Welcome back!

Each school year brings new faces and new challenges. Whether you teach third grade Math, high school Chemistry, or college Philosophy, there is a common goal that we all share—to help students learn.

At FSCreations, our challenge is to help you achieve that goal by providing products that engage your students, focus their learning, and save you time.

Please take a few minutes to review the articles in this newsletter. You will find firsthand stories from teachers about how they are using our software. Learn about our new products—Quiz Show SE, Learning Series, and StudyView. See how we’re working with other companies such as Pearson NCS, eInstruction, and Edusoft to help you and to help your students.

I hope you have a great school year! Let us know how we can help—that’s why we’re here!

Sincerely,

President
FSCreations, Inc.

Learn how Daphne Bolay uses ExamView and eInstruction CPS in her classroom to engage students and focus their learning.

Mary Moore shares her experiences using MindPoint Quiz Show to teach her students basic math facts. Find out why her students are so excited about learning!

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This issue addresses questions about how to use the ExamView bubble sheet, include multimedia clips in online tests, and build Quiz Show tests.

• Instantly find textbooks that offer ExamView question banks.
• Learning Series provides educators will tools to help students improve test scores.
• Quiz Show SE released to rave reviews.
• StudyView provides desktop and handheld (PDA) assessment solution.
• eInstruction releases new version of its popular Classroom Performance System (CPS).
• Pearson/NCS releases the Prosper Assessment System
• Edusoft partners with FSCreations to provide a comprehensive assessment solution.
• More publishers than ever are using ExamView. Find out who!

by Tim Fahlberg, CoolSchoolTools.com, Tim.Fahlberg@CoolSchoolTools.com 

Using ExamView to Create Questions with Dynamic Graphs
ExamView’s algorithmic capabilities provide an easy way to create an almost unlimited supply of math questions. In this article, you will discover how easy it is to enhance those questions or build new ones that include dynamic graphs.

The first two examples are short answer questions that feature dynamic Cartesian (x-y) graphs while the third is a bimodal question with a dynamic box-and-whisker plot.

Getting Started
If you are not familiar with the ExamView algorithmic capabilities, I encourage you to review the ExamView My Way article in the April 2003 newsletter. This article provides a primer for understanding dynamic questions. If you want to learn how to create dynamic math questions, check out the Dynamic Corner article in the September 2003 newsletter. (See the newsletter archives to access all of the previous articles.)

Before you begin, download the following question bank (Dynamic Corner-Part IV.bnk) Windows or (Dynamic Corner-Part IV) Macintosh. The bank includes the sample questions. (Remember that you will need ExamView 4.0 or a more recent version.)

To help you better understand how to create dynamic questions, use the Question Bank Editor to open the question bank and review the algorithms that make up each question.

Example 1: Parallel Line Segments
In this first example, a Cartesian graph shows a line segment. The problem asks the student to sketch a parallel segment on the grid and prove that the segments are parallel. Each time you recalculate the question, the values and the graphs are automatically updated.

Parallel Line Segments (Question #1)

Parallel Line Segments… Variables

Parallel Line Segments… Algorithm Definitions

A Closer Look at the Algorithm Definitions
Below is an explanation of the algorithms used in this question. The names you use for the algorithm definitions (or variables) are not critical as long as you do not use function names. As for the functions (e.g., list, range, choose, etc.), you can get a detailed description by reviewing the online help information in the program.

To view the algorithms, open the question bank and choose to edit the question. Then choose the Algorithm Definitions option from the Edit menu. Double-click any variable to view the entire description.

• x1, y1, x2, y2 are variables used to generate random points. These points are used in the dynamic graph. The definition for y1 is ((-1)^rand(2))*range(3,5). The first part of the variable definition (-1)^rand(2) generates either a +1 or a -1 so that when it is multiplied by range(3,5) it yields integers in this set {-5, -4, -3, 3, 4, 5}.
• slope1 is a variable that uses the string function sfracs to generate a string representing the slope as a fraction in lowest terms. It is defined as the difference of y over the difference of x. Note: String functions cannot be used in other calculations. This kind of function is used for display purposes only.
• shift is a variable used to determine the distance that the parallel segment will be drawn away from the original segment in the sample answer.
• x3, y3, x4, y4 are variables used to generate the dynamic graph in the answer. The points (x3,y3) and (x4,y4) are endpoints of the new segment. The variables x3 and x4 are defined to have the same values as x1 and x2 respectively. A shift value (shift) is added to both y1 and y2 to create points (x3,y3) and (x4,y4) that are the same distance from (x1,y1) and (x2,y2). This creates a parallel line segment either above AB (if shift> 0) or below AB (if shift < 0).
• conditions – abs(y3<8) and abs(y4<8) assure that the y values remain between -8 and 8 so that the segments will show on the graph.

