Early Warning Reference Manual - Pearson Access

PearsonAccess

TestNav 7 Early Warning System Reference Guide

Copyright © 2011, Pearson Education, Inc. Published June 8, 2012

TestNav 7 Early Warning System Reference Manual

What’s New This list shows the recent updates to the TestNav 7 Early Warning System Reference Manual. The most recent updates are listed first. June 8, 2012

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August 26, 2011

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April 29, 2011

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November 1, 2010

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Added message numbers to the warning message screens. • Replaced cover page with new PearsonAccess title page. Updated Save Response File Located message screen in section 2.6. • Removed the default timeouts box from last page; not used in TN7. • Replaced cover page with title and green PearsonAccess banner.

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Moved Change History to the front and renamed What’s New to be consistent with other PearsonAccess documentation. Removed some text boxes with shading for better readability. Section 1 - Added sentence about test proctors being the main users of this document. Section 2 – Updated the contact information for TestNav 7 users. Section 3.3 and 3.4 – The reason for printing the student responses if the file cannot be located is because the responses will need to be re-entered. Section 5 – Clarified the answer to FAQ 6.

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Initial draft for TestNav 7.

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February 17, 2010

Added a note about TestNav in section 4.

TestNav™ is a trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved.

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1.0

2.0

Overview.................................................................................. 4 1.1

Situations that trigger the EWS .............................................................. 4

1.2

Summary of Main Sections in this Document........................................ 4

1.3

Getting Help ............................................................................................. 4

EWS Message Screens........................................................... 5 2.1

Please notify your teacher or test proctor ............................................. 5

2.2

Unable to save student response file – message 8622 ......................... 6

2.3

View responses – message 8623 ............................................................ 6

2.4

No saved response file in designated location – message 8624 .......... 8

2.5

Saved response file cannot be read – message 8625 ........................... 9

2.6

Saved response file located – message 8626 ...................................... 10

2.7

Unable to communicate with the testing server – messages 8627a and 8627b ...................................................................................................... 10

3.0

“Resume Test” Function in Session Management............. 13

4.0

FAQs about the Early Warning System............................... 14

5.0

Circumstances that Launch the EWS.................................. 15

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1.0 Overview The TestNav™ Early Warning System (EWS) is designed to help save student responses locally in the event of a network interruption. EWS saves the student's responses to an encrypted backup file locally (on the student’s computer) so the student can either continue testing or exit the system without losing data. The main users of this document are test proctors.

1.1

Situations that trigger the EWS

1. The TestNav client determines that the Early Warning “save location” is invalid.

• The student is immediately notified via an EWS on-screen message. 2. TestNav is unable to download portions of a test. • The student is immediately notified via an EWS on-screen message. 3. TestNav is unable to upload student responses. • Responses are saved locally while the student continues testing, so the student is notified via an EWS on-screen message only when submitting the test.

1.2

Summary of Main Sections in this Document

Technical Support

Provides the Pearson Support Center toll-free phone numbers.

EWS Message Screens

Shows potential message screens, explains what caused the screen, and lists recommended actions.

How EWS Synchronizes with Test Session Management

Explains how a test administrator resumes a student’s test in Test Session Management if EWS has saved a student’s responses locally.

FAQs

Provides answers to frequently asked questions about EWS.

Circumstances that Launch EWS

Presents an explanation of the circumstances that cause EWS to be launched.

1.3

Getting Help

For technical support, please contact the Pearson Support Center. ADP Florida Georgia Maryland Minnesota Oklahoma Tennessee Wyoming

866-688-9555 877-847-3043 888-705-9414 888-639-0690 888-817-8659 866-294-9970 888-817-8658 877-847-2920

(Eastern) Monday-Friday, 7:00am – 8:30pm (Central) Monday-Friday, 6:00am – 7:30pm (Mountain) Monday-Friday, 5:00am – 6:30pm (Pacific) Monday-Friday, 4:00am – 5:30pm

NPS

866-791-1572

[email protected]

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2.0 EWS Message Screens The EWS automatically displays a notification screen whenever the connection to the testing server is interrupted or when the system detects a potential problem with the designated response file locations. The first screen displayed will always be one of two “notify” screens that prompt the student to notify you that there is an issue that needs to be addressed (see Notify Screen A and Notify Screen B, below). Depending on the specific condition that triggered the notification screen, EWS will display one of the seven potential explanation screens described in the following pages.

