Spring 2017

ACT WorkKeys®

Proctor SupplementOnline Testing—TAO Platform

Study Resource

www.act.org

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How to Contact ACTFor questions regarding test administration, additional materials, report forms, and security of test materials:

AddressACT WorkKeys 301 ACT Drive PO Box 168 Iowa City, IA 52243-0168

Hours of OperationUse the table below to determine when ACT staff is available.

If you are calling on … Then the hours are …

Monday–Friday 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Saturday 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Note: All hours of operation are in central time and subject to change at ACT’s discretion.

Contact InformationUse the table below to determine when ACT staff is available.

Phone … Or email … Or fax …

800.967.5539 workkeysassist@act.org 319.337.1467

Note: Emergency support is available by following the recorded instructions.

© 2017 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. JA70004.OPS1959

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ContentsIntroduction 1

Log in to a Test Center 2

Readiness Check 4

Sessions 7

Authorize Tests 7

Monitor Tests 11

Delivery Interruptions 14

Reauthorize Tests 14

Irregularities 19

Individual Irregularities 19

Group Irregularities 20

Test Taker Experience 22

Welcome/Test Title Page 23

Confidentiality Agreement 23

Collection of Demographic Information 23

Tutorial—Applied Math Example 24

Practice Test—Applied Math Example 27

Begin Timed Test 28

Test Taker Survey 28

Thank You Page 28

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1

IntroductionThe purpose of the Proctor Supplement is to provide instructions necessary to perform proctor responsibilities on the TAO platform. As a proctor, you need to understand how to log in to the TAO platform, authorize tests, monitor test activities, submit Irregularity Reports when necessary, and provide support during testing.

Please be familiar with these instructions prior to the start of the testing window. If you have any questions, please contact ACT.

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Log in to a Test CenterTo log in as a proctor for a test center, complete the following steps.

1. To access the TAO platform, type the following URL into your web browser: https://act-prod.taocloud.org.

2. Go to the Home screen of the TAO Platform.

3. Enter your assigned Login and Password for your test center.

4. Click the “Log in” button.

Note: You may NOT share your login accesses with other proctors.

Log in to a teSt CenteR

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The first time a proctor logs into the TAO Platform, he/she will be asked to agree to ACT’s Terms and Conditions for Testing Staff.

Read through the conditions and click the “I Agree” button.

Select “Go to” for test center options.

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Readiness CheckThe readiness check validates the technical capabilities of each workstation to ensure proper operation during testing on the TAO platform. Select “Readiness Check” to verify workstation technical requirements. All workstations should be verified prior to testing. As the proctor, you need to individually log in to each workstation that you want to verify.

Once logged in to the workstation, select the “Launch readiness check” button.

ReadineSS CheCk

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Click “Begin diagnostics” to start the workstation readiness check. You can also modify the name of the workstation to be more identifiable. The “List of readiness checks” button will take you back to the original screen that displays which workstations have already been verified.

Diagnostic results are displayed. Select “Show Details” for additional information.

ReadineSS CheCk

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Select “Hide Details” to collapse the information. Click on the “List of readiness checks” button to go back one level.

If needed, you can select “Actions” (-) to remove a workstation test from the list. The system will ask you to confirm removal.

Click on your Test Center or Home tab after completing the workstation readiness check.

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SessionsSelect “Sessions” to authorize tests to launch, reauthorize tests, monitor testing, and report irregularities.

Authorize Tests

If your site provided test taker registration information in advance, ACT generated user logins and passwords for each of these individuals. If you did not provide registration in advance, ACT has generated generic user logins and passwords for test takers. Do not reuse user logins with more than one test taker. Keep track of to whom you assign the generic user logins, as you will not see the individual's actual name during test monitoring. Only the ACT generic first and last names as provided will display when monitoring delivery.

ACT has assigned every online test taker with three pre-assigned tests. You have been provided with an ACT-assigned test sequence for your site. Be sure to authorize the tests based on that pre-assigned sequence for all test takers.

Note: Be sure to authorize only one test per test taker at a time. He or she will have 30 minutes to begin the test once it is authorized. If the test has not started within 30 minutes, the test will expire.

SeSSionS

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Authorizing tests is a multi-step process requiring interaction between the test taker and the proctor. Once the test taker logs in to the TAO platform using unique access credentials, he or she can see all assigned tests. The test taker first selects “Start” for the specific test to be authorized.

Note: The exact assessment names as they appear to the test taker will be different than those provided in the graphic below.

The test taker now waits for the proctor to authorize the test.

SeSSionS

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In Monitor mode, the proctor can see that the test taker is awaiting proctor authorization.

Select the check box next to the test taker(s) that you want to authorize. Once checked, more options appear in the action bar. Click the “Authorise” button.

Click “OK” to confirm authorization.

SeSSionS

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Once authorized, the test taker’s status on the Monitor screen is automatically updated.

The test taker’s screen is also automatically updated. The test taker selects “Proceed” to begin testing.

Click “Refresh” to see the current status.

SeSSionS

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Monitor Testsall Sessions

All Sessions allows you to monitor current testing across all available tests. This is the recommended view to use for monitoring testing. Do not select “Pause” unless an emergency or the presence of prohibited behavior requires you to temporarily stop all testing.

You can also select “Monitor” to facilitate current testing for a specific test. Again, do not select “Pause” unless an emergency or the presence of prohibited behavior requires you to temporarily stop all testing for that specific test.