Making a Dynamic Graph
In this question, the Segment function is used as part of a Cartesian graph. To view the Edit Segment window shown below, double-click the graph and then double-click the segment function definition.

In the figure shown below, you can see that the variables x1, y1, x2, and y2 are used to define the endpoints for the segment. ExamView uses the current value of the variables to draw the segment. (Variables defined as strings will not graph properly.)

If you want to create your own graph, choose Graph from the Insert menu and select a Cartesian, Polar, or Number Line graph. Add new functions to create the graph. You can also change attributes such as point style, label style, and label position for the segment.

Check out the solution to this problem. Double-click the graph to see that there are two segments defined. Variables are used to draw the parallel segment (MN) and to show the proof.

Example 2: Dynamic Lines
In this question, you can see a plot that models how much money two students save over time. The question includes variables that change the students’ names, how much they have already saved, and their weekly savings rate.

Dynamic Lines (Question #2)

Dynamic Lines… Algorithm Definitions

A Closer Look at the Algorithm Definitions

• Name1, Name2, WhichName1, WhichName2 are variables used to generate two random student names from a list of names. These variables simply add some variety to the problem.
  
• Week1, Week2 are variables used to generate weekly savings rate for the two students. The savings rate for the first student will be an amount from $25 to $40 (at $5 increments). The savings rate for the second student will be $5 to $20 more per week than the first student’s rate.
  
• Diff is a variable used to represent the difference between the weekly savings.
  
• Num1, Num2 are variables used to represent the initial amount of money each student has saved. The amount for the second student ranges from $150 to $300. The savings amount for the first student is based on the amount saved by the second student plus an additional amount (difference between the weekly savings rate multiplied by a random number from 5 to 10).
  
• Correct is a variable used to calculate when the two students will have saved the same amount of money towards their summer trip.
  
• Correct2 is a variable that identifies how much money both students will have saved when they reach the same total savings.
  
• condition guarantees that the answer (total amount both have saved when their savings are equal) is either an exact dollar amount or a dollar amount + $0.50. It prevents “ugly” answers like $1.3333….

These variables are used as part of the problem and to draw the lines representing the savings. Double-click the graph to see the functions included on the graph. Double-click each function to see how the variables are used. There are two f(x) functions to plot the savings over time. Another function plots a point at which the savings are equal. Finally, two functions display the student names on the graph.

Example 3: Box-and-Whisker Plot (Question #3)
The last question demonstrates how to create a different type of dynamic graph. In this example, variables are used to create a dynamic box-and-whisker plot that displays the number of students absent from school over several months.

Check out the algorithms and how they are used to make this graph dynamic.

Conclusion
Hopefully this article has provided some insight into how you can use ExamView to create questions that include dynamic graphs. With just a little extra effort you can enhance your math problems.

Reminder: If you create some cool math problems, it’s easy to share those questions with other educators from around the world. Click here to access the Question Bank Exchange on the FSCreations Support Forum. To date, educators from the United States to Macedonia to Australia have contributed questions.

Tim Fahlberg (Tim.Fahlberg@CoolSchoolTools.com)

Question:
ExamView gives instructors the option to create bubble sheets for students to use when taking paper tests. How are teachers making their key that allows them to hand check the student's copies?

Answer:
Mark a bubble sheet with the correct answers and then hole punch the bubble answer key. This creates an overlay for the student bubble sheets.

Or

Print a bubble sheet to a clear overhead transparency page. Mark the correct answers on the transparency (using a non-permanent overhead pen) and place it over the student's completed bubble sheet. When you are finished grading your tests, wipe off your markings from the transparency and you can re-use it for the next test. To make it easier to mark the incorrect questions, use an exacto knife to cut out the area where you would mark questions as incorrect (the red area in the graphic below).

Question:
I have multimedia links in the same folder as my ExamView test, but when I click on the link while in the EV Player nothing happens. What do I need to do to make the link work?

