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Prevent backtracking and forcing completion on tests



  • 2011-02-22 20:40:56

    Prevent backtracking and forcing completion on tests

    IS there a way to prevent backtracking (or navigating) to content pages and forcing completion of tests. I am concerned about students being able to access the material while taking test and cheating.

    If you are asking for help, provide lots of detail so problems can be reproduced.

    Things to describe:
    Operating system ATutor is installed on - Windows NT 5.2
    ATutor version - 2.0.2
    Patch #s applied -
    ATutor theme name -
    PHP version - 5.2.5
    MySQL version - 5.0.45
    Webserver & version -
    Copies of error messages -
    Changes to default settings -
    Web browser being used -
    ...and anything else relevant -


  • 2011-02-22 20:50:08

    Re: Prevent backtracking and forcing completion on tests?

    See this thread:
    http://atutor.ca/view/2/19592/1.html


  • 2011-02-22 21:17:41

    Re: Prevent backtracking and forcing completion on tests?

    Thank you for your quick response. That thread did help.

    But in response to: It would not take much to prevent students from viewing content while taking a test, assuming they only have one Web browser. We could prevent more than a single login at a time, so they could not login in another browser, but there are advantages to being able to login in multiple browsers.

    I did find that I could access the test, click on the content page, and then click the back button in my browser. I was able to continue taking the test after viewing the content page even though I only have one browser.

    Is there anyway to hide the content pages while taking a test?

    Thanks again for your help.


  • 2011-02-22 21:49:12

    Re: Prevent backtracking and forcing completion on tests?

    No. Content cannot be hidden while taking a test.

    The point I was trying to make, even it were hidden, which is not very difficult to implement, a user could easily open another browser to view the content, or someone could be watching over their should with the answers. Online testing, without invigilation, is not suitable for high stakes assessment.


  • 2011-02-23 08:30:18

    Re: Prevent backtracking and forcing completion on tests?

    Debra,
    We've considered implementing such a feature in our university ourselves, but found it pointless.
    Students have so many possibilities to cheat with all the easy-to-conceal gadgets available (like smartphones and hands-free devices) that, if they decide to do so, it's nearly impossible to prevent. For example, they could browse the content of the same course from a hand-held in parallel or have someone dictate them answers from afar.

    So it seems that there are two options here.
    The first one is to have somebody physically oversee the test-taking process. In addition, you could record the session with technical means to tighten things up if you wish, or limit the time for taking a test, but those are complementing features at best (and they aren't part of ATutor).
    The second options is to lower the importance of each individual test or of tests in general. That would reduce students' incentives to cheat.


  • 2011-02-23 19:50:55

    Re: Prevent backtracking and forcing completion on tests?

    Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I'll work on placing less emphasis on the tests and look into your other ideas. Thanks again!


  • 2011-02-24 08:07:05

    Re: Prevent backtracking and forcing completion on tests?

    You're welcome.