ClearLearning has updated Test Pilot Enterprise, an e-learning software tool designed to make the delivery of online tests, tutorials and surveys quick and simple, according to Chief Technical Officer Malcolm Duncan.
The new version, 4.1, now supports the ability to have pooled string random variables. Thus you can create problems like “How many nickels does [name] have if they total $0.15?” with the name being a variable that can be set to one of [Joe, Mary, Fred, etc.] The variables can be words or phrases, but can’t contain commas, equal signs or semicolons. This capability may be used with all question types.
“An assessment’s submission report page that lists how many times each participant has made a submission (if at all) now includes a box where you can issue a custom message to the slackers who haven’t taken the test or a general message to all participants,” Duncan told MacCentral. “The message will automatically include a link to the test.”
As of Test Pilot Enterprise 4.1, the Test Pilot administrator can now build a tree structured library of tests that can be checked out by any author. The library can be used to share tests between authors or to archive tests. Security information (user and computer lists) associated with a test aren’t stored in the library so they can’t be compromised, Duncan said.
Test Pilot indices can now be turned on and off by the administrator; this includes access to all of the tests within the index. Plus, Test Pilot indices and tests now have a creation and modification time listed on their administrative screen entries.
ClearLearning is a Java developer (under Mac OS) and delivers their product to Mac OS (including Mac OS X), Windows and Linux/UNIX users. Test Pilot is a software package designed for the automated creation of assessments for delivery and response collection using a Web server. Optionally, it can automatically score responses. Test Pilot consists of a question authoring database and a Web server extension to both administer the assessments and record, score and retrieve user responses — all without requiring any knowledge of HTML, programming or the more complex issues of Web development, Duncan said.
Test Pilot Enterprise permits corporate trainers and instructors at schools and universities to rapidly develop and deploy surveys and tests to anyone with an Internet connection and a Web browser. Test Pilot is in use at over 250 companies, schools, colleges and universities in 14 countries.