TestNav 7 Combined Technical Guide

Transcription

TestNav 7
Combined
Technical Guide
February 2015
Have a question?
Contact Pearson’s Austin Operations Center
at 800-627-0225
for technical support
Monday–Friday, 7:30 am–5:30 pm (CT)
Updated February 2015
Copyright © 2015, Texas Education Agency. All rights reserved.
TESTNAV
Table of Contents
NOTES
1.0 Overview............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Who Should Use This Guide?.................................................................... 1
1.2 Who Should I Contact for Technical Support?........................................... 1
2.0 Texas Assessment Management System Technical Guidelines........................ 2
2.1 Hardware, Software, Operating System, and Web Browser
Recommendations.................................................................................. 2
Additional Java Information............................................................. 3
2.2 Firewall....................................................................................................... 4
2.3 Proxy Servers/Content Filtering.................................................................. 4
Proxy Environments................................................................................ 5
2.4 Email Domain Names................................................................................. 5
3.0 TestNav Technology Guidelines......................................................................... 6
3.1 Network Setup............................................................................................ 6
3.2 IPv4 Network ............................................................................................. 6
3.3 Windows Firewall Settings.......................................................................... 6
3.4 Internet Bandwidth..................................................................................... 7
3.5 Wireless Testing......................................................................................... 8
3.5.1 Planning a Wireless Network......................................................... 8
3.5.2 Wireless Protocols/Standards........................................................ 8
3.6 Deployment................................................................................................ 9
3.6.1 Preparing Your Online Testing Environment................................... 9
3.6.2 Disable Applications and Processes............................................. 9
3.7 TestNav Logs........................................................................................... 10
3.8 Launching TestNav ................................................................................. 10
3.9 Security Warning—Trusting TestNav Content and Certificates................ 11
3.9.1 Windows and Mac Settings......................................................... 12
3.9.2 Windows Security Warning.......................................................... 14
3.9.3 Windows Browser Settings.......................................................... 14
3.9.4 Macintosh® OS X Security Warning............................................. 16
4.0 Proctor Caching............................................................................................... 17
4.1 Installation and Configuration of Proctor Caching................................... 17
4.2 Pre-Installation Planning........................................................................... 18
4.2.1 Best Practices for Installation and Configuration......................... 18
4.3 Windows Platform Installation.................................................................. 18
4.3.1 Tips on Proctor Caching.............................................................. 20
4.4 Macintosh Platform Installation................................................................ 21
4.4.1 Tips on Proctor Caching.............................................................. 22
4.5 Configuring TestNav to Use Proctor Caching.......................................... 23
4.5.1 Selecting Default TestNav Settings ............................................. 26
4.5.2 Editing TestNav Settings.............................................................. 28
4.5.3 Deleting TestNav Settings............................................................ 28
4.5.4 Creating a New Organization-Based Configuration.................... 30
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NOTES
4.5.5 Creating a Custom Session Configuration................................... 32
4.5.6Viewing an Existing Configuration............................................... 32
4.5.7Editing and Deleting an Existing Configuration........................... 33
4.6 Caching Test Content............................................................................... 34
4.6.1 Caching Test Content.................................................................. 34
4.6.2 Monitoring Proctor Caching......................................................... 37
4.6.2.1 Viewing the status of content caching by test form .......... 37
4.6.2.2 Viewing the status of content caching by computer.......... 38
4.6.3 Refreshing Download Content from the Proctor
Caching Computer .................................................................... 39
4.6.4 Reloading Test Content from the Proctor Caching Computer .... 40
4.6.5 Purging Test Content from the Proctor Caching Computer ........ 41
4.6.6 Purging Client from the Proctor Caching Computer ................... 41
5.0 System Check for TestNav............................................................................... 43
5.1 System Check Tools................................................................................. 43
5.2 Configuration for TestNav......................................................................... 43
5.2.1 Network User Capacity................................................................ 44
5.2.2 Adding Proctor Caching Computers........................................... 45
5.2.3 Editing/Deleting Proctor Caching Computers.............................. 46
5.2.3.1 Editing a proctor caching computer.................................. 46
5.2.3.2 Deleting a proctor caching computer................................ 46
5.3 Testing Volume Calculator........................................................................ 46
5.3.1 Scenarios..................................................................................... 47
5.3.2 Using the Test Volume Calculator................................................ 47
5.3.3 Testing Parameters...................................................................... 48
6.0 The Early Warning System (EWS).................................................................... 50
6.1 Desktop Restoration Products................................................................. 50
6.2 Situations that Trigger the EWS................................................................ 50
6.3 EWS Message Screens............................................................................ 50
6.3.1 Please Notify Your Teacher or Test Proctor ................................. 51
6.3.2 Unable to Save Student Response File....................................... 51
6.3.3 View Responses.......................................................................... 52
6.3.4 No Saved Response File in Designated Location....................... 53
6.3.5 Saved Response File Cannot Be Read....................................... 54
6.3.6 Saved Response File Located..................................................... 55
6.3.7 Unable to Communicate with the Testing Server ........................ 55
6.3.8 If the EWS Screen Displays the Retry Button ............................. 56
6.3.9 If the EWS Screen Displays the Close TestNav Button................ 56
6.4 “Resume Test” Function in Session Management.................................... 57
6.5 Circumstances That Launch the EWS...................................................... 58
Appendix A: Readiness Checklist.......................................................................... 59
Appendix B: Basic Troubleshooting....................................................................... 60
Appendix C: Oath of Test Security and Confidentiality for Technology Staff......... 62
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1.0 Overview
NOTES
This Combined Technical Guide provides a single source of technology guidelines for
successfully administering online assessments. This guide contains technical information
covering
■■
■■
the Texas Assessment Management System, delivered through PearsonAccess;
and
TestNav™ version 7, which is a browser-based test delivery system.
This guide covers six main topics
■■
technology considerations of the Assessment Management System
■■
technology considerations of TestNav 7
■■
proctor caching
■■
verification of proctor caching functionality (a quick start approach)
■■
the TestNav 7 System Check Utility
■■
the TestNav 7 Early Warning System (EWS)
NOTE: It may be necessary to contact your internal IT staff for help following the
guidelines outlined in this document.
1.1 Who Should Use This Guide?
This guide is for technology personnel who provide support to users of the Assessment
Management System and the TestNav test delivery system.
1.2 Who Should I Contact for Technical Support?
For technical support, contact Pearson’s Austin Operations Center.
Call 800-627-0225
Monday–Friday, 7:30 am–5:30 pm (CT)
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NOTES
2.0 Texas Assessment Management
System Technical Guidelines
By following these guidelines, you can obtain optimal performance for your computer
system and network environment as you perform the tasks necessary for administering
online assessments. This section covers the following topics:
■■
recommended hardware
■■
recommended software
■■
recommended Web browser combinations
■■
other software considerations
2.1 Hardware, Software, Operating System, and Web
Browser Recommendations
The minimum and recommended technical requirements for all computers accessing the
Assessment Management System and TestNav are available as a separate document at
http://www.TexasAssessment.com/reqs or on the Information page of the Assessment
Management System at Resources > Information > Technology Information.
NOTE: Microsoft® discontinued support of the Windows® XP operating system on
April 8, 2014. Based on information from Microsoft, “End of support refers to the date
when Microsoft no longer provides automatic fixes, updates, or online technical
assistance. . . . Without Microsoft support, you will no longer receive security updates
that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious
software. . . . For more information go to Microsoft Support Lifecycle.” Pearson
recommends upgrading any computers that will be used for online testing. While XP
should remain functional with TestNav through May 2015, Pearson cannot guarantee
TestNav will continue to work as a result of unforeseen issues specific to the Windows XP
operating system.
These recommendations are based on the operating systems and browsers that have
been tested by Pearson’s Software Quality and Testing team and are fully supported for
use with both the Assessment Management System and TestNav. These recommendations
provide the system requirements necessary for administering online tests using the
Assessment Management System. However, your computer manufacturer and operating
system manufacturer’s Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) should also be reviewed by
your technical staff.
Refer to https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/TN7p5/Technical+Bulletins for
any technical updates that affect online testing.
NOTE: As a general rule regarding optimal student experiences for online testing, any
computer that takes noticeably longer (e.g., 10 seconds or more) to start and run
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applications, even those that meet the minimum requirements, should not be used for
online testing.
NOTES
Additional Java Information
With Oracle’s Critical Patch Updates (CPUs), the current version of your Java will be
checked, and you may be notified that an update is available.
For a list of Oracle’s scheduled updates, refer to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/
topics/security/alerts-086861.html. Information on how Oracle updates affect online
testing and proctor caching can be found at http://www.TexasAssessment.com/
TN7requirements.
The following computer configurations will NOT be affected by Oracle updates to Java,
and proctor caching functionality and online testing will continue uninterrupted. For
online testing, the computer configurations must also “pass” System Check and have a
successful TestNav login verification.
■■
a computer running Java 6 (1.6x) on a Mac with Safari
■■
a computer running Java 6 on Windows with Chrome or Firefox
■■
a computer running Java 5 (1.5x) or Java 6 on Windows with Internet Explorer
■■
a computer running Java 7 with the expiration check disabled
•• For Oracle’s directions on disabling the expiration check, go to http://www
.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/7u40-relnotes-2004172.html.
•• For the location of the deployment configuration and properties, go to http://
docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/technotes/guides/jweb/jcp/properties.html.
