Creating and Deploying Tests

New : Watch a closed captioned movie that shows you how to create and deploy test

Instructors use BeachBoard tests to check the knowledge and skill level of users enrolled in courses. Tests can be used as either examinations or homework assignments and permit instructors to assign point values to each question. When a Student completes a test it is submitted to BeachBoard for grading. The results are recorded in the Gradebook.

Before creating a test, instructors should take time to consider the structure of the test they want to create and the types of questions that will be included. Instructors should also consider deployment and setting options, such as test presentation and feedback, how the test will be graded, and the availability of multiple attempts.

In addition, instructors should also consider what type of knowledge is being tested and select question types tailored to the subject matter. For example, on an English test, a series of Short Answer questions may be the best format, while for a Science test, a mix of Multiple Choice, Matching and Fill in the Blank questions would better test student knowledge. It is also helpful to consider flexibility when scoring questions. Will partial credit be acceptable for some or all questions? Are some questions very difficult and may count as extra credit?

Finally, instructors should be aware that there is currently no technological solution in BeachBoard or, for that matter, in any other online assessment tool to completely prevent students from cheating on a test, sharing a test's questions and answers with other students, copying and pasting test questions to an external file, manually writing the test questions and answers on a piece of paper, taking photographs of the test questions and answers, or recording a movie of the test using a screen recorder software program or video camera.

Utilizing a variety of assessment tools designed to support faculty efforts to enforce academic integrity is highly recommended.  Alternative assessment can include many BeachBoard tools.

Step One: Add a Test

1. Login to BeachBoard. https://beachboard.csulb.edu/
2. Under My Courses, click the name of the course into which you would like to create a test.
3. Click the course's Control Panel link.
4. Under Assessment, click the Test Manager link.
5. Click the Add Test button
6. Key in the test's name [required], description, and instructions. The instructions should be identical to the instructions you would give your students for an in-class, paper-based test and should inform your students of how to take the test, what outside materials are or are not allowed, what time limit the students have to complete the test [if any], etc.
7. Click the Submit button

Step Two: Set the Creation Settings

Once you add a test, BeachBoard automatically opens the Test Canvas where you can add, modify, or remove questions. [You can return to the Test Canvas at any time by clicking on the Test Manager link in your course Control Panel and then clicking the Modify button to the right of the test's name.]

Before you create your first question, you need to the set the test's options, such as question feedback, categorization of questions, and default point value.

1. Click the Creation Settings link to the right of the Go button at the top of the Test Canvas page.
2. Select the appropriate options:
   • Provide feedback for individual answers - Select this check box to include the option to enter feedback for individual answers rather then just one set of feedback for correct or incorrect answers. Individual feedback cannot be provided for answers in True/False questions, Multiple Answer questions, Ordering and Matching questions.
   • Add images, files, and external links to questions - Select this check box to include the option to attach images, files, and external links to questions.
   • Add images, files, and external links to answers - Select this check box to include the option to attach images, files, and external links to answers.
   • Add categories, topics, levels of difficulty, and keywords to questions - Select this check box to include the option to create categories for questions. This option also enables instructors to add keywords to questions. When searching for questions from a Question Pool or other tests, instructors may search for questions by category and keyword.
   • Specify default point value for questions - Select this option and all questions will automatically have the same point value. Enter the point value in the Default point value: field. Instructors must set the Default Point Value before creating questions for it to be effective. If the default point value is changed, only questions created after it is modified will have the new point value. Questions created before the modification will have the old point value. For example, set the Default Point Value to ten then create questions in the test. These questions will have a point value of ten. Next, change the Default Point Value to 15, and create additional questions in the test. These new questions will have a point value of 15, but the questions created initially will still have a point value of ten.
   • Specify partial credit options for answers - Select this option to make partial credit available for questions included in this test. If selected, an option to give partial credit appears when questions are created.
   • Specify random ordering of answers - Select this option to make random ordering available for answers included in this test. If selected, an option to randomize the ordering of answers appears when questions are created.
   • Specify horizontal or vertical display of answers - Select this option to make answer display options available for this test. If selected, an option to display answers horizontally or vertically [default] appears when questions are created.
   • Specify numbering options for answers - Select this option to numbering options available for answers included in this test. By default, test answers do not a letter or number preceding those answers.
3. Click the Submit button.
4. BeachBoard displays a receipt showing what settings have been changed. Click the OK button to return to the Test Canvas.

Step Three: Add Questions

In the Test Canvas [which you can access at any time by clicking on the Test Manager link in your course Control Panel and then clicking the Modify button to the right of the test's name.] there is a pull-down list that lets you add several different types of questions to your test. Choose the appropriate question type and click the Go button.

