Digital tests and the test authoring tool
Besides adaptive learning functionalities, the Drillster platform offers a wide range of digital test and exam functionalities.
It’s possible to define common exams, like certification tests or diagnostic tests. As a result, the participant gets a score and passes the test, or not. Of course, you can also offer practice exams. In this way, the participants can prepare well for the actual test.
Next to the traditional test opportunities, it’s possible to make adaptive tests. Adaptive tests are meant to define the level at which someone masters knowledge or a skill. This makes it easy to outline a personal learning path for the participants. When you compile a test from drills at different difficulty levels, Drillster can define what the participants level is at that moment. This can be the starting point for further learning. An example of an adaptive test is a language test that can determine at what level of the Common European Framework of Reference a language is mastered (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1).
Test authoring tool
The integrated test authoring tool allows you to create an extensive range of different tests and exams that respond to a large variety of conditions. The system will generate the tests with questions from one or more drills. You select existing drills when you start defining a test. Thereafter, you use the test matrix to define:
- the total number of questions per test;
- the number of questions per subtopic in a test;
- the number of questions per drill and the weight of these questions;
- if the question selection and filtering is based on question tags;
- the order of questions and answer options (fixed or random);
- the result disclosure (overall score, score per subtopic, overview of correct/incorrect answers, feedback to answers, etc.);
- the way to calculate the result (test score transformations);
- the possibilities for question navigation;
- if a test can be submitted with or without unanswered questions;
- the time limits for questions;
- the time limits for the test.
The actual test is generated at the moment the participant starts the test.
Test distribution
Once a test is defined, it can be distributed to the target group. For the distribution, you can define the number of test attempts, deadlines and time frames during which the test can be taken. Notifications and reminders can be sent to invite the participants to make the test in time. If questions in a test are also used in drills (adaptive learning modules) in the participants’ library, then the results will affect the drill score (proficiency). This ensures that the Drillster algorithm defines the optimal learning path for each individual user.
You can choose to let the target group make the test via the Drillster web or mobile app, or integrated into the LMS that you use. When the participants need to come to a certain physical location, it is also possible to take the test without a Drillster user account. You can give each participant a unique code to log in. In that case, the results will not affect any drill proficiency.
Reporting and dashboard
When defining a test, many different test score transformations can be chosen. In this way, the author has a huge flexibility to determine how the test results are calculated, shown (percentage, mark from 1 to 10, mark rounded off at 0.1 or 0.5, etc.), and reported. With the test score transformations, you can also set at what score the participant passes or fails the test.
Depending on the settings the authors chose, the users can have insight into the results of their own tests. This can vary between ‘passed’, not passed’, a percentage, a mark, with/without feedback, and more. Administrators have insight into the test results of a predefined population: overall result, result per subtopic, time spent on the test, number of questions answered correctly, incorrectly, answers submitted, etc. Also, the administrators can view the test submission rate among the population.
Change management
As an administrator, you can make changes or updates to questions or answer options at any time. You can determine when the processed changes can become available in the tests. No need to redefine your tests or exams, you can just update the underlying questions and release the updates. The updated questions are immediately available to the next participant who takes a test.