Windows and Mac computers running Java 7 not configured as described above will
receive notice of Java updates from Oracle. Oracle will require that the update be
made—even when a school may be in the middle of online testing. Students’ test
sessions could be disrupted. Proctor caching and TestNav (and any other java applet)
will not run until the update is made.
Additional information about Java updates from Oracle is available in the Tips for Online
Testing document located on the Information page of the Assessment Management
System at Resources >Information > Technology Information.
For the most up-to-date information on Java updates as they relate to online testing, refer
to the Java technical bulletin at http://www.TexasAssessment.com/java.
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NOTES
2.2 Firewall
If there is a firewall between the computers being used for testing and/or proctor caching
and the Internet, the following destination/protocol/port combinations must be allowed
through the firewall:
Domain Name
Protocol/Port
https://proctorcaching.pearsonaccess.com
TCP/https port: 443
http://tx.testnav.com
TCP/http port: 80
TCP/https port: 443
http://txstatic.testnav.com
TCP/http port: 80
TCP/https port: 443
https://www.pearsonaccess.com
TCP/http port: 80
TCP/https port: 443
2.3 Proxy Servers/Content Filtering
To access the Assessment Management System, the following URLs must not be blocked
on any proxy servers or by any software that is used for Internet content filtering:
4
Domain Name
Protocol/Port
https://proctorcaching.pearsonaccess.com
TCP/https port: 443
http://tx.testnav.com
TCP/http port: 80
TCP/https port: 443
http://txstatic.testnav.com
TCP/http port: 80
TCP/https port: 443
https://www.pearsonaccess.com
TCP/http port: 80
TCP/https port: 443
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Proxy Environments
NOTES
Many school districts use proxy servers in their network environments. Proxy servers are
placed between client computers and the Internet and are used to forward requests from
internal computers to the Internet. Proxy servers may perform some or all of the following
functions:
■■
Protocol filtering controls which protocols are forwarded to the Internet.
■■
User authentication controls who can access the Internet.
■■
Machine authentication controls which computers can access the Internet.
■■
Content filtering controls what Internet content users can access.
■■
Content caching speeds access for frequently visited sites.
In order for an application to access the Internet in a proxy-server environment, the
application must know the hostname and port number of the proxy server. Once the
application recognizes the proxy server, it sends all requests for network services to the
proxy server for processing. The proxy server receives the incoming requests and
determines what to do with them. If all of the functions listed above have been
implemented, the proxy server should be able to
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
verify that the protocol of the request is serviceable (e.g., ICMP, UDP, etc., may
be blocked by the proxy server);
ask the user to authenticate that the proxy server does not already recognize the
user as being logged in;
verify that the source address of the request is on the list of allowed computers;
verify that the requested network object is not blocked, for example, by an
Internet content filter—most Internet content filter vendors provide lists of sites
organized by category that administrators can decide to block or allow; and
check the proxy server’s local disk to see whether the requested object is
cached—if the object is cached, the proxy server will send it directly to the
requestor without having to access it from the Internet.
If the request passes all of the above steps, the proxy server then stores a record of the
request in memory and issues its own request for the same object out to the Internet.
When the reply returns to the proxy server, the server matches the reply to the original
request stored in memory and forwards the reply to the original requestor.
2.4 Email Domain Names
Local and/or district email systems must be configured to accept emails from the
following domains:
Domain Name
@support.pearson.com
@pearson.com
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NOTES
3.0 TestNav Technology Guidelines
Test delivery computers are used to deliver online assessments to students. Students
access online assessments through TestNav.
3.1 Network Setup
TestNav may fail or not perform optimally if the network, hardware and software, and
other technical aspects of the testing environment are not set up correctly.
Refer to section 2.0 of this guide to correctly configure the firewalls, proxy servers, and
domains used to deploy TestNav.
3.2 IPv4 Network
Your network must be set up to use IPv4 DNS (Domain Name System) servers. Currently,
IPv4 is the standard method for how computers communicate with each other. Because
there is a finite number of IP addresses that can be used with IPv4, a newer version
called IPv6 was developed. An example of an IPv4 address is 192.168.1.1 and an
example of an IPv6 address is 2012:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334.
If you have not made any explicit changes to use only IPv6 for DNS, you should not have
any issues. You will know if this is properly configured because your TestNav and proctor
cache computers will communicate properly with one another. If you do not have any
network issues between these computers, no action is required. If there are problems,
contact your network administrator.
3.3 Windows Firewall Settings
The following provides information about configuring two critical Windows firewall
settings. These settings allow TestNav to function properly and help maintain connectivity
during testing.
Improper security settings may prevent Flash® items from displaying correctly or may
even cause the test session to end prematurely.
NOTE: These directions may vary slightly depending on the version of Microsoft
operating system being used.
To allow Flash delivery on Windows computers, the javaw.exe file must be listed as
an exception in the Windows Firewall Settings.
1.Go to Control Panel > Windows Firewall > Exceptions.
2.Check to see whether javaw or javaw.exe is listed under Programs and
Services.
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3.If either javaw or the javaw.exe file is listed, make sure that the checkbox is
selected for the file. The “checked” box marks the file as an exception. Verify that
the file is specified for the location where JavaTM is installed, the workstation path:
C:\program files\java\jre\bin\javaw.exe.
NOTES
4.If neither javaw nor javaw.exe is listed, click the Add Program button and scroll to
javaw.exe in your Java directory. (Typically the file is in C:\program files\java\jre\
bin\javaw.exe.)
5.After locating the file, double-click the javaw.exe. The file will then be added to
the list in the Exceptions dialog box and should be in “checked” status, which
marks it as an exception in the firewall settings.
The Windows Data Execution and Prevention (DEP) feature can interfere with test
delivery. It may cause items to not display to test takers when it is turned on for all
programs and services on computers running the XP operating system. If you are
delivering content on computers running XP, set DEP for Windows programs and services
only.
1.Go to Control Panel > System > Advanced tab.
2.Click the Settings button (under Performance).
3.Click on the Data Execution Prevention tab.
4.Select the “Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only”
option.
5.Click the OK button.
3.4 Internet Bandwidth
All communications for administrative tasks and test delivery occur via TCP/IP. All
computers must have TCP/IP installed and the network must be capable of routing traffic
to the Internet. Prior to testing, an analysis should be performed to determine whether
network bottlenecks exist and at what level of usage they potentially will impact testing.
The protocol/port combinations used are:
Protocol/Port
Function
http/80
https/443
test delivery and administrative computers
https/443
administrative computers
Prior to using TestNav, it is important to measure the available Internet bandwidth of your
environment. Available bandwidth can vary depending on the time and whether the
Internet connection is shared by multiple locations or if it is managed at a higher level,
such as a district or region level. You can determine available bandwidth either by using
various Internet speed tools or by using the performance tools that may be included in
your campus content filter or network management tools. Your available bandwidth will
determine how many students will be able to test simultaneously.
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NOTES
3.5 Wireless Testing
The key to successful online testing on any network is a steady Internet connection with
enough bandwidth to support the number of students testing at a given time. The number
of access points needed for coverage, along with the location of each, is dependent on
several factors: the number of students using the access point(s), the wireless protocols
used, and the interference sources in the building (e.g., wires, pipes, wall and stud types,
other signals, etc.).
Pearson recommends the following guidelines:
■■
■■
Proctor caching computers should be on a wired connection, instead of wireless.
Wireless access points’ sustained throughput has been tested and is able to
support at least 43 Kbps per wireless device.
3.5.1 Planning a Wireless Network
A radio frequency (RF) site survey is a good first step in the deployment of a
wireless network and is the most important step to ensure desired operation. A site
survey is a task-by-task process during which a surveyor studies the facility to understand
the RF behavior, maps RF coverage areas, checks for RF interference, and determines
the appropriate placement of wireless devices.
Do an RF site survey for each location. Sites that appear to be similar may be noticeably
different in wireless network configurations, placement, and equipment.
3.5.2 Wireless Protocols/Standards
The wireless protocol used or supported by a wireless network can also determine the
network’s speed, and thus the quality of the online testing experience for students. Please
review and consider the following protocols/standards:
8
IEEE
2.4GHz
Platform
Actual
(Max)
Realistic
(Max)
Realistic
(Max)
Standard
Max Raw
Data Rate
TCP Data
Rate
Indoor
Range
Users per
Access Point
802.11b
11 Mbps
6.5 Mbps
100 ft
15–20
802.11a
54 Mbps
(5 GHz)
25 Mbps
100 ft
15–20
802.11g
54 Mbps
24.7 Mbps
100 ft
15–20
802.11n
540 Mbps
200 Mbps
160 ft
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General protocol recommendations are
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
NOTES
Use a consistent protocol (e.g., n), as opposed to mixing protocols (e.g., some a,
g, and n), if possible.
The farther away from an access point and the more users accessing it, the more
your data rate/speed decreases.
The figures in the table were calculated at an indoor distance of approximately
30 feet.
802.11n Max Users per Access Point is calculated considering b/g wireless
devices are in use.
802.11n Actual Max TCP Data Rate is considered only if all wireless devices are
also 802.11n and the network is capable of reaching and utilizing those speeds.