2.1

Please notify your teacher or test proctor

Students should be instructed to notify their teacher or test proctor if one of these screens appears during a test. One of the following screens appears whenever Early Warning launches.

Recommended Action ► Click Test Proctor – Click Here. The next screen that is displayed varies depending on the circumstance that caused EWS to launch.

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2.2

Unable to save student response file – message 8622

This screen is displayed when the designated location for saving a response file (as a backup in case of network interruption) is not working. Students should be instructed to notify their teacher or test proctor if this screen appears during a test. The teacher or test proctor can then designate a new location where the student’s responses will be saved.

Recommended Action ► Click Browse to designate a new location where student responses can be saved, and then click Save and Continue. Other Options •

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2.3

If a valid location cannot be designated, click View Responses to view or print a hardcopy record of any responses the student entered. The printed file can serve as a reference in the event that one or more student responses need to be re-entered. If a valid location cannot be designated and you have a hardcopy record of the student’s responses, click Close TestNav.

View responses – message 8623

This screen can only be accessed during the following scenarios: • •

Unable to save student response file Unable to communicate with the testing server

The View Responses screen displays a record of the responses that the student has entered. Responses received by the testing server are marked “Yes” in the Saved? column. Responses entered by the student but not received by the testing server are marked “No” in the Saved? column and highlighted in red.

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Recommended Action ► Click Print to produce a hardcopy record of the student’s responses, and then click Back to return to the previous screen. The printed copy can serve as a reference in the event that one or more student responses needs to be re-entered.

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2.4

No saved response file in designated location – message 8624

This screen is displayed when the student’s status in test session management is set to “ResumedUpload,” but no file was found in the designated response file location.

Recommended Action ► Click Browse to locate the response file locally, and then click Upload Response File to submit the responses to the testing server. Other Options •

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If the response file is located on a computer or a network drive that is unavailable at this time, click Close TestNav. After the connection is restored, the student can log in. The system automatically will search for a response file. If a file is not found, the EWS will come back to this screen, where you can browse for a response file. After the student logs in, you will need to resume the student in test session management. To continue testing without loading a response file, click Skip Upload. (Note that any responses from previous login not received by the testing server will be lost.)

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2.5

Saved response file cannot be read – message 8625

This screen is displayed when the student’s status in test session management is set to “ResumedUpload” and the saved response file(s) found in the designated response file location is corrupt.

Recommended Action ► Click Browse to locate a readable response file locally, and then click Upload Response File to submit the responses to the testing server. Other Options •

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If the response file is located on a computer or a network drive that is unavailable at this time, click Close TestNav. After the connection is restored, the student can log in. The system automatically will search for a response file. If a file is not found, the EWS will come back to this screen, where you can browse for a response file. After the student logs in, you will need to resume the student in test session management. To continue testing without loading a response file, click Skip Upload. (Note that any responses from previous login not received by the testing server will be lost.)

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2.6

Saved response file located – message 8626

This screen is displayed when the student is in Resume status (instead of Resumed-Upload) in test session management. This screen indicates that the system has located a saved file containing the student’s responses.

Recommended Action ► To submit the saved responses to the testing server, click Continue Testing. The student can now resume testing.

2.7

Unable to communicate with the testing server – messages 8627a and 8627b

This screen is displayed when the connection with the testing server is interrupted. Depending on the type of communications that were occurring when the connection was interrupted, the EWS screen will display either 1) a Retry button or 2) a Close TestNav button.

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If the EWS screen displays a Retry button – message 8627a The student’s responses have been saved in the designated response file location, but not all responses could be submitted to the testing server and the student remains in "Active" testing status.

Recommended Action ► Click Retry to check whether the connection is restored. • You can wait a short while and continue clicking Retry if you believe the connection may be restored. Other Options • •

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If you want to view or print the student’s responses that are saved locally, click View Responses. If you have clicked Retry and the connection with the testing server still has not been restored, click Close TestNav. After the connection is restored, the student can log in (or the test monitor can log in with the student’s login credentials). The system automatically will search for and submit a response file. See “Resuming a Student’s Test” in your PearsonAccess User’s Guide for instructions on resuming a test after a student exits from TestNav before completing a test.

