Our developers have improved Informetica’s ability to generate questions for both Prova Test Engine static questions, and Question Bank queried questions. By upgrading the Import tool with the ability to use a Microsoft Excel template, we have provided robust functionality and time saving measures for administrators and courseware developers.
Update Details
PROVA QUESTION IMPORT BY TEMPLATE
There was a requirement to provide improved functionality to the existing Informetica tools available to import pre-created question content into Informetica. Previously there was an Import tool available that supported the QTI XML file standard. This file type was the preferred standard for the Prova test engine as it met the needs of the main requirements at the time of development.
Historical reasoning for QTI standard:
1) At the time of development, Informetica clients already had their questions in QTI format
2) At the time of development, there needed to be a dynamic method for existing Informetica clients to re-create their “Classic/Old Evaluations” asset tests into the new Prova Test Asset as the old test engine was to be deprecated.
Added - New Import Type Based on Excel Template
There is now an ability for Informetica to import questions through the more commonly supported method of a Microsoft Excel Template. Informetica currently has a Control Panel Import tool which provides Excel templates that can be populated for various import data types. A similar method has been used for the import questions for Prova Test Questions, and this template can be distributed to courseware developers to populate. This information can subsequently be provided back to Informetica to bulk import, thus saving hours of administration.
The processing of the Import data records adheres to the same business logic used in QTI question import utility. Such as;
• The Author/Creator of the question is the person performing the Import
• Questions with identical Question Code values in any Question Bank or Prova Test Asset will have their Question Code automatically removed.
• Questions are created as ‘Active’ question status
• Questions are created as version ‘1’ of the question with respect to publishing
Added - Option to select a Type of Import
A new option toggle is displayed when importing in order to select the type of import desired. Coding and development logic has been added to import the selected type of file.
Added - Downloadable Template File
A new downloadable template file has been added for courseware authors. The template is displayed in the same location as the Import Questions feature and the Control Panel Import Templates section. The template is an Microsoft Excel document with no formatting. It includes the following headers:
• Question Type
• Question Code
• Question Text
• Feedback Correct
• Feedback Incorrect
• Random Distractors
• Distractor Text
• Distractor Correct
Template header labels and data types and values expected:
• question_type_id - Either number or value from the following list:
o 1 - Multiple Choice,
o 2 - True or False
o 6- Essay
o 8- Multiple Answer
• question_code {string char max 140}
• question_text* {string}
• feedback_correct {string}
• feedback_incorrect {string}
• random_distractors* {value of either Y or N}
• distractor_text {string}
• distractor_correct* {value of either Y or N}
The template is designed so that each question text repeats with a new distractor identified on a new row. “Flat File, or CSV design”. This is similar to the Excel and CSV output from the R503 Test Question Details Preset Report.
Import Process - Summary Display Information
A summary display has been added to the import process so that when a file is uploaded, there is an indication of what was processed on screen. It indicates the following information:
Number of questions not considered
Count of existing Question Code conflicts
Count of existing Question Text conflicts within Bank or Test
Count of invalid data records
Warnings and Information Labels
To assist courseware authors and administrators, multiple labels have been added to the Import screen to provide assistance and instruction.
The information displayed includes;
• a warning regarding the need for “No formatting in the Excel document and no embedded media” in the questions.
• an information label about supported question types (Multiple Choice, True or False, Multiple Answer)