This document describes workflows and necessary steps in order to run paperless or paper an exam using the Practique App. Document focuses solely on running already an exam that has been prepared and published exam on the backend and does not describe those steps.
Conventions
Buttons and interactive elements are in italic, underlined
View logins, Start session, Dashboard, Modify an existing item
Portions of visible non interactive UI like screens, tables are in italic, bold
Dashboard, Login details for session, Create new item
Requirements
This document is valid for Backend versions 8.x.x and iPad application versions >=6.1.3.
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- Latest Practique application is installed on the iPads (paperless exam only)
- Exam is correctly prepared on the backend to be pushed to iPads (items, candidates, examiners)
- There is no other exam in ‘In progress’ state (required only for paperless exam)
Workflow
Overall exam workflow is the same no matter if the exam is run on paper or paperless using iPads. It is possible to run paperless exams online or offline, differences in behaviour are described later.
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- Click View sessions from Pending exams screen for the “OSCE December 2021” exam
- Set the exam as current using Publish to Devices button. This operation can take up to a few minutes depending on the number of candidates and items in the exam have. Exam will be automatically synchronised to the iPads
- When finished navigate back to Dashboard
- “OSCE December 2021” is now current exam
- Exam has not started yet, all sessions are waiting to be started
- iPads which have application running and are online will immediately synchronise the exam
- iPads which don’t have application running or iPads are offline will synchronise automatically when application is opened and iPad is online
- “OSCE December 2021” is now the current exam
- Exam has not started yet, all sessions are waiting to be started
- Exam will be automatically synchronised to the iPads
- Users can’t log-in the iPad application at this moment (if on-line)until sessions have been started
- Click Start session to start the a session
- It is now possible for Users to log-in into the iPad application (not in off-line)
- Time at which the session has been started is important for Mark validation
- Marking - Exam is in progress and being marked on the iPads or paper
- When all marks has been collected end session using Stop session button
- iPads will log-out any currently logged in users (if on-line)
- Time at which the session has been ended is important for Mark validation
- Exam is now finished, if it has more sessions start the new session, see number 4.
| Warning | ||
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When running an exam in off-line mode, please keep in mind that you still need to Start and Stop sessions as you progress thought the day, see steps 4 & 6 above. Practique checks date & time of marks received and if it is before the Session started it will accept you marks (you won't loose them) but won't apply them to the current exam (you won't be able to see them). In fully off-line mode it does not matter if all sessions are started (and stopped) in the morning or you Start/Stop them through out the day but session must be started before marks are submitted on the iPads. |
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Marking
This section describes in more detail 5th step of the above overall marking workflow - paperless marking.
In order to use the paperless marking there There are two crucial points in the overall workflow when that require the iPads needs to be online. The first one is the initial data synchronisation and second is the final mark synchronisation.
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Users use login credentials assigned to them by Practique to log-in into the iPad application. User logins are available in Practique via View logins button & screen for the current exam for each of the sessions.
There are two login methods available:
- Examiner and
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- Marshal credentials consist of their User IDs imported into the Practique prefixed with single random letter. This letter is assigned to the session at the time it is made current for the iPads. If the session is reseted it will be assigned new random letter.
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For example if examiner ID is ‘123’ defined in Practique and current random letter for the session is ‘A’, then he/she will use ‘A0000123’ ‘A123’ as login credentials to login into the application.
2. Examiner and Marshal login via QR code. A unique code can be exported for each user, per session in the exam. The code is scanned using the camera on the iPad, which will automatically log the user into the correct circuit and session. Note that the Practique App will need permission to access the iPad camera in order to use this login method.
Candidates login into the application using their student IDs (Matric No.) which are imported to Practique automatically .(only applicable if providing candidates with iPads to allow viewing of exam resources)
User roles
There are three user roles for paperless OSCE exam. Users are assigned their role on the backend and just login into the application with their credentials. Application then presents correct user interface depending on the user’s role.
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Tasks which could potentially cause data loss are protected by the password to prevent performing those tasks accidentaly. Administrators use the Application details to perform diagnostic & administration, see section Diagnostic and Synchronisation checks.
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Marshal
Marshall is an administrative role in the OSCE exam. Marshall manages his assigned circuit and provides support to Examiners and/or Candidates.
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