In either view, you are provided a quick glance at the number of test takers who are awaiting authorization, in progress of testing, or paused.

Note: The exact assessment names as they appear to the test taker will be different than those provided in the graphic below.

SeSSionS

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In Monitor mode, the Status column provides common test status values. Use the “Filter” option to view progress during the various stages of test monitoring.

Filtered Status Monitoring Purpose

Awaiting Examinee selected Start, awaiting proctor authorization

Authorized but not started Proctor authorized testing and is waiting for the examinee to begin testing

In Progress Examinee is testing

Paused (1) Examinee initiated for inappropriate navigation/keystroke(2) Proctor initiated to warn of prohibited behavior(3) Proctor initiated due to emergency(4) Refer to Reauthorize Tests

Completed Normal end of test

Terminated Proctor termination due to prohibited behavior

At the end of a session/day, the testing status for all tests authorized should be Completed or Terminated.

SeSSionS

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Using the Progress column, you can also see where the test taker is during testing. Under Actions, you can select the icon for terminating a test, reporting an irregularity, or displaying session history. The third option to print the score report is not functional for the Study.

Click “Refresh” to update the testing progress status. This is not updated automatically while viewing the screen.

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Delivery InterruptionsInterruptions may take place for several reasons during testing.

Interruption Examinee Experience

Loss of internet connectivity Screen freezes

Hardware failure Blank screen

Examinee navigates away from the test (e.g., closes the web browser) or uses an inappropriate key stroke

Testing is paused

Reauthorize Tests

A test will require reauthorization any time a test is paused/suspended. You have 60 minutes to reauthorize the test before the test is automatically changed to a terminated status.

For an interruption, the test taker is notified that the test has been suspended due to loss of connectivity.

deLiveRy inteRRuptionS

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For an error in navigation, the screen notifies the test taker that the test has been paused.

In Monitor mode, a loss of connectivity will still show the test status as In Progress.

For a navigation issue, the test status will show as Paused.

Once connection has been reestablished after an interruption, the test taker must log back into the TAO platform.

deLiveRy inteRRuptionS

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To reauthorize a test for any reason, the test taker first selects “Resume.”

The test taker screen will be automatically updated.

In Monitor mode, you will see the current test taker’s status.

deLiveRy inteRRuptionS

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Select the check box next to the test taker(s) that you want to authorize. Once checked, more options appear in the action bar. Click the “Authorise” button.

Click “OK” to confirm authorization.

Once authorized, the test taker’s status is automatically updated.

deLiveRy inteRRuptionS

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The test taker’s screen is also automatically updated. The test taker selects “Proceed” to begin testing. The test taker will resume the test where they were paused.

Click “Refresh” to see the current status.

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IrregularitiesIrregularities can be reported at any time during or after a test session.

Individual Irregularities

In Monitor mode, there are two ways to report an individual irregularity.

Option 1: Select the irregularity icon under Actions on the right side of the screen.

Option 2: Select the individual (check box) from the left side of the screen.

Additional options will appear. Click the “Report” button.

iRReguLaRitieS

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With either option, an irregularity screen will appear for you to complete.

Group Irregularities

In Monitor mode, there are two ways to report a group irregularity.

Option 1: Select the individuals (check box) from the left side of the screen. Additional options will appear. Click the “Report” button.

The irregularity screen will appear for you to complete.

iRReguLaRitieS

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Option 2: If the group irregularity applies to ALL test takers while monitoring in ALL Sessions mode, select Session.

Click on the “Report” button and the irregularity screen will appear for you to complete.

If the group irregularity applies to ALL test takers within a particular Test Session, select First Name. All test takers for that particular test will be selected automatically.

Click on the “Report” button and the irregularity screen will appear for you to complete.

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Test Taker ExperienceThe test taker uses their unique credentials to log into the TAO platform.

When ready to start the test, the test taker will automatically be notified that they are going to be testing in full screen mode (F11). The TAO test delivery is designed to automatically pause a test if the test taker attempts to navigate away from the test taker interface. In addition, there are specific keys identified by ACT that will automatically pause the assessment if pressed. If this happens, the test taker can restart the test; however, it will require reauthorization.

The sections of the test taker session are as follows:

• Welcome/Test Title Page

• Confidentiality Agreement

• Collection of Demographic Information

• Tutorial

• Practice Test

• Begin Timed Test

• Test Taker Survey

• Thank You Page

teSt takeR expeRienCe

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Welcome/Test Title Page

Confidentiality Agreement

If the test taker selects “B. No – I do not accept the Terms and Conditions,” he/she will be prompted again prior to terminating the test session.

Collection of Demographic Information

teSt takeR expeRienCe

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Tutorial—Applied Math Example

teSt takeR expeRienCe

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teSt takeR expeRienCe

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teSt takeR expeRienCe

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Practice Test—Applied Math Example

teSt takeR expeRienCe

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Begin Timed Test

During the timed test:

• The test taker will navigate sequentially through each question.

• Under normal completion conditions, the test taker will see the Thank You screen after answering the last item and clicking the “NEXT” button.

• If at any time during testing, the test taker selects “Quit” in the upper right-hand corner, the system will ask if the test taker wants to exit the test. If the test taker answers “Yes,” the test is considered complete and cannot be reauthorized.

Test Taker Survey

After completion of each test, the test taker will take a short survey.

Thank You Page

Once all tests and surveys are completed, the test taker will see a "Thank You" page.