3.6 Deployment
3.6.1 Preparing Your Online Testing Environment
For maximum reliability, performance, and security during online testing, background
applications, auto-update features, and programs that are scheduled to connect to the
Internet should be disabled or reconfigured. Some examples are as follows:
■■
■■
■■
Anti-virus auto-update features should be disabled or rescheduled for a time that
is outside the TestNav testing window.
A Safari® auto-update or a JVM auto-update can potentially negatively affect the
TestNav testing platform. Therefore, disable the Apple® Software Update function
during test delivery windows.
If you do not want Apple to automatically notify you when a software update is
available, go to Settings > Software Update and deselect the “Check For
Updates” checkbox.
3.6.2 Disable Applications and Processes
The TestNav platform does not permit access to other desktop applications (including
applications that may be launched automatically) without terminating the test.
To ensure maximum reliability, performance, and security during testing, we strongly
recommend that only those applications and processes needed for online testing be
running on test delivery computers before TestNav is accessed.
Configure the following common applications to prevent them from launching during
testing sessions:
■■
anti-virus software performing automatic updates
■■
power management software on laptops warning of low battery levels
■■
screen savers
■■
email with auto message notification
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NOTES
■■
Instant Messaging (IM) software
■■
User Account Control (UAC)
■■
java auto-updates
3.7 TestNav Logs
TestNav creates a directory called “logs” within the Pearson folder in the user’s profile
directory. TestNav client logging captures the current system output and error messages
for diagnostic purposes. This information is helpful should you need to contact Pearson’s
technical support team for assistance.
If TestNav shuts down successfully, the log file will be automatically removed from the
system.
■■
If TestNav does not shut down successfully, you can reference section 6.0
regarding the Early Warning System. You can also call the toll-free number to
Pearson’s Austin Operations Center (in section 1.2) for instructions on retrieving
the log file.
3.8 Launching TestNav
When students take a test online, they will launch TestNav in a browser window from the
student computer. To launch TestNav:
1.Open a new browser window.
Enter (or select)
the URL from
the student
authorization.
NOTE: The
letters at the
end of the URL
after the “/” refer
to your testing
program. Be
sure to enter the
URL exactly as
printed on the
student
authorization.
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2.Type the TestNav URL into the address bar and press the Enter key. You should
now see the TestNav Login screen. If you do not, check that you have entered the
URL exactly as printed on the student authorization.
NOTES
A test administrator can print student authorizations from the Session Details screen
of the Assessment Management System.
When launched, TestNav will confirm that supported versions of the Flash player and
Java are installed.
NOTE: As a best practice, your technology staff may want to launch TestNav on any
computer to be used during testing. The operating system might issue a security
warning prompt that will require your technologist to “trust” the TestNav Java applet. In
order to successfully launch TestNav, follow the specific instructions in the “Security
Warning” section that follows.
3.9 Security Warning—Trusting TestNav Content
and Certificates
Because TestNav is browser based, you must “trust” the TestNav Java applet the first
time TestNav is launched on a computer. This is required by the browser in order to
launch TestNav. The instructions that follow provide the initial steps for trusting the
TestNav Java applet. It is important that you do not bypass the warning screen and
go directly to the TestNav Login screen.
The following on-screen message indicates that the security warning message has been
bypassed, and the TestNav Java applet is not yet “trusted.”
Note that the following error message may vary slightly depending on the version of
operating system.
You did not accept the applet permission/digital signature request, and
TestNav cannot run properly without it. Please close your browser (all
windows), re-launch, return to this page, and accept the applet permission/
digital signature request when prompted.
Once the security warning appears, use the instructions that follow to trust the TestNav
applet.
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NOTES
3.9.1 Windows and Mac Settings
If the following screen appears when the TestNav Java applet attempts to download,
click the No button to continue to the TestNav Login screen.
To avoid this error message in the future, change your settings as follows.
Windows
1.Access the Java Control Panel and click the Advanced tab. Directions for
accessing the Java Control Panel within different operating systems are listed
below.
■■
■■
■■
Windows 8: Press the Windows logo key and the W key to open a Search box.
Enter “Java Control Panel” in the Search box. Click the Java icon to open the
Java Control Panel.
Windows 7 or Vista®: Click the Start button and select the “Control Panel”
option. Enter “Java Control Panel” in the Java Control Panel Search box. Click
the Java icon to open the Java Control Panel.
Windows XP: Click the Start button and select the “Control Panel” option.
Double click the Java icon to open the Java Control Panel.
2.Depending on your version of Windows, scroll down to Mixed code (sandboxed
vs. trusted) security verification or click the plus sign next to Security and then
click the plus sign next to Mixed code (sandboxed vs. trusted) security
verification.
3.Select the option “Enable – hide warning and run with projections.”
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4.Click the Apply button.
NOTES
Mac
1.Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen and select the “System
Preferences” option.
2.Click the Java icon.
3.Click the Advanced tab on the Java Control Panel.
4.Scroll down to Verify mixed security code (sandboxed vs. trusted) and select
the option “Enable – run with protections, no warnings.”
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NOTES
3.9.2 Windows Security Warning
If the screen below appears when the TestNav Java applet attempts to download, select
the “Always trust content from this publisher” checkbox and then click the Run button to
continue to the TestNav Login screen.
3.9.3 Windows Browser Settings
On Windows machines, a session may fail to proctor cache even if no error message
appears. This occurs when the browser has a proxy of its own and either the
“Automatically detect settings” checkbox or the “Use automatic configuration script”
checkbox is selected. Both of these settings override the proxy server setup. Because of
this, the browser never uses the proctor caching computer for its Internet connection. To
correct this, use the following steps:
Internet Explorer
1.Go to Tools > Internet Options > Connections.
2.Click the LAN settings button.
3.Clear the “Automatically detect settings” and “Use automatic configuration script”
checkboxes.
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NOTES
Firefox
1.Go to Tools > Options > Advanced> Network.
2.Click the Settings button.
3.Select the “Auto-detect proxy settings for this network” option.
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NOTES
3.9.4 Macintosh® OS X Security Warning
1.If the screen below appears when the TestNav Java applet attempts to download,
select the “Allow all applets from ‘xx.xx.xx.xxx’ with this signature” checkbox,
where the x characters represent your selected IP address, and then click the
Allow button to continue to the TestNav Login screen.
2.Click the Show Details button to view additional information.
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4.0 Proctor Caching
NOTES
Proctor caching services are designed to
■■
facilitate the delivery of test content,
■■
reduce delays during student testing,
■■
reduce network congestion by eliminating download redundancy of test content,
■■
■■
maintain pre-cached test content in the event an Internet connection failure
occurs, and
facilitate delivery of large file enhanced test content.
4.1 Installation and Configuration of Proctor Caching
Proctor caching must be installed and configured on a computer that meets the system
requirements for online testing.
The number of students that can be served by a single installation of proctor caching
service will depend upon network topology and bandwidth.
The following examples present possible proctor caching per testing computer
configurations:
■■
■■
If your Local Area Network (LAN) is 100 Mbps, the average number of testing
stations per proctor caching computer could be as many as 40.
If your LAN is 1000 Mbps, the average number of testing stations per proctor
caching computer could be as many as 80.
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NOTES
A typical installation takes approximately 10 minutes per proctor caching computer.
If you are not a network administrator, the following are needed to install proctor caching:
■■
full local administrator permissions
■■
working knowledge of your network
4.2 Pre-Installation Planning
4.2.1 Best Practices for Installation and Configuration
■■
■■
■■
■■
Place proctor caching computers as close as possible on the network to the
students’ (testing) computers. An optimal location is in the same testing room at
the students’ campus.
If proctor caching takes place at the district level, then any lower-level proctor
caching computers should be configured to use the district-level computer as an
upstream proxy.
If proctor caching software is already installed on the selected computer, the
previous version should be uninstalled prior to any proctor caching upgrades or
clean installs.
For districts employing third-party, parent proxy caching servers, Pearson
recommends that these are configured to validate content every four hours, to
match the default time for computers using Pearson’s proctor caching.
4.3 Windows Platform Installation
To configure a Windows-based computer to perform proctor caching functions, follow
the steps listed in this section. Administrator-level access is required to perform these
steps.
If you do not have direct physical access to the designated proctor caching computer(s)
and/or you need to deploy proctor caching remotely to multiple machines, you may
choose to use the silent install method described here: http://flexerasoftware.force.com/
articles/en_US/HOWTO/Q101901.
NOTE: Before installing the latest version of proctor caching, uninstall any existing
versions of proctor caching and restart the computer.
1.Enter http://www.TexasAssessment.com/downloads into your browser.
2.Select the file “Proctor Caching - Windows” to download to your computer.
3.You will be prompted with a message asking if you would like to save this file.
Click the Save File button. You may need to verify the save location in your
browser’s settings.
4.Double-click the proctorcache-installer-<version>.exe file to open the installer
screen.
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TESTNAV
5.You will be prompted with a security message. Click the Run button to launch the
installer. NOTE: Depending on your version of Windows, you may need to click a
Yes or Next button instead of a Run button.
NOTES
6.After the software loads, read the introductory message, and then click the Next
button.
7.Proxy server information displays. Verify that the proxy server information is
correct or enter the correct information. Click the Next button.
8.To accept the default destination folder, click the Next button.
If you would like to install the proctor caching software somewhere other than the
default location, click the Choose button to browse for the directory where you
want to install the proctor caching software. Make sure the location has no spaces
in its name.
NOTE: If the proctor caching computer uses an upstream proxy computer to
access the Internet, refer to the Tips on Proctor Caching box, which follows this
section.