Answer:
Make sure that the multimedia object is registered. For example, .wav, .mpg, and .avi file types should be linked to (or associated with) the Multimedia Player. To check to see if a file type is registered, use the Windows Explorer to locate the multimedia element. Then, double-click the file name. Windows should launch the application needed to play the multimedia object. If it does not, choose to associate the file type with the necessary application.

Question:
What types of questions are available in Quiz Show? It seems from your description on the website and sample screen shots, that it's only multiple choice.

Answer:
Quiz Show accepts True/False, Multiple Choice, Yes/No, Numeric Response, Completion, and Matching questions. Question types that cannot be answered in one or a few words, or that have no definite correct answer (such as essay) cannot be used in Quiz Show.

To learn more about Quiz Show visit our Quiz Show website.

Question:
If I have two instances of ExamView on my C drive, can the default path be set differently for each ExamView? I am having trouble doing this as when I change one, then the other will change as well. I want to separate the ExamView programs because they are from different publishers and have different versions.

Answer:
Preferences for ExamView are stored in a preference file on your hard drive. So changing settings in one version may affect the other depending upon the versions installed.

You should not need to keep two version of ExamView installed on your computer. Newer versions will still be able to access data created by earlier versions of the software. You can create sub folders in the bank folder to help you organize different subjects or textbooks. Click here to review an article from a previous Newsletter to see if this would help you organize your banks from multiple textbooks.

Question:
I am impressed with the program and have used ExamView for testing students for almost a year. Last week, I began having problems; the ExamView Player would not recognize tests created by ExamView Pro.

Answer:
Have you recently received an updated version of ExamView Pro? If the version of ExamView which created the test is newer than the version of the EV Player you are using, you will not be able to view the tests within the player. Click here to download the latest version of the EV Player from our website.

Also if this is your first time in trying to use the EV Player to present tests to students, make sure that you run the Online Test Wizard before saving a test you plan on presenting to your students using the EV Player. The Online Test Wizard creates the coding needed for the test to be read by the EV Player.

Question:
I have read that you can insert QuickTake into a PowerPoint Presentation. How would I go about doing this?

Answer:
Yes you can launch QuickTake directly from PowerPoint and other applications:
To incorporate QuickTake with another application such as presentation software:

• Follow the directions with that program to link to or run another program.
• Choose qtake.exe as the application to run. To bypass the splash screen, place the file you want to use in the same directory as qtake.exe and call for it after qtake.exe in the command line.

EXAMPLE: Using QuickTake with Microsoft PowerPoint:
The following example will launch QuickTake and automatically open an ExamView XML file named “sample”: qtake.exe sample.xml

• Place an ExamView file (.tst, .bnk, or .xml) in the QuickTake folder which is installed in the root of your hard drive (C:\QuickTake) unless you specified a different location during installation.
• In a PowerPoint presentation, select the graphic or text that will be used to launch QuickTake.
• Select Slide Show in the menu bar and choose Action Settings.
• Choose Run program and enter the path to the QuickTake application (qtake.exe), substituting your file name for sample.xml in the example below.
• Click the OK button

See attached image below:

Note: When you launch QuickTake, PowerPoint may display a message stating that some external files may contain viruses. This is a standard message that appears whenever an external application is launched from PowerPoint, and it does not mean that QuickTake is infected with a virus. Click Yes to launch QuickTake.

To search our large knowledgebase of questions and answers or to ask your own question, visit the FSCreations Support Forums.

by Daphne Bolay, George Junior High School, Springdale, Arkansas

Achieving Adequate Yearly Progress
As an 8th grade math teacher, I’m constantly concerned about my students’ proficiency and mastery, which are directly tied to No Child Left Behind legislation and Adequate Yearly Progress goals. I want to be assured that my entire class has mastered a concept before I move on to the next lesson. But how could I get the immediate feedback I needed? I began a quest for that perfect set of teaching tools—tools that would immediately assess my students’ comprehension and track their proficiency.

Finding the Right Teaching Tools
I think I have found the perfect set of tools. Using the ExamView Test Generator program in conjunction with the eInstruction Classroom Performance System (CPS), I am now able to immediately assess my students’ understanding of the curriculum in “real time.” Here’s the way I do it: Using ExamView Test Generator, I select pertinent objective questions from the ExamView question banks that are supplied with my textbook. Then, I open those questions in the eInstruction Classroom Performance System (no file conversions necessary!) and display each question on screen. The students answer the questions via their eInstruction response pads (similar to remote controls). At my teacher workstation, CPS gives me instant feedback by displaying each student’s response.