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TestNav 7 Early Warning System Reference Manual If the EWS screen displays a Close TestNav button – message 8627b Some portion of the remaining test cannot be downloaded to the student’s computer. The student response file is saved locally in the location shown on the screen but the student cannot complete the test until communication is restored.

Recommended Action ► Click Close TestNav. After communication with the testing server is restored, the student can log in again and resume testing. • See “Resuming a Student’s Test” in your PearsonAccess User’s Guide for instructions on resuming a test after a student exits from TestNav before completing a test.

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3.0 “Resume Test” Function in Session Management The EWS synchronizes with session management by means of the Resume Test functionality on the Session Details screen, which allows you to upload a student’s response file to the testing server when the connection to the server is reestablished. Here is a common scenario in which the Resume Test function will be used: The connection to the testing server was interrupted, the EWS was triggered, and the student continued testing (with answers saved locally). Now the connection to the testing server is reestablished and you want to prompt the system to upload the saved responses from the local save location back to the testing server. ► To resume a student’s test 1. Go to the Session Details screen. 2. Select the check box for each student whose test is to be resumed, and then click Resume Test. • You cannot resume a student who has a Ready, Submitted, or Marked Complete status.

3. After resuming a test, the student’s status changes to Resumed on the Session Details screen if there

was no file to be uploaded or Resumed-Upload if the system uploaded a student response file to the server.

4. The resumed student can now log in to TestNav and continue the test.

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4.0 FAQs about the Early Warning System What is the TestNav Early Warning System? The EWS is a feature of the TestNav test delivery system. It is designed to alert a test proctor when network connection to the testing server is interrupted during a test and it allows a proctor to take actions to save student responses. How is the EWS implemented? EWS is part of the TestNav test delivery system. Once TestNav is set up according to the directions in the TestNav User’s Guide, there is no further configuration required. The EWS saves responses locally. Could this compromise the security of test items or student data? The EWS presents no additional security risk to test items or student data. • • •

Student responses, but not test items themselves, are saved locally by the EWS. Responses are saved in an encrypted format. The encrypted responses file is automatically erased when the responses are uploaded to the testing server after the connection is reestablished.

What happens if the designated response file location becomes invalid while a student is taking a test? The EWS is “self monitoring” to ensure that the designated response file location is valid. If the designated response file location is not available or writeable, a new response file location will need to be designated. An on-screen message will notify the test proctor of the problem and clearly explain the action needed to ensure that a valid response file location is available. Because the EWS verifies that a valid response file location is available as soon as a student launches TestNav, the test proctor can fix a potential problem before the student actually begins taking a test. (For example, if a drive is specified as a response file location, a disk would need to be present in the drive during testing.) I am proctoring a test and a message screen directs me to designate a new response file location. However, I do not have system permission to designate a new response file location. What should I do? You can view and/or print a record of the student’s responses. (The student may need to re-enter these responses when the test is continued or resumed.) The EWS saved a student’s response file, but the student now must resume the test on a different computer. Will the system find the saved response file when the student logs back in to TestNav? Yes, if the response file is saved successfully and the student exits TestNav. First Resume that student in Test Session Management. Retrieve the student’s response file from the computer they were using. Move this file to a disk or shared location, then move it to the computer the student is now using.

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TestNav 7 Early Warning System Reference Manual When the student logs in again, TestNav will check the designated response file location for a response file and when the file is not found there, an on-screen message will direct you to browse for the file so it can be retrieved (from the disk or shared location). For example, you may need to move the saved response file from the original computer to a shared network location, or copy the file onto a disk and transfer it to the new computer. You then can browse to the new location and the student can resume testing. The student’s saved response file will be automatically uploaded to the testing server.

5.0 Circumstances that Launch the EWS An EWS message screen is displayed under any of the following circumstances: 1. TestNav has tried three consecutive times to transmit a response and was not successful. 2. The TestNav client fails to fetch an item file after three consecutive attempts. 3. The TestNav client has not received a confirmation of a successful or unsuccessful transmission in

180 seconds while the student is testing. (For streaming audio or video the default is 300 seconds.) 4. The TestNav client has not received a confirmation of a successful or unsuccessful transmission of responses within 30 seconds of the student a) submitting the test, or b) exiting the test (either intentionally or by a security breach).

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