Test Settings

Add security to your tests with access codes

Add a layer of security to your assessments with an access code. Issue an access code to control when students and groups take an assessment.

1. Open the Test Settings panel and find the Assessment security section.
2. Go to Access code and select Add access code.
3. In the Access code panel, select turn the toggle on.
4. Copy the code to share with students and groups.
5. Select Continue.

At this time, access codes are generated randomly by the system. You can't customize the access codes.

Assessments refer to tests and assignments, but not SCORM items.

Example:

You add an access code because you want some students to take the assessment before others. You can release the access code only to the first group of students. The students who take the assessment later can't preview the assessment before they take it.

Example:

You can add an access code for a supervised or proctored assessment. Students show proof of identity, receive the code from the instructor or proctor, and take the assessment in the classroom.

If several groups of students take the same test at different times, you can change the access code for each group. Just be certain students haven't saved their work to continue later.

In a test or assignment's Settings panel, select Add access code in the Assessment security section.

Turn the access code to On. The system randomly generates a 6-digit access code that you can't customize. Use the icons next to the access code to copy it or refresh to change the code. Only instructors can refresh and change the access code. If you turn the code off and on again, the code remains the same.

Select Continue. The access code appears in the Settings panel. You can select the trash can icon to remove the code. Students will no longer need a code to start or continue the assessment.

Reminder: Instructors or proctors provide the access code to students.

What do students see?

On the Course Content page, all students can see an assessment protected with an access code unless you add release conditions or hide it. All students can open the Details & Information panel to view any instructions you've added. They can't start the assessment without the access code.

The access code isn't stored anywhere in the system. Students can only receive the access code from you or other roles you choose to give it to. You can change the access code as needed and let students know.

Students can use the same code if they save the assessment and want to return later. Students don't need the access code to view the grades and feedback you post.

LockDown Browser Dashboard

To add more security to your assessments, you can turn on both the Lockdown Browser and access code and they'll work together. Students need to provide the correct access code before the LockDown Browser is launched.

More on the LockDown Browser

Add a timer to your test

You can add a time limit to a test in the Ultra Course View. A time limit can keep students on track and focused on the test because each person has a limited amount of time to submit. The test attempts are saved and submitted automatically when time is up.

1. Open the Test Settings panel and find the Additional tools section.
2. Go to Time limit and select Add time limit.
3. Add the time limit in minutes and select a submission rule.
4. Close the Time limit panel.
5. Select Save.

You can also allow students to work past the time limit. Additional time allows students to reconnect if they lose connectivity during their attempts. You can allow extra time to see if the original time you set is enough for students to read and answer all the questions. When you grade tests, you can see how much extra time each student used to complete the test. You can also see which questions were answered after the initial time limit. Students also see this same information when they access their graded tests.

At this time, you can't add a time limit to group tests.

In the Test Settings panel, select Add time limit in the Additional Tools section.

First, type a time limit. You must add time limits as whole numbers between 1 and 1440. Decimals aren't supported. Next, select one of two options:

• Work is automatically saved and submitted when time expires: If a student doesn't submit within the time limit, the system saves and submits the test automatically.
• Students have extra time to work after the time limit expires: In the menu that appears when you select this option, choose the amount of extra time:
  • 50%
  • 100%
  • Unlimited extra time

The 50% and 100% options show how much time is added to the time limit before the test is saved and submitted automatically. For example, if you set 60 minutes as the time limit and choose 50% extra time, your students can work for an additional 30 minutes. Your students aren't alerted to the extra time allowed until the initial time limit is almost up. They receive a pop-up message that alerts them to the extra time allowed. They can choose to use the extra time or submit the test. They're informed that they may receive partial credit for work submitted after the time limit.

If you allow multiple attempts, the time limit applies to each attempt.

Select the X to return the Test Settings panel. You can view the time limit setting you made. Select the time limit to make changes. However, you can't edit the time limit after students have made submissions. Point to the time limit to access the Remove icon to remove it. The time limit also appears on the Course Content page with the test details, but the extra time doesn't appear.