9.Select the locations to create the TestNav Proctor Cache icon(s). If you would like
the icons to appear when all users log in to the computer, select the “Create
Icons for All Users” checkbox, and then click the Next button.
10.Leave the checkbox selected in the Start Proctor Cache screen and click the
Next button.
11.Review the pre-installation summary, and then click the Install button.
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TESTNAV
NOTES
12.You will see a progress bar and status information indicating that proctor caching
software is installing. When it is complete, the Install Complete screen displays.
Click the Done button to close the installation. You will need to restart your
computer before launching TestNav Proctor Caching.
13.When you are ready to start the proctor caching software to cache test content,
go to Start > Programs > TestNav 7 Proctor Cache > Start Proctor Caching to
launch the TestNav Proctor Cache program.
4.3.1 Tips on Proctor Caching
If you need to make further changes to the proctor caching computer settings, you can
do this via the following files:
■■
<install_dir>\squid\etc\squid.conf
■■
<install_dir>\jetty\etc\jetty.xml
■■
<install_dir>\jetty\etc\proctorcache.properties
Virtual machines can be used as the proctor caching computer. Java must be installed
on the virtual machine in order for proctor caching to work successfully.
The proctor caching service must be running in order for content to successfully cache.
Find the shortcut to Start Proctor Caching and open it in order for content to be cached.
If the service is stopped, content will not cache.
If the proctor caching computer uses an upstream proxy computer to access the
Internet and if the upstream proxy is authenticated, make the following changes to the
<install_dir>\squid\etc\squid.conf file:
Original Values
New Values
##cache_peer address parent port 0
login=user:pass default no-query http11
cache_peer <proxy server IP address> parent
<proxy server port number> 0 login=<user
ID>:<password> default no-query http11
##never_direct allow all
never_direct allow all
Internet and if the upstream proxy is unauthenticated, make the following changes to the
Original Values
New Values
<proxy server port number> 0 default no-query
http11
For further information, contact Pearson’s Austin Operations Center at 800-627-0225.
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TESTNAV
4.4 Macintosh Platform Installation
NOTES
To configure a Macintosh-based computer to perform proctor caching functions, follow
the steps listed below. Administrator-level access is required to perform these steps:
If you do not have direct physical access to the designated proctor caching computer(s)
and/or you need to deploy proctor caching remotely to multiple machines, you may
choose to use the silent install method described here: http://flexerasoftware.force.com/
articles/en_US/HOWTO/Q101901.
NOTE: Before installing the latest version of proctor caching, uninstall any existing
versions of proctor caching and restart the computer.
1.Enter http://www.TexasAssessment.com/downloads into your browser.
2.Select the file “Proctor Caching - Mac” to download to your computer.
3.Double-click the proctorcache-installer-<version>.zip file.
4.Double-click on the installproctorcache file to open the installer screen.
5.You will be prompted with a security message. Click the Next button to launch the
installer.
6.Proxy server information displays. Verify that the proxy server information is
correct or enter the correct information. Click the Next button.
7.To accept the default destination folder, click the Next button.
If you would like to install the proctor caching software somewhere other than the
default location, click the Choose button to browse for the directory where you
want to install the proctor caching software. Make sure the location has no spaces
in its name.
NOTE: If the proctor caching computer uses an upstream proxy computer to
access the Internet, refer to the Tips on Proctor Caching box, which follows this
section.
8.Select the locations to create the TestNav Proctor Cache aliases (e.g., icon). If
you do not want the icon to appear when all users log in to the computer, select
“Don’t create aliases” from the Where would you like to create aliases? options
set, and then click the Next button.
9.Review the pre-installation summary, and then click the Install button.
10.You will see a progress bar and status information indicating that proctor caching
is installing. When the Install Complete screen appears, click the Done button to
close the installation.
NOTE: You will need to restart your computer before launching TestNav Proctor
Caching.
11.When you are ready to start the proctor caching software to cache test content,
double-click the start.command file in the installation folder.
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NOTES
4.4.1 Tips on Proctor Caching
If you need to make further changes to the proctor caching computer settings, you can
do this via the following files:
■■
<install_dir>\squid\etc\squid.conf
■■
<install_dir>\jetty\etc\jetty.xml
■■
<install_dir>\jetty\etc\proctorcache.properties
Virtual machines can be used as the proctor caching computer. Java must be installed
on the virtual machine in order for proctor caching to work successfully.
The proctor caching service must be running in order for content to successfully cache.
Find the shortcut to start.command and open it in order for content to be cached. If the
service is stopped, content will not cache.
Internet and if the upstream proxy is authenticated, make the following changes to the
Original Values
New Values
<proxy server port number> 0 login=<user
ID>:<password> default no-query http11
Internet and if the upstream proxy is unauthenticated, make the following changes to the
Original Values
New Values
<proxy server port number> 0 default no-query
http11
For further information, contact Pearson’s Austin Operations Center at 800-627-0225.
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TESTNAV
4.5 Configuring TestNav to Use Proctor Caching
NOTES
Using Configure TestNav, you can manage proctor caching computer configurations and
response file save locations. For the proctor caching computer to receive requests for
test content, TestNav must be configured to use the proctor caching computer as a proxy
computer.
There are two types of TestNav configurations:
■■
■■
organization-based configuration (used by default for all test sessions)—In the
Assessment Management System, campuses and districts are referred to as
organizations. An organization-based configuration is assigned to a session
automatically, based on the campus identified in the session. For example, if a
configuration has been created and Campus A has been added to that
configuration, a session created for Campus A will use that configuration by
default. If there is no configuration defined for a campus, then a session created
for that campus will use the first configuration it finds above the campus in the
hierarchy—the district configuration. For example, if a session is created for
Campus A, but there is no configuration defined for Campus A, the session would
use the configuration created for District A (the district in which Campus A
resides).
custom session configuration—A custom session configuration can be defined
so that a session uses specific settings regardless of the campus to which it is
associated.
NOTE: If you need one or more students to have settings that are different from
those defined in the organization-based configuration, you must place the student
or students into a new session and create a custom configuration for that session.
Every student in a test session will use the configuration set for that session (whether the
session is set to use the organization-based configuration or set to use the custom
configuration). If changes are made to the configuration, the session and the students in
the session are automatically updated with those changes.
NOTE: If changes are made to the configuration while a student is logged into TestNav,
TestNav will continue to use the settings that were in effect when the student logged in.
However, TestNav will automatically use the latest configuration on any subsequent login
to the test (i.e., if the student exits and then resumes the test).
Proctor Caching Computer
When you create a TestNav configuration, you will need to set up a proctor caching
computer. Proctor caching computers download and store test data, such as multimedia
or test questions, and then deliver that data to individual test computers from within the
local network. Proctor caching enables faster test page loading times and more efficient
test taking.
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TESTNAV
NOTES
Response File Backup Locations
When you create a TestNav configuration, you must also select response file backup
locations. When a student responds to a test question, that response is saved in a Saved
Response File (SRF) and then sent to the Pearson server. If recorded successfully on the
Pearson server, it is then wiped from the SRF. This is done to ensure student responses
are not lost. The next test question will not be presented to the student until it is confirmed
that the response to the current test question has been safely recorded in either the SRF
or Pearson server.
On a busy network, with many testing computers attempting to send student test question
responses concurrently, network congestion can occur. Response file backups prevent
such delays in testing while safeguarding student responses.
When creating TestNav configurations, users must use the default primary location or
select a new primary save location where TestNav will store SRFs until the responses are
recorded on the Pearson server. Responses are transmitted from the save location to the
Pearson server in milliseconds unless the connection to the Pearson server is congested
or interrupted. Users also have the option of designating a secondary save location.
■■
■■
■■
You must use the default primary location or select a new primary save location
when configuring TestNav. The default primary save location is:
[your mapped drive]\[your directory]\TestNav\temp.
Selecting a secondary save location is highly recommended. The secondary save
location must be different from the primary save location.
The student must have read and write access to the primary and secondary save
locations in order for the student response file to be saved. The folder you specify
should be a shared folder.
•• Shared folders on a Mac will have the following format for the path: /Volumes/
SharedFolder. Shared folders on Windows will have the following format for the
path: \\driveName\SRFLocation.
•• To verify that the shared mount can be accessed on either a Mac or Windows
computer, the user should log in from a student computer and be able to
access the specified path. On a Mac, select Go > Go To Folder from the Mac’s
Finder, and then enter the same path specified on this screen. On a Windows
computer, open Run, and type the shared folder path.
•• If you use the C:\ drive as the secondary save location, you must ensure that
students have write access to that particular location, otherwise responses
will not be saved and you will receive an error message. Change the
secondary location to another location on the shared drive if you do not want
responses saved locally on the client computer.
■■
■■
24
The save locations for the response file must be locations to which all clients have
read and write access.
Local save locations must be added to the exclusion list of restoration software,
such as Deep Freeze, to avoid the possibility of wiping away SRFs should a
problem arise with the computer.
TESTNAV
NOTE: Pearson recommends specifying two save locations—a network location and a
local client computer location. The use of UNC paths is not recommended.
NOTES
The following chart outlines the pros and cons of each primary backup save location
option.
Primary Backup Save
Location Options
Pros
Cons
Local Directory
on the Testing Computer
(TestNav Client)
• Saving an SRF to a local
directory does not require
network bandwidth. This
reduces network
bandwidth congestion,
which can delay test
content delivery.
