The Test/Assessment feature allows you to perform pre, post, and other tests of the content programs with the students.  You can determine if a student already knows a program before you start training it, or you can verify the student has retained a program if you no longer have that program in active training or maintenance.  You can also compare performance on programs with different settings to help understand the student’s strengths and weaknesses in learning. 

To use the Test Feature, do the following:

·      Start the DT Trainer Administration.

·      Select the Student Administration Tab.

·      Select the desired student from the drop down list.

Click the Programs button.

Select the program that you want to test by clicking on the program name.

Insure the Actions tab is selected.

Click the Test button.

Test Configuration Dialog

To run a test:

1.  Name the test “Pre Test”, “Post Test”, or another appropriate test name.

2.  Select which items to test using the drop down menu or by double clicking the item names.  To test all items or the previously tested items, do nothing.

3.  Check marks “√” and question marks “?” show which items are to be tested.

4.  Enter related notes for this test.  You can document program settings or other relevant information now or later.

5.  Click the Run Test button to start the test.  Each selected item is tested in order and no feedback is given to the student to indicate a correct or incorrect answer.  After the items are tested, you will be given a chance to either save the results or discard them.

You can check the Reinforce check box to provide reinforcements at the student’s reinforcement rate.  By default, reinforcement is not provided during the test.

Hover the mouse pointer over one of the Tip icons for information on using the test feature.

Print the current and previous test results for this program.

Test Summary…

Test Name

Test Date

Test Time

Percent correct of tested

Percent tested of total items

Note: You can click on the column name to select the test to edit the Test name or Notes.

 Item                          #      S          Test

#-Number:  For each of the items listed, the column with the numbers give the test order.

S-State:  The column with U is the current state of each item.  The possible values are U: Untrained, T: Train, R: Random, M: Maintenance, and P: Proficient

Test:  The column with C and I indicate the student’s response for each item where C: Correct, and I: Incorrect.

You have the option of selecting how many of the items you wish to train.  The number of program items range from a few to about 100.  For smaller programs you can just test all items.  For larger programs, reduce the number of tested items.  You can change the selected items by choosing one of the options on the drop down menu.

You can double click item names to either select or unselect them.  Selected items will have a check “√” and unselected items will have a minus “-” sign.

The Test Program dialog allows you to select the program items to be tested as well as name, and you can also enter notes concerning the test.  You will be able to start the test for the student and monitor him using the system.  The test results are provided to easily compare with any previous tests and can be printed to provide a hard copy record. 

It is a good idea to determine if the student really does not know a program before training him on it.  You can use this information to more accurately adjust the program items to the Random or Maintenance modes for programs he knows but needs to practice, or would tend to forget.  You can also periodically test programs that have been learned and are not being maintained to verify that he still knows them.

The test feature is very useful for fully registered direct instruction installations.  However, the test feature will run even on unregistered systems.  This means that the test feature is a free tool that can be run separately from direct instruction installations.  Just install the DT Trainer, the program will run fully for 30 days, but then the direct instruction capability of the program will time out if the DT Trainer is not registered.  The installation remains active for support and assessment purposes… for free!