calu’s blog

(this item is written in English, exceptionally – so that guest professors can read it as well)

Blackboard recognizes a few problems with “tests”, especially timed tests.

‘Internet Explorer does not by itself properly redraw the floating DIV element used for the timer when scrolling, and requires a workaround implemented in JavaScript (fixed.js) to correctly redraw all screen elements after scrolling. This method incorporates a delay to give the application time for a full redraw before calling the redraw function again. Now the screen redrawing behavior and CSS support of IE have changed between versions 6 and 7, and one of the settings in fixed.js is causing IE7 to choke.’ (Blackboard)

Possible work arounds for this problem:

• don’t use time limitation
• ask students not to use IE, but rather firefox (ex.)
• avoid questions that use the ‘wysiwig’-editor (or ask students to disable the wysiwig-editor)

(https://tolapps.kuleuven.be/tolsup/?p=90#more-90)
Some tips to avoid that students block in Toledo during tests:

1. Do not switch ‘Force Completion’ (Voltooiing afdwingen) on. Otherwise students that have problems don’t get a second chance. If you don’t force completion and you advise students to save there answers, than students that have problems and have to leave the test, can restart the test and go on with it.
2. If you work with a timer (tijdslimiet), students can follow the time spent already. They also get a message when time is up, but they can go on with the test! In that case the gradebook contains not the score but a exclamation mark. (This was introduced for disabled people, so that they can work longer on a test. But it can be used as well for students that have technical difficulties). If you click on the exclamation mark and choose the option ‘View’ (weergeven), then you can see how long a student has worked and adapt the score, or confirm with ‘Submit’ (verzenden).
3. If a student has technical difficulties and ‘Force Completion’ (’Voltooiing afdwingen’) was on, then a locker will appear in the gradebook. If you click on the lock and chooses ‘View’ (Weergeven), then the current attempt can be cleared (poging wissen) en the student gets a new chance.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS