Student Administration

 

Version 9.9.0 allows for multiple Student Areas that can be edited online. Each school, grade level, subject area, or company department can have its own Student Area.

  • Student Areas are different and completely separate from the Test Areas.

  • All student personal information and test records are stored in the Student Area.

  • Tracking, access restrictions, certificates, and group analyses done in Student Administration may contain information gathered from any Test Area the students have ever used. This is quite different from Test Administration where all features and access to records pertain only to that specific Test Area named when entering that area.

  • When you click on the Student Administration link, a page appears that asks for the name of the Student Area and the Password.

    • There can be any number of Student Areas.

    • The password is contained in the Access database file and controlled by the Website Administrator. It cannot be changed online. There can be any number of passwords. The default password: RoboTutor.

    • Student Areas are created by the Website Administrator. This is done by copying StudentsModel9.mdb from the templates folder and then renaming it.

  • The Student Areas should never exceed 1 gigabyte byte in size. This translates into approximate 10,000 student names at any time depending on how many tests on average the students have taken.

  • Greater security and speed of access are best maintained when the databases are smaller. It is recommended your Student Areas do not exceed 700 million bytes in size.

Student List

This page displays the names, passwords, and sorting codes for selected students in the Student Area:

  • To edit a name, click the student's last name.
  • To search for other students, click the New Search button.
  • To refine the search to a subset of the student names displayed, click Refine Search.
  • Sorting Codes are numbers or names that can be assigned students.
    • Sorting Codes can be names that can be assigned groups of students such as male, white, and Age 56
    • Sorting Codes can be numbers like 1034 which is assigned a meaning such as Mr. Smith's 4th Period Algebra class.
    • Sorting Codes can be used to select defined groups of students throughout the program.
    • Sorting Codes can be entered on the Student List page or when editing individual student records.
    • A student can have any number of Sorting Codes.
    • A sorting code can consist of any number of words.
    • To enter more than 1 code, separate them with a comma.
      • Example: 12, 13, 13 14, 15   In this case there are 4 sorting codes:
        • (1) 12
        • (2) 13
        • (3) 13 14
        • (4) 15
    • To change a Sorting Code on the Student List page, you must click Submit at the bottom.

Edit Student Record

This is where you enter or edit the Student's Name, setup Sorting Codes, and assign Courses or Certification Programs:

  • Check the "Let student access..." box if you want to let students look at their own test records when signing in to take a test.

  • Sorting Codes are numbers or names that can be assigned students.
    • They can be words like male, white, and Age 56, or numbers like 1034 which is assigned a meaning such as Mr. Smith's 4th Period Algebra class.
      • A student can have any number of Sorting Codes.
      • To enter more than 1 code, separate them with a comma.
    • Sorting Codes can be used to select defined groups of students throughout the program.
    • Sorting Codes can be entered on the Student List page or when editing individual student records.
      • To change a Sorting Code on the Student List page, you must click Submit at the bottom.
  • Courses / Certification Programs are setup by clicking the Courses & Certification button on the Student Administration Menu.
    • The two words (Courses and Certification Programs) are used synonymously here. They are groupings of evaluations (both online and/or offline) that a student is required to take to certify or pass a course.
      • The list of available Certification Programs will not appear at the bottom of the Add or Edit Student page unless they have been first setup.
      • Students can have any number of Certification Programs assigned to them.
    • Once a Certification Program has been assigned to a student, the Student can at any time click the Access My Records when logging in to take a test and see how he or she is doing with respect to that program.
      • Students can only see how they are doing on programs personally assigned to them.

Tracking and Transcripts

This page displays the names and passwords for selected students in the Student Area:

  • To edit a name, click the student's last name.
  • To search for other students, click the New Search button.
  • To refine the search to a subset of the student names displayed, click Refine Search.
  • If you want to edit the personal information for that student, click the Last Name.

The next page displays the names of the tests for the selected student:

  • Check the boxes to the of every test you want to include in the report.
  • To include student answers, check that box in the top left.
  • The report can list every time a student took a test or only that the time when the highest score was reached. To get only the test with the highest score, check that box.
  • Transcript tests are any tests that have been designated as Transcript Tests when they were setup in Advanced Features of Test Administration.
    • If you check the Transcript Tests box and click Submit, only those tests will be included.
    • It is not necessary to select any tests in the test table.
    • All Transcript Tests have an Asterisk to the right of the test name. If no asterisk is shown by any test, there are no Transcript tests.
    • If you want to include only tests that were taken during a specific time frame, enter the start and end dates in the fields provided.
  • To delete the record of a student taking a specific test, select only that test and click Submit.
    • Select only 1 test at a time.
    • If you don't want to delete every record of this student taking this test, set specific dates to be included.
    • On the next screen you will see the record of all tests taken by this student during the specified dates.
    • At the bottom of the screen you will see a Delete button. If you click it, all records you see on the screen will be deleted from the Student Area.
    • Records of other students taking the test are not affected. The test itself is not affected.

Import Records

This option makes it possible import student names from another Student Area or from an ASCII text file.

  • Importing names and records from another Student Area:
    • You must know the name and password for the database.
    • The database must be located in the same folder as all other Student Areas used with this version of the program. The feature is backward compatible with all previous versions.
    • Import only the names:
      • You have the option to import the entire student record or only the names and passwords for students. To import only the names, check the box.
      • The program checks to see if the name is already in the database. If it is, then it does not add it again.
      • You can import all the name you select on a single screen at one time.
    • Import Names and Test Records:.
      • You must FIRST import all the tests the students took into a SINGLE test database of the new version. Tests not imported will not show up in Records & Reports.
      • Next put the name of that database in the "New Test Area" field provided.
  • Importing names from an ASCII text file:
    • This option lets you import the last name, first name, and password for any number of students.
    • Any ASCII text file created using Notepad or saved in text format from a word processor can be used.
    • The format of the names must be in this order: Last Name, First Name, Password.
    • There must be a comma following each entry: Doe, John, MyPass,
      • There must also be a comma at the end as shown above
    • Each name must be on a separate line.

Restrict Access

It is many times desirable to restrict access by one or more students to a specific test, course URL, or date range.

  • Access can be restricted to a single student or to a group of students.
    • To select a single student, enter a last name or Password/ID.
    • Groups of students can be selected using the % sign in the name/password fields.
  • Groups of students are usually selected using a Sorting Codes.
    • If more than one sorting code is used, put a comma between them.
  • Because Restrict Access provides the option to limit students to a specific test, it is necessary to fill-in a Test Area even if you don't intend to use this feature.

The next screen lets you set specific variables for restricting access. To display the names of the students for whom you will be making or changing restrictions, click the View Names button at the bottom.

  • The Test Name field is the name of the test the student is authorized to take. If it is left blank, the student can take any test. If a test is specified, the student can take ONLY that test.

  • The Course URL field is the address of a web page where the student is sent after entering his name and password. This page can be the first page in a course or it can be a menu of courses or tests.

    • At the end of a course, the student can be linked to: taketest.asp to take a test. If this link is used, the student can take any test for which he knows the password.

    • Direct Access to a test can be achieved with a special command. If you use this code, then you can bypass the need for the student to enter the name of the Test Area and Test ID.

    • Test Link Button lets you check to see if you have a good address.

  • The Date Range gives two fields in which you can enter dates between which the student is given access to the courses and tests listed. The first field is the starting point. The second field is the ending point. If these fields are left blank, then there are no date restrictions.  If they are filled-in, then a student cannot a test or access a specified URL except during those time periods. This makes it possible to have the equivalent of a pay-as-you-go online school or university.

Student Certificates

This report produces a certificate listing tests passed from any Test Area:

  • This report differs from the one in Test Administration by including tests from any Test Area and by offering the option to select only Transcript Tests.

    • A Transcript test is any test marked as such in Advanced Features in Test Administration.

  • Choose All, Selected, or Transcript Tests.

  • The Date Range, if filled in, restricts the analysis to tests taken during those dates. If you enter just a start date, then it is everything after that date.

  • Optional Fields refer to the drop down menus that can be setup to appear at the top of tests that list Teachers, Courses, etc. If there are any Optional Fields setup in the database, they will automatically appear.

    • To track students for a specific teacher, select that teacher from the Optional fields.

    • To track students for a specific period of a specific teacher, select both of these criteria in the Optional Fields.

  • Click Submit and a page appears where you can select the specific student.

  • Next a page appears where you can specify how you want the certificate to look:

    • Select the specific tests to include

    • Add titles and wording

    • Add graphics

    • Add comments.

  • Only tests will appear as options for which the student has a passing score.

  • Click Submit and the actual certificate is displayed for printing.

  • You can used HTML basic codes to modify any text in the Result's Page.

The next page displays the names and passwords for selected students in the Student Area:

  • To search for other students, click the New Search button.
  • To refine the search to a subset of the student names displayed, click Refine Search.
  • If you want to edit the personal information for that student, click the Last Name.
  • Click Submit and the Certificate setup page will appear next.
    • You can select a graphic to appear on the page.
    • You can change the wording of the certificate.
    • You can select the tests to include and include scores or make comments.
    • You can include lines at the bottom for signatures.
    • Use can use HTML tags to change font size, color, and face.
  • Click Submit on the Certificate setup page to display the Certificate for printing.

Group Profile Analysis

This report makes it possible to compare groups of students on any or all tests. It produces a summary of student tests based on Sorting Codes identifying gender, races, age, or any other defined variables.*

  • Choose All, Selected, or Transcript Tests.

    • If All is chosen, then every test the students have taken, no mater what Test Area, will be used in the report.

    • If Selected is chosen, then only those tests will be listed which students in this Student Area have actually taken and received a final score.

    • A Transcript test is any test marked as such in Advanced Features in Test Administration.

  • Check Box: Check to include every time a student took a test.  Uncheck to include only a student's highest score.

  • The Date Range, if filled in, restricts the analysis to tests taken during those dates. If you enter just a start date, then it is everything after that date.

  • Sorting Codes are used to select the students.
    • Use of Sorting Codes is optional and if left blank, then all students who took the specified tests are selected.
    • Sorting Codes can be names that can be assigned groups of students such as male, white, and Age 56
    • Sorting Codes can be numbers like 1034 which is assigned a meaning such as Mr. Smith's 4th Period Algebra class.
    • Sorting Codes can be entered on the Student List page or when editing individual student records.
      • A student can have any number of Sorting Codes.
      • To use 2 or more Sorting Codes for selecting students, use + or |
        • For example: "white + female" means: find all students that are both "white" AND "female"
        • For example: "white | female" means: find all students that are both "white" OR "female"
      • A single Sorting Code can consist of more than one word.
        • For example: "brown hair" can be one and "black hair" can be another.
        • To select both, enter it like this: "brown hair + black hair"
    •
  • The Report Heading is the title that appears at the top of the report.
    • For example, if sorting for white males, then the report title might be White Males.

*Note, there is no equivalent to this report in Test Administration. That is because this report can select students based on Sorting Codes and because it can include student test results from any Test Areas. All reports in Test Administration are restricted to tests in a specified Test Area.

Certification Programs

Certification Programs are a way to monitor student progress in a course or series of learning modules. This option lets you Setup, Edit or Delete Certification Programs. It also lets you view individual student Certification Program records as well as add or modify selected scores given for specific courses or final examinations.

  • The words Certification Programs and Courses are used synonymously in RoboTutor and refer to groupings of evaluations (both online and/or offline) that a student is required to take to certify or pass a course.
    • Certification Programs allow teachers to setup online tracking and record keeping of every course taught, whether evaluations are done online or in a traditional classroom with pen and paper.
    • There can be any number of Certification Programs assigned to specific Student Areas.
  • Students can immediately lookup and see how they are doing toward reaching the objectives of any program.
    • TakeTest.asp logs in students for taking tests. It also has an Access My Records button at the bottom so students can view their personal records.
    • AccessMyRecords.asp lets students view their personal records, but does not log them in for testing. To use this option, enter: http://{your URL}/RoboTutor9/AccessMyRecords.asp.
  • To create a new Certification Program, go to Student Administration, select Courses & Certification from the menu, then click the Create New Program button.
    • To edit an existing Certification Program, click the name of the program listed in the drop-down menu.
  • To manually enter scores for off-line evaluations in a Certification Program, click the Enter Scores button.
    • Scores can be entered for one or multiple students at a time.
    • Only scores for off-line tests can be entered manually
    • On-line tests are entered automatically when the students take the tests.
  • To generate a report on how one or multiple students are doing with respect to meeting the objectives of a specified Certification Program, click the View Records button.

Setup Certification Programs

  • Every Certification Program must have a description that will appear when students view the records.
    • It must also have a password that will be requested when teachers enter scores or view the records in Student Administration.
    • Every program must also be associated with a specific Student Area. Only Certification Programs assigned to the same Student Area appear in the drop-down menus.
  • Every Certification Program can have up to 3 final examinations: Oral, Written and Applied.
    • The final examinations are optional and if not filled in, they will not appear in the student reports.
    • It is assumed that scores for the Oral and Applied finals will be entered by the instructors.
    • The Written final can be either taken online, in which case the final score is entered automatically, or taken in a classroom, and the final score is entered into the database by the instructor.
      • If the Test Area and Test ID fields are left blank, it is assumed the final scores will be manually entered by the instructor.
      • For a list of Test Names and Passwords associated with the Test Area entered, click the Options button.
    • To create a new course or unit, enter the Course/Unit Description AND assign a name to the associated assessment test in the TOP fields.
      • The Test Area only applies to online tests and should be left blank with other tests. If the Test Area is left blank, it is assumed the final scores will be manually entered by the instructor.
      • For a list of Test Names and Passwords associated with the Test Area entered, click the Options button.
  • Every Certification Final Exam and Course has an associated Weight.
    • Priorities are used to calculate the combined overall scores displayed when students view their records. The default Weight is 1.
    • To make one test more important in the overall combined score than another, give it a higher Weight.
  • Courses can be deleted by checking the box to the left of each course and then click the Delete Checked Courses button on the bottom of the page.
  • The entire Certification Program can be deleted by clicking the Delete Entire Program button at the bottom of the page. 

Individual Student Certification Records

  • To add or edit scores or view student records, first select the program you want from the drop down menu.
    • Only programs assigned to the current Student Area will appear in the drop down menu.
    • You must enter the password assigned to the Certification Program you select.
  • To enter or modify scores for courses or final exams, click the "Enter Scores" button at the bottom.
    • You can only enter or change scores for courses and final exams that have NOT been assigned online tests.
    • You will first be asked to select the student(s). Here you have the option of entering a student name or using the sorting codes to get a group of students.
    • The student list next appears. Click on the name of the students to view their standing on the certification program selected.
    • Here you have the option to enter or change scores of students on final exams and courses that are not associated with a Test Area. It is assumed these courses are taught in a traditional classroom and the tests are not being taken online using RoboTutor.
  • To  view the certification records for one or more students, click the View Records button.
    • The standing of specific students on any program assigned to this Student Area can be viewed.
    • You will first be asked to select the student(s). Here you have the option of entering student names or using the sorting codes to get a group of students.
    • The student list next appears. Click on the names of students to view their standing on the certification program selected.

Temporary Records

If a student takes a test that is displayed one-screen-at-a-time, and does not complete the test, a record is stored in the temp database until such a time that the student completes the test. It is important to delete the temporary records of students who do not finish tests or tutorials in order to speed processing time and save space on server.

  • When students take tests displayed on the screen one question at a time, a temporary record of their responses are saved in a special database called Temp. It is located in the System folder.
  • Those students can return at a later time and start right where they left off to finish the test or tutorial.
  • Many students, however, may never return to finish those tests. Meanwhile, the temporary database can get very large.
  • When you click the "Delete Temporary Records" button, a page appears that displays the number of tests in the record that are 1 to 4 weeks old or more.
  • You have the option to view the names of students who have taken and not completed tests during any of the five weeks, or to delete all temporary test records during those specific weeks.
  • To view the students, check the boxes to the left and click View Records.
  • To delete the records, check the boxes to the left and click Delete Records.