow you to create
True/False, Short Answer (Fill in the Blank), Multiple
Choice (zero or more correct) and Multiple Choice (one
or more correct).
Developing a Test
Let's create a test
with three questions. The test will have only one part, meaning
that it will consist of only one web page. All three questions will
be on the same web page. The items that need to be completed are:
- Create a "new" test
- Try out your test to make sure it performs like you want
- Create a "new" test taker
- Assign the test taker to take your test
- Try to take your test by logging in as the "new" test taker
Creating a New Test
First,
click the Design Center button to begin designing a new test.
Now click the Create and Maintain Tests image.
Click the New button to create
a new quiz. For this quiz, choose Quick Start Mode
to create a simple quiz. In Quick Start Mode, you can only enter
Multiple Choice or True/False questions.
Click Next. You are presented
with a screen to enter information about the quiz and the first quiz
question. For Full Test Name, type something descriptive.
For Test Identifier, type a short name with no spaces, such as
quiz1 or test1.
In the Question/Item box type
the first question. You can use HTML tags in the question if you
want some formatted text, and you know how to use tags.
In the Type of Question/Item
check box choose the type of question you have created.
In the Enter Values for Choices
boxes, type the possible answers and check one or more correct answers.
Click Next when finished.
Add additional questions in the same
manner as above. When you have finished adding questions, click Finish.
You are returned to the quiz listing. Your new quiz appears on the list
of available quizzes.
Trying the Test as a Student Would
See it
In the Instruments to Administer
screen, select your test by clicking, and click Try Test.
Creating More Complex Tests
When creating a
new quiz choos Expert Mode tohave many more options and much more flexibility.
The Create a New Text options require some exploration.
There are also options for Scoring the Test.
After
you have selected the test options, you must create at least one section.
A test section is an individual page that contains questions.
They are used to create a test with separate parts. Your test can have
many sections.
There
are many options associated with a Test section.
After
the section is created, you can select the new section to begin adding
questions.
You are now ready to enter some questions
for the new section. Click New to create new questions.
There are many
options for each question. There are options
for the answers as well, including partial credit options.
Once you have created questions, you can create one or more new test
takers (students) and then assign the test to the test takers.
You can log in as the test taker and try the exam as a student.
This program is complex
and rich and well worth some time to investigate its potential.
Deepa Singh
Business Developer
Web Site:-http://www.gyapti.com
Blog:- http://gyapti.blogspot.com/
Email Id:-deepa.singh@soarlogic.com
Business Developer
Web Site:-http://www.gyapti.com
Blog:- http://gyapti.blogspot.com/
Email Id:-deepa.singh@soarlogic.com