• The SRF is not accessible
from any other computer,
so a student cannot easily
move from one testing
computer to another to
complete a test.
Directory on the
Network Computer
• The SRF may be accessed
from other computers,
which simplifies the
process of moving a
student during testing.
• Saving an SRF to a
network directory
increases demand on
internal networks.
The primary and secondary SRFs are updated as a student navigates from one question
to the next. However, when a student is answering a writing question, SRFs are updated
periodically, without navigation. TestNav will continue to attempt to write a response until
it is confirmed that the response has been recorded to the Pearson server or in the
primary SRF or secondary SRF. TestNav will request that the next question be delivered
and shown to the student only after a response has been confirmed as saved to one of
these locations.
It is recommended that a proctor caching computer not be utilized as either a primary or
secondary SRF location, as this may increase traffic to the proctor caching computer
beyond appropriate levels.
25
TESTNAV
NOTES
4.5.1 Selecting Default TestNav Settings
If there are multiple TestNav settings (proctor caching computer and response file
backup location selections) created within a configuration, you should choose which
TestNav setting is the default. The default TestNav setting is automatically used by every
session that points to that configuration, unless the user selects to assign a custom
session configuration to a session (refer to section 4.5.5). If there is only one TestNav
setting within a particular configuration, it is automatically the default TestNav setting.
NOTE: If you do not select a default TestNav setting, the system will select as the
default the TestNav setting that comes first alphabetically. For example, if there are two
TestNav settings, one named “Office Computer” and another named “Lab Computer,”
the system will automatically select “Lab Computer” as the default.
1.Enter http://www.TexasAssessment.com/login into your browser.
2.Enter your user ID and password, and then click the Log In button to go to the
homepage for your account.
3.Go to Test Setup > Configure TestNav.
4.Click the name of the configuration you want to view.
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TESTNAV
5.In the TestNav Settings window on the Configuration Details screen, one set of
TestNav settings is identified with a green checkmark and the words “Default
TestNav Settings.” To select a different set of TestNav settings as the default, click
the Make Default link next to that set.
NOTES
6.On the confirmation screen, select one of the following two options:
■■
■■
If you want all sessions using the previous default setting to use the new default
setting, select the “Redirect sessions that are set to [previous default TestNav
setting] to use [new default TestNav setting] instead” option.
If you want all sessions using the previous default setting to continue to use the
previous default setting, select the “Leave the TestNav Setting selection
unchanged for these sessions” option. Your new default setting will not be
applied to sessions using the old default setting.
7.Click the Continue button.
27
TESTNAV
NOTES
4.5.2 Editing TestNav Settings
You can edit the TestNav settings (name, IP address, port, and response file locations)
for any proctor caching computer listed within the TestNav Settings window of the
Configuration Details screen.
3.In the TestNav Settings window on the Configuration Details screen, click the Edit
TestNav Settings link for the TestNav settings to which you want to make changes.
4.Enter your changes and click the Save button.
4.5.3 Deleting TestNav Settings
You can delete a TestNav setting within any configuration and identify which settings the
sessions using that configurations should use.
3.In the TestNav Settings window on the Configuration Details screen, click the
Delete link for the TestNav settings you want to delete.
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TESTNAV
NOTES
4.On the confirmation screen, select one of the following two options.
■■
■■
If you want sessions assigned to this configuration to use the default TestNav
settings, select the “Let these sessions resolve to the default TestNav Settings
for the configuration” option.
If you want the sessions to use a setting different from the default TestNav
settings, select the “Reassign them to use these TestNav Settings instead:”
option and select a TestNav setting from the drop-down menu.
29
TESTNAV
NOTES
4.5.4 Creating a New Organization-Based Configuration
2.Click the New Configuration button to open the Configuration Details screen.
3.On the Configuration Details screen, add a descriptive name for the new
configuration setting. Use only letters and numbers in this field. Other characters
might cause problems with test delivery. Then click the Continue button.
4.Select the organization that will be associated with the configuration. Click the
Add Organization button to view and select the organization that will use the
TestNav configuration (called the Configuration Name on the screen).
5.Select “District” or “Campus” from the View By options set. Click the radio button
next to the organization you would like to add, and then click the Add button.
Click the Remove button to remove an organization.
NOTE: An organization can be associated with only one configuration. A
configuration must be established for any organizations that are testing online.
30
TESTNAV
NOTES
7.Enter the required fields to specify your TestNav settings. Add a descriptive name
for the new proctor caching computer, proctor caching IP address, and port. For
Windows and OS X computers using firewall software on the proctor cache
computer, the firewall software should be configured to open ports 4480 and
4481 for TCP/IP on the local network.
8.Designate the primary and secondary response file backup locations. For the
primary location, you can select the “Use Default Location” checkbox if you want
TestNav to save the SRFs to the Pearson folder in your home directory. This
location will vary by operating system. Refer to section 4.5 for more information
on response file backup locations.
10.To add additional proctor caching computers to your configuration, click the New
TestNav Settings button. Repeat as necessary.
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TESTNAV
NOTES
4.5.5 Creating a Custom Session Configuration
1.Go to Test Management > Manage Test Sessions.
2.Select the name of the session for which you want to view the configuration.
3.On the Session Details screen, click the Edit link next to TestNav Settings in the
Test Session Details window.
4.Select the “Custom TestNav Settings” option at the top of the TestNav Settings
window.
5.Enter the details for the proctor caching computer, including a name/description,
IP address, and port. For Windows and OS X computers using firewall software
on the proctor cache computer, the firewall software should be configured to
open ports 4480 and 4481 for TCP/IP on the local network.
6.Designate the primary and secondary response file backup locations. For the
primary location, you can select the “Use Default Location” checkbox if you want
TestNav to save the SRFs to the Pearson folder in your home directory. This
location will vary by operating system. Refer to section 4.5 for information on
setting up the response file backup locations.
7.Click the Save button, and then confirm your changes to the new custom
configuration for the session.
4.5.6Viewing an Existing Configuration
Organization-based configurations
Custom session configurations
2.Click the name of the session for which you want to view the configuration.
3.On the Session Details screen, click the View link next to TestNav Settings in the
32
TESTNAV
NOTES
4.5.7Editing and Deleting an Existing Configuration
Organization-based configurations
2.To edit a configuration, click the name of the configuration and continue to step 3.
To delete a configuration, select the radio button for the configuration name and
click the Delete button.
NOTE: If a TestNav configuration is deleted, all organizations assigned to that
configuration will no longer have proctor caching computers and response file
save locations assigned. A new TestNav configuration would need to be created
for these organizations in order for them to test online.
3.Make edits on the configuration on the Configuration Details screen.
■■
■■
■■
■■
■■
Click the Edit button in the Configuration window to edit the configuration
name. Use only letters and numbers in this field. Other characters might cause
problems with test delivery.
Click the Add Organization button in the Select Organizations window to add
an organization to a configuration.
Select the radio button next to an organization name in the Select
Organizations window and click the Remove button to remove an organization
from a configuration.
Click the New TestNav Settings button in the TestNav Settings window to add
new TestNav settings to a configuration.
Refer to section 4.5.1 for information on selecting a new default TestNav
setting.
■■
Refer to section 4.5.2 for information on editing an existing TestNav setting.
■■
Refer to section 4.5.3 for information on deleting an existing TestNav setting.
Custom session configurations
2.Click the name of the session for which you want to view the configuration.
3.On the Session Details screen, click the Edit link next to TestNav Settings in the
33
TESTNAV
NOTES
4.Make edits to the configuration.
■■
■■
Ensure that the “Custom TestNav Settings” option is selected at the top of the
TestNav Settings window and make your changes. Click the Save button, and
then and click the Yes – Save Settings button on the confirmation screen.
Select the “Organization-based TestNav Configuration” option at the top of the
TestNav Settings window to delete the custom TestNav settings and use the
organization-based TestNav configuration. Click the Save button, and then
click Yes – Disable Custom TestNav Settings button on the confirmation
screen.
4.6 Caching Test Content
Refer to “Additional Java Information” in section 3.6.2 of this guide for information about
Java and proctor caching.
4.6.1 Caching Test Content
1.Go to Start > Programs > TestNav 7 Proctor Cache > Start Proctor Cache to start
the proctor caching software.
2.Enter http://www.TexasAssessment.com/login into your browser.
3.Enter your user ID and password, and then click the Log In button to go to the
homepage for your account.
34
TESTNAV
4.Verify that a TestNav configuration exists in the Assessment Management System
(Home > Test Setup > Configure TestNav) for the organization assigned to the
test session.
NOTES
5.Verify that the proctor caching computer is turned on and the TestNav 7 Proctor
Caching software is started.
7.Select “Test Sessions” from the View By options set.
8.Click the session name to cache a session from the Session Details screen.
9.Click the Proctor Caching button.
NOTE: The Proctor Caching button will be disabled and you will not be able to cache
the test content for the test session if you do not have access to proctor caching or if the
ability to proctor cache is not within the defined functionality date.
10.Review the proctor caching information (an example is shown below), and then
click the Next button.
If you do not have a valid IP address listed in the TestNav configuration, or if the proctor
caching software is not active when you attempt to pre-cache content, you will receive
an error message (an example of the error message follows).
35
TESTNAV
NOTES
11.You will see a message on the screen that the system is redirecting to the
caching server.