Time limit accommodation + time limit

If students have a time limit accommodation and you allow more time to complete an assessment in the settings, the times are combined.

More about time limit accommodations

Student workflow

Students see the time limit with other test details on the Course Content page. They also see the time limit on the test's Details & Information panel and within the test as they’re working.

When students select Start attempt, they'll receive a pop-up window to start the timer before they can access the test.

If you allowed extra time, when the initial time is up, another pop-up window informs them they can submit the test now or work longer. They're also informed that work submitted after the limit may receive partial credit. Your students aren't alerted to the extra time allowed until the initial time limit is almost up.

The timer keeps running whether or not students are actively working on the test. The timer appears at the bottom of the window to let students know how much time is left. If they save a draft or leave the test window, the countdown continues and their work is saved and submitted when time is up.

More about grading tests with time limits

Allow multiple attempts

To allow multiple attempts for an assessment, open the assessment and select the Settings button.  In settings panel, under Grading & Submissions, select the number of attempts to allow.  

Then in Grade attempts, select how to calculate the assessment's final grade.

The Grade attempts setting determines how the final grade is automatically calculated, but you have the option to override the grade. If a student submits an attempt after the due date, the attempt is marked late. Attempts submitted before the deadline are shown as on time.

Notes:

• You can't allow multiple attempts on a group assignment or when you collect submissions offline.
• Each attempt is subject to the due date you set for the assignment.
• You can only override the final grade, not the grades for each attempt.

Grade attempt calculations

• Average of all attempts
• First attempt with a grade
• Attempt with highest grade
• Last attempt with a grade
• Attempt with lowest grade

When you select a student in the gradebook list, the attempt that appears first is determined by the grading status and attempt aggregation model selected for the assessment.

Learn more about grading a test with multiple attempts

Watch a video about Grant Assessment Exceptions in the Ultra Course

The following narrated video provides a visual and auditory representation of some of the information included on this page. For a detailed description of what is portrayed in the video, open the video on YouTube, navigate to More actions, and select Open transcript.

Video: Grant Assessment Exceptions in the Ultra Course Allow an exception on a specific test or assignment to an individual student.

Randomize questions and answers

You can randomize questions and their answers to support practice/drilling activities and help students avoid academic dishonesty.

1. Open the Test Settings panel and find the Details & Information section.
2. Select Randomized questions and/or Randomized answers.
3. Select Save.

You can only randomize answers for Matching and Multiple Choice questions. If you want to randomize answers for True/False questions, use the Multiple Choice question type with True and False answer choices.

You can use one or both settings so tests appear differently for each student. A message appears on the test's Content Settings page about your randomize answers selection.

Randomize questions

In Test Settings, select Randomize questions to show questions to students in a random order.

Questions appear in order as you create the test. Each time a student begins a test attempt, the questions appear in a different order. If you include references to the question numbers as they appear on the Content and Settings page, don't use the Randomize questions option. The random order changes the question numbering and may cause confusion.

After students start their submissions, you may select or clear the Randomize questions setting.

Randomize the order of answers

In Test Settings, select Randomize answers to show Multiple Answer and Multiple Choice answer options to students in a random order.

Answers appear in order as you create the test. Each time a student begins a test attempt, the answers appear in a different order.

After students start their submissions, you can't select or clear the Randomize answers setting.

• Randomize pages. If your test includes questions across multiple pages (for example a page of Multiple Choice questions followed by a page with Essay questions), this option randomizes the order in which these pages are displayed.
• Do not randomize first page. If your test is set to randomize pages, this option allows you to lock the first page in place. This is useful, for example, if the first page of the test includes instructions.

Enable anonymous grading on tests

When you create a test without questions, you can enable anonymous grading in the Test Settings panel. Student names are hidden while you grade. You may only add text and files to anonymously graded tests.

More on anonymous grading

Enable parallel grading on tests

When you create a test without questions, you can enable parallel grading in the Test Settings panel. 

The system randomly assigns graders you choose so each student has two graders for the test. The grading workload is distributed evenly among the graders. Graders can only open the submissions for the students assigned to them. Instructors or reconcilers determine the final grades for students.

More on parallel grading