[Using Sakai] ExamSoft integration // Samigo Tests & Quizzes : high stakes testing

[Laura Gekeler]

Hello Friends,

Has anyone integrated ExamSoft with Sakai? Whether you have or not, if
you've used ExamSoft for high stakes testing we'd like to hear from you. We
need to find a best of breed test engine which can be used for high stakes
testing. Samigo Tests & Quizzes isn't it.

We've labored with it for 2 yrs now, from serious performance issues, to UI
'Mark for Review' TOC problems to false positive 'data discrepancy' errors
- it is NOT a tool that will attract institutions to Sakai in general, and
certainly not to testing needs in particular. It's a general tool that is
way past its prime. Without more tender loving and intentional care, or
revision, it doesn't serve long standing, let alone *emerging,* testing
requirements.

The past couple of years at the Apereo conference we've had Samigo High
Stakes testing BOFs which have packed out the room.

At Notre Dame, our Intro to Psychology exams using Samigo have gone through
several permutations of configuration, none of them working well. We did
load testing in July of last year (2013) which resulted in applying
patching which helped a little with performance, as well as ruling out
Respond LDB as a performance factor.


Here's what we know doesn't work here:

1). 75 questions/64 of which are derived from question pools. Random answer
order. 1 question per page. Delivered to more than 80 students
simultaneously. LDB.

2). 100 questions/100 from pools. Pool size average 15. Delivered in a
computer lab, wired connections. 1 question per page. Only 20 students. BUT
- "mark for review" and Table of Contents results in false positive data
discrepancy errors. LDB.

Frankly collecting and reporting data, coordinating communications and
logging data to bug/issue jiras consumes too much of our time which could
be better used elsewhere.

We don't want to abandon the rest of you who, by all accounts, struggle
with the same issues, but we do need a solution, and sooner than later.

Is plugging in ExamSoft as an LTI tool the solution? Perhaps it is. We'd
love to hear from you.

Thank you in advance,

Laura

Laura Gekeler
LMS Administrator //Concurrent Instructor
University of Notre Dame
P:574-631-2402
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