• To add a question between existing questions, click the drop-down menu in the Add Question menu, select a type of question to add, and click the Add Question Here button in the location where the question should appear.
• To change the order of the questions, click the drop-down list to the left of a particular question. Select a new order for the questions using the numbers in the drop-down list.
• To modify a question, click the Modify button to the right of the question.
• To remove a question, click the Remove button to the right of the question. A confirmation box will appear. Removing a question is irreversible.

BeachBoard offers the following question types:

• Calculated Formula Questions
• Calculated Numeric Questions
• Either/Or Questions
• Essay Questions
• File Response Questions
• Fill in Multiple Blanks Questions
• Fill in the Blank Questions
• Hot Spot Questions
• Jumbled Sentence Questions
• Matching Questions
• Multiple Answer Questions
• Multiple-Choice Questions
• Opinion Scale/Likert Questions
• Ordering Questions
• Quiz Bowl Questions
• Short Answer Questions
• True/False Questions
• Random Block Questions
• From a Question Pool or Assessment Questions
• Upload Questions

Step Four: Deploy the Test

To deploy a test to the students,

1. Access your course's Control Panel
2. Under Content Areas, click the Assignments link.
3. Click the Test button.
4. In the Add Test window, click on the test you would like to deploy. If you have not yet created a test, click on the Create button and please return to Step One: Add a Test
5. Click the Submit button.
6. BeachBoard will display a receipt showing the test has been successfully added. Click the OK button.
7. Click one of the Modify Test options link

• Test Options allow the Instructor to modify the name and description of a Test, as well as, set up the availability, presentation, and feedback for a Test. These options are only available once a test is added to a Content Area.
• After a Test is added, the Modify Test page appears, select Modify the Test Options to open the Test Options page. To make modifications to existing Test Options select Modify next to the Test in the Content Area.

Instructors have the following Test Availability options:

• Make the link available - Select Yes if this test will ever be given to the Students. If this option is set to No, the test will never be available to the students. Instructors may make the link available, then use the Display After and Display Until fields to limit the amount of time the link appears.
• Add a new announcement for this Test - Select Yes to create an Announcement about the test. The Announcement will include the date and state "an Assessment has been made available in [Course area that includes the link to the Assessment]". This Announcement will appear in the course Announcements.
• Allow multiple attempts - This option allows Students to take the test multiple times.
• Force Completion - Students must complete the test the first time it is launched if Force Completion is selected. Students may not exit the test and continue working on it at a later date. The Save button is available for Students to save the test as they work through it, but they may not exit and re-enter the test. If the Force Completion option is enabled, it is noted and explained to the students at the top of the test. If Force Completion is not enabled, students may save their progress and complete the test at another time.
• Set Timer - Select this check box to set a time limit for finishing the test. If this option is selected, enter the amount of time to allow for the test in the hours and minutes boxes below. The time elapsed is displayed to the student during the assessment. A one-minute warning is also displayed as students approach the time limit. When the time is up,
  the system will let the students continue taking the quiz but when the instructor checks the student score, it will flag the student entry as having gone above the time limit so the instructor becomes aware of this.
• Display After - Select the date and time when the test will become available to students. This field is optional; the instructor may control availability through the Make the link available option without setting specific dates.
• Display Until - Select the date and time the test will be made unavailable to Students. This field may be left blank.
• Password - Select this check box to require a password for Students to access this test. If this check box is selected, enter a password in the field below. Passwords cannot be longer than 15 characters. Passwords are case sensitive.

Instructors have the following Self-assessment Options:

• Include this test in Gradebook score calculations - Select this check box to include this test in the Gradebook calculations and weighing.
• Hide the score of this test from the Gradebook - Select this check box to hide the test grade from the Gradebook.

Instructors also have the following Test Feedback options:

• Score Only - Only the final score is presented.
• Detailed Results - The students see their answers, whether those answers are correct, and the final score, but not the correct answers.
• Show Correct Answers - The students see their answers, the correct answers, and the final score, but not any question feedback.
• Detailed Results, Correct Answers, and Feedback - The students see their answers, the correct answers, feedback for the questions, and the final score.

Finally, instructors have the following Test Presentation options:

• Presentation Mode: All at Once - This presents the entire test on one screen. This is NOT recommended.
• One at a Time Display - This displays the test one question at a time [highly recommended]. The screen includes navigation tools to move between questions. The Submit button will only appear on the last page of the Test.
• Prohibit Backtracking - This prevents students from returning to questions they have already answered. If backtracking is prohibited, the buttons <<, <, or >> do not appear to Students during the test. These buttons will appear if backtracking is not prohibited.
• Randomize Questions - This displays questions in a random order each time the Assessment is taken.

Once you have set the Test Availability, Test Feedback, and Test Presentation options, click the Submit button. This completes the test deployment process.

BeachBoard Tips and Trick for Quizzes and Surveys