Word processors have three buttons; B, I, and U (Bold, Italic, Underline). HTML "formatting tags" allow you to do these same things in UTIPS.

• Bold = . Text between the tags will become bold after the "opening" tag and will stop being bold after the "closing" tag
• italics = Text will become italicized after the first tag and will stop being italicized after the second tag.
• underline = . Text will become underlined after the first tag and will stop being underlined after the second tag

CAUTION: UTIPS has built in saftey measures, so that even a small error in tag formatting B> (forgot the "<" ) will prevent the test from loading when a student tries to take it... be careful.

CAUTION II: UTIPS reads and "absorbs" these HTML tags each time you go "in" and "out" of the question editor... which means that any time you edit that question, you will need to re-write them. Proof read the tags in BIG LONG questions before you submit them... or you will be frustrated quickly.

HINT: To reduce frustration, you might use an HTML WYSIWYG editor, then cut-n-paste the source code...

Once I have UTIPS randomly pick test items from the USOE pool, how do I replace one of the questions if I don’t like it? I have figured out how to delete the question, but I can’t figure out how to go back and get another question to replace it.

Three easy steps: [see Add_Item image]

• select the test
  
• MENU>> QUESTION >> NEW....
  
• when the add a question page loads, use the pull down menu to return to the "USOE item pool"...

Is there any way to get a report that tells me how many students missed each question on a utips test I have them take online? And how many students chose answer a, b,c, or d for example?

Yes, UTIPS has such a report.

AFTER your students have taken the test and submitted their answers, from your teacher account [Report_2.gif] select REPORTS >> ALL TESTS... (intermediate screen - select the test name)

I am unable to click the "Send Buddy Request" button...  nothing happens.  What am I doing wrong?

Nothing.  The problem is your internet browser.  The SAFARI browser that comes with new Macintosh computers does not handle JavaScript according to industry standards.

Switching to either FIREFOX or the new CAMINO browsers for Mac will allow you to click the button.

You can also log in to UTIPS from a PC, "Send the Buddy Request", and then return to your Safari browser... 

How can allow more than one correct answer for a SHORT ANSWER question?   For example, if I ask "Who was the president of the USA during the civil war?" and I am willing to accept either "Abe Lincoln" or "Abraham Lincoln"...

UTIPS allows for this, as long as each acceptable answer is seperated by a " , " (comma).  For example, the two answers you supplied can be entered as "Abe Lincoln,Abraham Lincoln". 

NOTE: DO NOT add a "space" after the comma.  The computer will interpret a blank space as being part of the next possible answer... which would force your students to type "_Abraham Lincoln" to get the question correct. 

I am concerned about the option for students to "just print test." I would like to be able to turn that option off for my tests... can this be done?

YES - UTIPS has the option of turning "OFF" the "just print test" button... it is removed by making the assessment a "CLOSED BOOK" test [ see Closed_Book.gif]

The display a student sees at the login of a CLOSED BOOK test is different than an "OPEN BOOK" test [Open_Book.gif] in that both  the "just print test" button  and the "start" buttons have been removed.

This option is set from inside the Teacher's account, under the TEST>>EDIT tab [see Closed_Book_SetAs.gif] Change the default from "Open Book" to "Closed Book".

This is also where the additional security of adding a "Password" is addressed...

I found that my students can save the test to a disk or hard drive and then print the test, and share with other students. Are the programmers aware of this? Can they put limitations on the UTIPS program to prevent this?!?

Yes, the UTIPS programmers are aware of this. UTIPS was intentionally designed as an "online, formative instruction tool". In fact, students who do as you describe, are working too hard... there is a "print this test" button at the login screen of each test.

The intent of UTIPS was for simple assessment of student knowledge prior to teaching a CORE standard, and formative assessment after to evaluate student comprehension. It is also used for practice and review.

However, there are many teachers who are successfully using it in a summative way by:

• having a teacher/proctor in the computer lab to monitor the students while taking the test (prevent copy-n-paste / save to disk activities)

• only publishing tests for brief periods of time during the first five minutes of the class period
• making multiple versions of the same test (using the "cookie cutter" this takes only seconds) and publishing a different version each class period
• changing the test properties to "closed book" (this removes the "print this test" button)
• requiring anyone found "cheating" to take the paper versions from then on
  

I have heard that UTIPS now works with printed tests and scanners... How do I go about ordering these for my school?

UTIPS does in fact work with printed tests and scanners, but it has to be a Scantron 1212 "Scan Wizard" scanner ($750) The scanner software it FREE and can be downloaded from (install.utips.org)

These files must be installed on a computer running either Windows 2000 or XP operating system, and have a 9 pin Serial port open to connect to Scanner (USB can be used with the purchase of $29 adapter)

This configuration will allow users to scan three different types of forms:

The orange UTIPS custom form will accomdate a full 80 item practice CRT. Sections highlighted on the 25 & 50 item forms are NOT used by UTIPS.

Pricing varies between 3.6 ¢ - 1.5 ¢ per sheet depending on volume purchased(see pricing sheet). For specific ordering information, please contact the UTIPS help desk or you local district technology specialist.

Could you please tell me what formula is used to compute the test percent correct when the open book format is chosen? I have a 5 item test where a student got 3 of the 5 items correct on the first try, and the other correct on the second try. I'm wondering how the 84% is derived.

The forced response questions are scored in the following manner:

Questions with only one correct answer:

Each question is worth 10 points, and as the student answers questions a percentage is assigned to that questions to determine what percentage of the 10 points the student will recieve for the question. The following formula is used to calculate that percentage:

PointsPercent = ((TotalNumberAnswers - ((Tries*100)/AnswerPercentCorrect))/(TotalNumberAnswers - 1))

The AnswerPercentCorrect variables is the percentage of points that should be recieved if the answer is chosen(This can be used to give partial credit for answers. We have not fully implemented this in UTIPS). Currently the only values allowed here are 0 or 100(Notice these are not percents even though that is what they represent). So you can see that the formula is only used when the student chooses a correct answer, and everytime they choose an incorrect answer the Tries variable is incremented. So once all the questions have been answered the total points are summed up by multiplying 10 * PointsPercent for each question.

Questions with more than one correct answer:

These questions are calculated a little differently. Still the same concept though, the questions are assigned a percentage of the points earned, only the questions total point value is set to the number of answers. The following formula is used to calculate the percentage:

PointsPercent = (TotalNumberAnswers - (Tries - 1))/TotalNumberAnswers, minimum value of zero

I seem to be having problems with the new buddies option?

Currenlty Utips is experiencing issuse with the Safari browser and the new buddies option. We are working on the issue and hope to have it resolved soon.

Who do I contact if an item/question is incorrect?

The most efficient way for you to direct questions is to the UTIPS helpdesk. Contact for this helpdesk is Julie Quinn, email (julie.quinn@schools.utah.gov)

UTIPS STAFF