12.The Proctor Caching Diagnostics page will launch.
NOTE: To filter your list, enter search criteria in the Search field and select a value
from the drop-down menu. Click the Search button. To reset your search criteria,
click the Clear button.
To access the proctor caching applet, you must have a Sun-compatible
Java Plug-in (versions 1.5.x–1.6.x) installed on your computer.
36
TESTNAV
13.Test items are securely cached and ready for delivery to students when a green
status appears in the Status column.
■■
NOTES
To view additional details about the caching status of all items in the test form,
click the test or form name from the Contents page to navigate to the Content
Details screen. Each URL on the Content Details screen represents item
content, along with the number of hits, which can provide some indication of
the number of students who have accessed the item.
14.To stop caching test content, go to Start > All Programs > Proctor Caching in the
Start menu on the proctor caching computer. Select Stop Proctor Caching from
the program menu.
4.6.2 Monitoring Proctor Caching
You can monitor proctor caching activity from the TestNav Proctor Caching Diagnostics
screen. This interface provides visibility to the test caching process by item in a test form
and by proctor caching computer (client).
The Contents screen provides a high-level list of the test content downloaded by test
form and last cache date. The Status column indicates if the test content was successfully
cached for the test form. The number of content entries successfully cached is also
displayed with the date the content was last cached. If test content is successfully
cached, a green status displays. If test content is not successfully cached, a yellow or
red status displays.
The Client List screen provides a list of all clients by name, IP address, and platform, who
have recently requested test content. The Status column indicates how long it has been
since the client was last active.
For additional technical instructions to verify that proctor caching is successfully serving
test content to TestNav clients, see section 5.0.
4.6.2.1 Viewing the status of content caching by test form
1.Click the Windows Start button.
NOTE: For users with Windows 8 only, to access the Monitor Proctor Cache
program, press the Windows key and right-click the blank area of the Start screen
to show the All Apps button (the Windows 8 version of the All Programs button).
Click the All Apps button, and then select Monitor Proctor Cache from the list.
2.Click the All Programs button.
3.Click the Monitor Proctor Cache button from the TestNav Proctor Cache
program menu.
4.Click the Go to Content List link, or click the Contents tab.
37
TESTNAV
NOTES
5.Click on the Test or Form name to go to the Content Details screen.
The Content Details screen provides the caching status of all items in the test form. Each
URL represents item content, along with the number of hits, which can provide some
indication of the number of students who have accessed the item.
■■
■■
Green = An item is successfully cached.
Yellow = An item is not successfully cached. It may be possible to fix a
caching problem by selecting the checkbox next to the URL and then clicking
the Reload Cache button. If this does not resolve the issue, call Pearson’s
Austin Operations Center at 800-627-0225 for assistance.
4.6.2.2 Viewing the status of content caching by computer
38
TESTNAV
program menu.
NOTES
4.Click the Go to Client List button, or click the Client List tab.
5.Click the Computer Name link to go to the Client Details screen.
The Client Details screen provides information about an individual client that has recently
requested test content. The Status field indicates client activity:
■■
Green = The client is currently active.
■■
Yellow (Idle) = The client has been inactive for 5 minutes.
■■
Yellow (Long Idle) = The client has been inactive for more than 30 minutes.
When the client is inactive for longer than 12 hours, the client is removed from the list.
4.6.3 Refreshing Download Content from the Proctor Caching
Computer
The proctor caching software includes functionality to refresh downloaded content from
Pearson. All test content is checked to ensure the Proctor Caching computer has the
most recent version. If a newer version of test content is detected on the Pearson server,
it is downloaded to the Proctor Caching computer.
39
TESTNAV
NOTES
program menu.
4.Click the Go to Content List link, or click the Contents tab to access the Contents
page.
5.Select the checkbox next to the test content you wish to refresh, and then click
the Refresh Downloaded Content button.
6.Enter the following proctor password in the popup window: t35t1n6
7.Click the Yes – Update All Tests button.
8.Downloaded content is refreshed.
4.6.4 Reloading Test Content from the Proctor Caching Computer
The proctor caching software includes functionality to reload all cached test content from
Pearson. All test content from Pearson is deleted and reloaded.
program menu.
page.
5.Select the checkbox next to the test content you wish to reload, and then click the
Reload Content button.
7.Test Content is reloaded.
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TESTNAV
4.6.5 Purging Test Content from the Proctor Caching Computer
NOTES
Test content should be purged from the proctor caching computer after each test
administration.
NOTE: It is not necessary to purge content after each testing session.
program menu.
page.
5.Select the checkbox next to the test you wish to purge, and then click the Purge
Cache button.
7.Test content is purged.
If the proctor caching computer is not currently running, the cached items will not be
removed until the next time it is started.
4.6.6 Purging Client from the Proctor Caching Computer
The proctor caching software includes functionality to purge the client list from the
proctor caching computer.
program menu.
41
TESTNAV
NOTES
4.Click the Go to Client List link, or click the Client List tab to access the Client List
page.
5.Select the checkbox next to the clients you wish to purge, and then click the
Purge Client button.
7.The client list is purged.
42
TESTNAV
5.0 System Check for TestNav
NOTES
The online System Check utility for TestNav is designed to help technology personnel
identify whether the infrastructure is ready for online testing prior to scheduled testing
dates. Network infrastructure readiness is a key component in assessing and planning
for online testing. In some districts, across multiple campuses and buildings, there can
be hundreds or even thousands of computers all trying to access similar or identical data
streams within just a few minutes of one another.
5.1 System Check Tools
The Network User Capacity and Testing Volume Calculator tools are provided to help you
■■
■■
determine and prepare for the volume of data traffic during testing, and
diagnose potential problems associated with local data congestion within a
district’s network infrastructure.
The Network User Capacity tab provides a data throughput check that assesses both the
data transfer speeds and the estimated number of concurrent testers that could be
supported for a given test if testing were to occur at the same moment the system check
test is run. This result, however, may not accurately represent the constraints that may
exist when testing actually occurs, especially if network conditions will be significantly
different from their state when the system check test is run.
The Testing Volume Calculator tab provides a tool for modeling and calculating the
anticipated throughput and student testing volumes planned for a scheduled date of
testing. Since the calculation is based on network speed and expected utilization, this is
a purely theoretical calculation.
For most effective use, district and campus staff should employ both Network User
Capacity and Testing Volume Calculator tools, and make sure that any significant
discrepancies between current throughput and expected throughput speeds can be
accounted for by known or planned differences in network activity on the date and time
of student testing.
Note that the online System Check utility works only on Windows and Macintosh
platforms.
5.2 Configuration for TestNav
The TestNav tab within the System Check checks to make sure the computer meets the
minimum software requirements to deliver tests online.
1.Go to http://www.TexasAssessment.com/systemcheck to start the TestNav system
check utility.
2.Click the Start button to begin the check.
43
TESTNAV
NOTES
■■
■■
If the computer passes the check, a green check mark displays next to All
Checks Passed.
If the computer fails the check, a red X displays next to the area that failed.
3.To print the results in PDF, click the Print Friendly button.
5.2.1 Network User Capacity
Network User Capacity does a speed check in real time. If proctor caching is used, it
checks connectivity with the proctor caching computer. You can add a proctor caching
computer or delete a proctor caching computer that is no longer being used.
The proctor caching computer must be installed and proctor caching must be running
before you can check the connection speed.
1.Select the Network User Capacity tab.
2.Click the Start button and review the results for connectivity issues.
■■
■■
The Student Testing Capacity is calculated using the download/upload speeds
and the average test size for the test administration displayed in the drop-down
menu.
Note that the test administration drop-down appears after the Start button is
pressed and the download/upload speeds have been assessed. Changing the
test administration changes the student testing capacity, but the download and
upload speeds stay the same.
NOTE: Click the Start button when you add or delete proctor caching computers
in order to recalculate the results.
44
TESTNAV
NOTES
3.Click the Print Friendly button at any time after the test has completed to print the
results.
NOTE: You can print a report of any page when the Print Friendly button shows.
5.2.2 Adding Proctor Caching Computers
You can add or delete a proctor caching computer by following these steps. For
instructions on how to configure a proctor caching computer, see section 4.0.
1.From the Network User Capacity tab, click the + Add Caching Computer button.
2.Enter the Display Name, Hostname, and Port fields, and then click the Save
button.
■■
The display name appears as the computer name on the Network User
Capacity screen, the host is generally the IP address of the proctor caching
computer, and the port is 4480 or 4481. For Windows and OS X computers
using firewall software on the proctor cache computer, the firewall software
should be configured to open ports 4480 and 4481 for TCP/IP on the local
network.
3.Click the Start button, and then select a test administration to collect the results
for the new computer.
■■
■■
If the connection is good, a green check mark displays next to Completed.
If the connection fails, a red X displays next to Connection Error. An
information icon ( ) displays next to the problem result. Click the icon for more
information. The Pearson’s Austin Operations Center can help you resolve the
issue when you provide this information.
45
TESTNAV
NOTES
NOTE: Click the Start button after you make changes in order to recalculate the results.
5.2.3 Editing/Deleting Proctor Caching Computers
5.2.3.1 Editing a proctor caching computer
1.Click the link of the proctor caching computer you want to change.
2.Edit the hostname or port, and then click the Save button.
5.2.3.2 Deleting a proctor caching computer
1.Click the checkbox next to the computer you want to delete.
2.Click the – Delete Caching Computer button, and then click the Continue
button.
5.3 Testing Volume Calculator
The Testing Volume Calculator allows you to run planned scenarios by adjusting network
speed, network capacity, and the number of students testing concurrently to identify
optimal testing performance. If you have not selected a proctor caching computer, then
network capacity is based on the connection speed from the computer to Pearson. If you
have selected more than one proctor caching computer, the testing volume calculator
uses the one with the fastest download speed.
The Testing Volume Calculator uses a combination of calculated results from the Network
User Capacity tab and planned results from the Testing Volume Calculator to derive the
performance interpretation for online testing.
NOTE: You may see incomplete results if you have not generated calculated results via
the Network User Capacity tab.
46
TESTNAV
5.3.1 Scenarios
NOTES
Various uses for the Testing Volume Calculator include estimates related to these real-life
examples:
Scenario 1: Campus is not using proctor caching.
Calculation: Adjust the “Available link speed” control to reflect the speed of the lowest
network segment between the student and the campus ISP. Adjust the “Average network
utilization” control to reflect the non-testing network utilization on that same segment.
Scenario 2: Campus is using proctor caching at the lab, campus, or district
level.
Calculation: Adjust the “Available link speed between workstation and Proctor Caching
workstation” control to reflect the speed of the lowest network segment between the
student and the proctor caching computer. Adjust the “Average network utilization”
control to reflect the network utilization availability.
5.3.2 Using the Test Volume Calculator
1.Select a test administration.
2.Enter the number of students testing concurrently.
3.Adjust the green slider bar to identify a link speed.
NOTE: As the link speed slider is adjusted, note the changes under the Common
network speeds, Outputs, and Interpretation headings. The data in each of these
sections adjust accordingly to provide an assessment of testing conditions based
on the selections.
4.Adjust the second green slider to identify an average network utilization rate.
NOTE: As the average network utilization slider is adjusted, data under the
Common network speeds, Outputs, and Interpretation headings also adjust.
47
TESTNAV
The network speeds go from 0.1 Mbps to 1000 Mbps. Be aware of the output
number on the left because it changes as you adjust the sliders.
NOTES
5.Review the information under the Interpretation heading as you make each
change.
5.3.3 Testing Parameters
The tables in this section describe the testing parameters and the interpretation results in
the Testing Volume Calculator screen, shown below.
Parameters are fields and sliders you can adjust to simulate different scenarios for the day the
students take an online test. The goal is to find the optimum conditions for online testing.
48
1
Test Administrations
To check performance in a specific test administration (based
on an average test size for that test administration), select that
test administration from the drop-down menu.
2
Number of students
testing concurrently
Default is the number of students testing concurrently for the
listed test administration. To check performance using more or
fewer students, increase or decrease the number of students
testing concurrently.
3
Available link speed
between workstations
and proctor caching
work stations
This indicates the available link speed to the maximum network
speed your location uses.
4
Average network utilization
for the network between
workstations and proctor
caching work stations
This indicates the average network utilization to the percent of
bandwidth used for non-testing purposes.
5
Common network speeds
This table helps users estimate the available link speed
between student computers and proctor caching computers if
they know what network media their campus uses.
TESTNAV
6
Green bar—Average
available network
throughput for buffering
The green bar, which represents the network speed, increases if
the campus uses a fast network media type and decreases if
the campus uses a slower network media type. The chart stays
white as long as the network speed can be supported by the
computer. It will change to yellow, then red as the network
speed increases to an unsustainable network link speed.
7
Blue bar—Required
data transfer rate
during buffering
The blue bar measures the data transfer rate during buffering.
The more students that are testing concurrently, the higher this
bar goes. When the network can no longer support the number
of students testing concurrently, the bar raises and the color of
the chart turns yellow, then red.
NOTES
Interpretation explains planned and calculated results based on the controls you select and how
they affect testing performance. The goal is to find the right combination of link speed and students
testing that results in a “normal performance during testing.”
8
Calculated results
Calculated results are based on data obtained in the Network
User Capacity screen.
9
Planned results
Planned results are based on the information entered in the
Testing Volume Calculator screen.
This indicates that students should experience normal
performance during testing.
10
This indicates that students may experience slow or poor
performance during testing, as determined by the planned
conditions, but the calculated network speed indicates that the
students should experience normal performance. This icon also
displays if an administration has not been selected or if the user
has not completed the network user capacity test.
This indicates that students may experience slow or poor
performance during testing unless some parameters are reset.
The first number following Calculated and Planned represents
the maximum number of students testing concurrently, and the
second number is the download network speed.
Calculated results: The calculated results are based on data
obtained from the Network User Capacity screen. They reflect
the general size of the test administration selected.
11
Maximum Concurrent
TestNav Users
Planned results: The planned results are based on your
selections in this Testing Volume Calculator screen.
• Set the number of students testing concurrently to the number you
anticipate will be testing on testing day.
• Set the Available link speed to the maximum network speed your
location is capable of at the same date and time of a scheduled test.
• Set the Average network utilization to the percentage of bandwidth
used for non-testing purposes.
49
TESTNAV
NOTES
6.0 The Early Warning System (EWS)
The TestNav Early Warning System (EWS) is designed to help save student responses
locally in the event of a network interruption. EWS saves the student’s responses locally
(on the student’s computer) to an encrypted backup file so the student may either
continue testing or exit the system without losing data.
6.1 Desktop Restoration Products
If your network uses Deep Freeze or equivalent desktop restoration products, be aware
that if these products are not configured correctly, they could inadvertently erase TestNav
log files or student response files from their directory. Make sure to exclude the User/
Pearson directory when configuring desktop restoration products so these files are not
deleted automatically.
6.2 Situations that Trigger the EWS
■■
■■
■■
The TestNav client determines that the Early Warning “save location” is invalid.
The student is immediately notified via an EWS on-screen message.
TestNav is unable to download portions of a test. The student is immediately
notified via an EWS on-screen message.
TestNav is unable to upload student responses. Responses are saved locally
while the student continues to test, so the student is notified via an EWS
on-screen message only when submitting the test.
6.3 EWS Message Screens
The EWS automatically displays a notification screen whenever the connection to the
testing server is interrupted or when the system detects a potential problem with the
designated response file locations.
The first screen displayed will always be one of two “notify” screens that prompt the
student to notify you that there is an issue that needs to be addressed. Depending on the
specific condition that triggered the notification screen, EWS will display one of the seven
potential explanation screens described in the following pages.
50
TESTNAV
6.3.1 Please Notify Your Teacher or Test Proctor
NOTES
One of the following screens appears whenever Early Warning launches.
Recommended Action
Click the Test Proctor – Click Here button. The next screen to display varies depending
on the circumstance that caused EWS to launch.
6.3.2 Unable to Save Student Response File
This screen is displayed when the designated location for saving a response file (as a
backup in case of network interruption) is not working. Students should be instructed to
notify their teacher or test proctor if this screen appears during a test. The teacher or test
proctor can then designate a new location where the student’s responses will be saved.
Recommended Action
Click the Browse button to designate a new location where student responses can be
saved, and then click the Save and Continue button.
51
TESTNAV
NOTES
Other Options
■■
■■
If a valid location cannot be designated, click the View Responses link to view
or print a hardcopy record of any responses the student entered. The printed
file can serve as a reference in the event that one or more student responses
need to be re-entered. Documents that include student test responses are
secure testing materials. They must be destroyed immediately after use.
If a valid location cannot be designated and you have a hardcopy record of the
student’s responses, click the Close TestNav link.
6.3.3 View Responses
Documents that include student test responses are secure testing materials. They must
be destroyed immediately after use. This screen can be accessed only during the
following scenarios:
■■
TestNav is unable to save the student response file.
■■
TestNav is unable to communicate with the testing server.
The View Responses screen displays a record of the responses that the student has
entered. Responses received by the testing server are marked “Yes” in the Saved?
column. Responses entered by the student but NOT received by the testing server are
marked “No” in the Saved? column and highlighted in red.
52
TESTNAV
Recommended Action
Click the Print button to produce a hardcopy record of the student’s responses, and then
click the Back button to return to the previous screen. Documents that include student
test responses are secure testing materials. They must be destroyed immediately after
use. The printed copy can serve as a reference in the event that one or more student
responses need to be re-entered.
NOTES
6.3.4 No Saved Response File in Designated Location
This screen is displayed when the student’s status in test session management is set to
“Resumed-Upload,” but no file was found in the designated response file location.
Recommended Action
Click the Browse button to locate the response file locally, and then click the Upload
Response File button to submit the responses to the testing server.
Other Options
■■
■■
If the response file is located on a computer or a network drive that is unavailable
at this time, click the Close TestNav link. After connection is restored, the student
can log in. The system automatically will search for a response file. If a file is not
found, the EWS will return to this screen, where you can browse for a response
file. After the student logs in, you will need to resume the student in test session
management.
To continue testing without loading a response file, click the Skip Upload link.
(Note that any responses from previous login not received by the testing server
will be lost.)
53
TESTNAV
NOTES
6.3.5 Saved Response File Cannot Be Read
This screen is displayed when the student’s status in test session management is set to
“Resumed-Upload” and the saved response file(s) found in the designated response file
location is corrupt.
Recommended Action
Click the Browse button to locate a readable response file locally, and then click the
Upload Response File button to submit the responses to the testing server.
Other Options
■■
■■
54
If the response file is located on a computer or a network drive that is unavailable
at this time, click the Close TestNav link. After the connection is restored, the
student can log in. The system automatically will search for a response file. If a file
is not found, the EWS will return to this screen, where you can browse for a
response file. After the student logs in, you will need to resume the student in test
session management.
To continue testing without loading a response file, click the Skip Upload link.
(Note that any responses from previous login not received by the testing server
will be lost.)
TESTNAV
6.3.6 Saved Response File Located
NOTES
This screen is displayed when the student is in “Resume” status (instead of “ResumedUpload”) in test session management. This screen indicates that the system has located
a saved file containing the student’s responses.
Recommended Action
To submit the saved responses to the testing server, click the Continue Testing button.
The student can now resume testing.
6.3.7 Unable to Communicate with the Testing Server
This screen is displayed when the connection with the testing server is interrupted.
Depending on the type of communication that was occurring when the connection
was interrupted, the EWS screen will display either 1) the Retry button or 2) the
Close TestNav button.
55
TESTNAV
NOTES
6.3.8 If the EWS Screen Displays the Retry Button
This button is displayed when the student’s responses have been saved in the designated
response file location, but not all responses could be submitted to the testing server and
the student remains in “Active” testing status.
Recommended Action
Click the Retry button to check whether the connection is restored.
Other Options
■■
■■
User’s Guide
for the Texas
Assessment
Management
System
■■
If you want to view or print the student’s responses that are saved locally, click the
View Responses link.
If you have clicked the Retry button and the connection with the testing server still
has not been restored, click the Close TestNav link. After the connection is
restored, the student can log in (or the test monitor can log in with the student’s
login credentials). The system automatically will search for and submit a response
file.
See “Resuming a Student’s Test” in the User’s Guide for the Texas Assessment
Management System for instructions on resuming a test after a student exits
TestNav before completing a test.
6.3.9 If the EWS Screen Displays the Close TestNav Button
This button is displayed when some portion of the remaining test cannot be downloaded
to the student’s computer. The student response file is saved locally in the location shown
on the screen, but the student cannot complete the test until communication is restored.
Recommended Action
Click the Close TestNav button. After communication with the testing server is restored,
the student can log in again and resume testing.
■■
56
Refer to “Resuming a Student’s Test” in the Assessment Management System
User’s Guide for instructions on resuming a test after a student exits TestNav
before completing a test.
TESTNAV
6.4 “Resume Test” Function in Session Management
NOTES
The EWS synchronizes with session management by means of the “Resume Test”
functionality on the Session Details screen, which allows you to upload a student’s
response file to the testing server when the connection to the server is reestablished.
A common scenario in which the “Resume Test” function is used is when the connection
to the testing server is interrupted, the EWS is triggered, and the student continues
testing (with answers saved locally). After the connection to the testing server is
reestablished, prompt the system to upload the saved responses from the local save
location back to the testing server.
1.Go to the Session Details screen.
2.Select the checkbox for each student whose test is to be resumed, and then click
the Resume Test button.
■■
You cannot resume a student who has a “Ready,” “Submitted,” or “Marked
Complete” status.
3.After resuming a test, the student’s status changes to “Resumed” on the Session
Details screen if there was no file to be uploaded, or “Resumed-Upload” if the
system uploaded a student response file to the server.
4.The resumed student can now log in to TestNav and continue the test.
57
TESTNAV
NOTES
6.5 Circumstances That Launch the EWS
An EWS message screen is displayed under any of the following circumstances:
1.TestNav has tried three consecutive times to transmit a response and was not
successful.
2.The TestNav client fails to fetch an item file after three consecutive attempts.
3.The TestNav client has not received a confirmation of a successful or
unsuccessful transmission in 180 seconds while the student is testing. (For
streaming audio or video, the default is 300 seconds.)
4.The TestNav client has not received a confirmation of a successful or
unsuccessful transmission of responses within 30 seconds of the student
submitting or exiting the test (either intentionally or by a security breach).
58
TESTNAV
Appendix A: Readiness Checklist
✓
Requirement
NOTES
Section
The firewall between the computers and the Internet must use the appropriate
destination/protocol/port combinations.
The approved URLs from the student authorization must be allowed during
testing.
The approved email domain names must be allowed.
2.0
Configure the proxy environment as specified to properly run TestNav.
Hardware and software requirements for test delivery computers running
TestNav have been satisfied.
For an optimum wireless performance, be sure that all correct protocols/ports
are used and all the guidelines are followed.
Test delivery computers have TCP/IP installed, and the network is capable of
routing traffic to the Internet.
TestNav is launched in a browser using the appropriate URL.
Test delivery computers are running only those applications and processes
needed for online testing before TestNav is launched.
3.0
Applications that could launch automatically have been disabled on all
computers running TestNav.
Automatic notification when a new version of Safari or JVM is available has been
disabled.
TestNav logs have been set up in the appropriate Pearson folder.
Proctor caching computer(s) have been configured in the Assessment
Management System.
4.0
Bandwidth must be calculated to determine how many students can test at one
time.
5.0
59
TESTNAV
NOTES
Appendix B: Basic Troubleshooting
This appendix contains two tables of information—one that lists error messages and
another that lists situations that are unlikely, but can happen.
The following table lists the most common error codes and messages you may see when
using TestNav 7. If you encounter an event not mentioned here or if the information
presented here does not solve your issue, contact Pearson’s Austin Operations Center
for assistance.
Message
60
Description
What Do I Do Now?
7004
Your login information is not
recognized. Please try again.
Double check the URL and login
information printed on the
authorization ticket and retry.
7008
The session has not been started. It
must be started before examinees
in the session will be able to take
the test. Please contact your
teacher or test proctor.
Start the session.
7014
Your test assignment must be
resumed in before you can log
back in. Please contact your
teacher or test proctor.
Resume the student in the Session
Details screen and try logging in
again.
7016
TestNav has detected that another
application attempted to become
the active window, which may
compromise the security of this test.
TestNav has been shut down. You
may need assistance from your test
monitor to restart the test.
TestNav detected another
application was trying to take focus.
Check the student log to see if
TestNav captured data about the
offending program.
7026
Necessary components could not
be downloaded. Please verify that
you are connected to the Internet
and try again.
Check your Internet connection. If it
is working properly, then the
logged-in user does not have
permission to write to the Pearson
folder in the user’s home directory,
and you should call support.
8622
Unable to save student response
file.
The primary and (if specified)
secondary response file backup
locations defined for the student’s
organization in the Configure
TestNav screen are inaccessible or
invalid. Follow the on-screen
instructions in TestNav to browse to
and select a new location.
TESTNAV
This table lists some difficult situations and explains what to do if you encounter them.
Situation
The power goes out in the middle of
an online test.
NOTES
What Do I Do Now?
Follow this procedure.
1.When power is restored, resume the students in the
Assessment Management System.
2.Have the students follow any on-screen instructions when
logging in to upload student responses, if necessary.
The Internet connection goes out in
the middle of an online test.
1.Work with local technical staff to determine the cause of
the interruption and the anticipated time needed to
restore the connection.
2.When the connection is restored, resume the students in
the Assessment Management System.
logging in to upload student responses, if necessary.
There is a fire drill or other
interruption in the middle of an
online test.
1.When testing can be restarted, resume the students in
the Assessment Management System.
logging in to upload student responses, if necessary
You are unable to connect to the
Assessment Management System.
The Assessment Management System is how student
testing with TestNav 7 is managed. Students who are
already testing will be able to continue, as long as they do
not need to be resumed in the Assessment Management
System. Work with local technical staff to determine the
cause of the access problem.
You are unable to connect to
TestNav.
If a student cannot log in to TestNav, that student cannot
take a test. No new testing can begin until you are able to
connect to TestNav. Work with local technical staff to
determine the cause of the access problem.
61
TESTNAV
NOTES
Appendix C: Oath of Test Security and
Confidentiality for Technology Staff
All technology staff are required to sign the Oath of Test Security and Confidentiality for
Technology Staff after they receive training.
62
State of Texas
County of ________________
Texas Education Agency
Student Assessment Program
Oath of Test Security and Confidentiality
for Technology Staff
FOR ALL TECHNOLOgY STAFF: Complete this section before participating in test administration activities or
accessing any secure test materials.
I do hereby certify, warrant, and affirm that I will fully comply with all applicable requirements governing the student
assessment program and do hereby certify the following:
(Initial each statement.)
______
I have read the test security and confidentiality policies in the test administration materials, and I
understand my obligation to maintain and preserve the security and confidentiality of all tests.
______
I understand that student information is confidential and that I am obligated to maintain and preserve
the confidentiality of this information.
______
I am aware of my obligation to report any suspected violations of test security or confidentiality to the
campus testing coordinator.
______
I am aware that release or disclosure of confidential test items could result in prosecution under the
Texas Education Code, government Code, Administrative Code, and/or Penal Code.
I do hereby further certify, warrant, and affirm that I will comply with all requirements concerning test security and
confidentiality.
Signed on this the ________ day of________________________, 20______.
_____________________________
Signature of Technology Staff
_______________________________
Printed Name of Technology Staff
______________________
County-District Number
_____________________________
District Name
_______________________________
Campus Name
______________________
Area Code/Telephone #

TestNav 7 Combined Technical Guide

Transcription

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