Before I started using ExamView, I would spend hours typing math questions into my CPS program and would still only have a limited number of questions. However, now with ExamView’s textbook-aligned question banks and algorithmic questioning, I can ask unlimited questions to assess my students’ understanding of the material—all without typing a single question.

Using the Tools in the Classroom
The ExamView algorithmic questioning allows me to assess a certain topic unlimited times, all with the click of a mouse. I simply display a question from ExamView through CPS, and my students answer using their assigned remotes. If, after viewing the student responses via CPS, I determine that the class does not show mastery, I simply click the Recalculate Question button and ExamView automatically creates and displays a parallel question similar to the one previously missed by my students. I continue the process until I am convinced that my class has mastered the concept. Shown below is an example of how an ExamView question is displayed through the CPS program. Note the Recalculate Question button is circled

Not only do I use ExamView and CPS in my daily lessons to keep my students engaged, I also use them to create and administer my tests (and study guides). I create my tests in ExamView, using the questions aligned with our textbook. I display the test on screen, and allow the students to take it using their CPS remotes. As a result, my tests are automatically graded and I have the feedback I need to help my students. This eliminates endless hours of grading, and also answers the frequent student questions of “What did I make on my test?” or “Do you have our test graded yet?” Students love the immediate results and being engaged in the activity.

Getting Results
Together, the ExamView Test Generator and eInstruction’s Classroom Performance System create the perfect learning and teaching environment. The ExamView question banks with algorithmic questioning, coupled with CPS’s ability to immediately assess my students’ understanding of each concept I teach, is a phenomenal way to help students gain proficiency and mastery.

It’s one more way to assure that there’s No Child Left Behind.

Daphne Bolay
George Junior High School
Springdale, Arkansas

Instantly Find Textbooks that Offer ExamView Question Banks

Have you ever needed to find out whether your new textbook includes ExamView question banks? Trying to locate this information on a publisher's Web site can be somewhat time-consuming. Now, you can use our new search capabilities to instantly answer that question.

Let's say you are thinking about buying new textbooks for your math class. You could find out instantly which Algebra textbooks include ExamView question banks. How about an accounting textbook or a nursing text? Click here to try your own search.

Learning Series Targeted at Helping Students Improve State Test Scores
The Learning Series can contribute to successful teacher performance by helping you prepare students for your state’s high-stakes tests. You can focus your valuable planning time on addressing specific student and classroom needs.

Click this link to learn more about the Learning Series. Find out how you can use the extensive Learning Series question library to improve student performance. The Learning Series works with all of the FSCreations products (ExamView, QuickTake, Quiz Show) and with other products from eInstruction and Pearson NCS.

Quiz Show SE gets Rave Reviews

Quiz Show SE provides an engaging way for “more mature” students to have fun while they learn. You can use Quiz Show SE in a classroom environment or your students can play the game in small groups or individually. Click here to learn more about Quiz Show SE.

StudyView Allows Students to Prepare for Tests on Desktop Computers and PDAs

Continuing our commitment to helping students improve test scores, StudyView will allow students to prepare for tests using a desktop computer or on a Palm/Pocket PC handheld computer. Students can study at home or on the go. StudyView automatically synchronizes the results between a student’s home computer and a PDA (optional). For educators, you can create a test in ExamView and send it to your students to use with StudyView.

StudyView will be bundled with post-secondary textbooks. Contact your publisher if you are interested in providing StudyView to your students.

Pearson NCS Releases the Prosper Assessment System
Prosper is a formative assessment solution combines the powerful, intuitive test item banking and test generation capabilities from the ExamView Test Generator with an easy to use scoring system to track progress on learning objectives. The Prosper assessment system includes: test item banking, test generation, class management, and scoring/reporting. Click here to learn more.

eIntruction’s CPS Software Works Seamlessly with ExamView Question Banks

eInstruction has teamed up with FSCreations, Inc to strategically support the Classroom Performance System. The latest version of CPS offers a dynamic solution to aid educators in the creation of lessons. Using the award-winning CPS software, teachers can access millions of questions from ExamView test banks, which come with over 2500 textbooks. This partnership provides a seamless link between the Classroom Performance System and ExamView that requires no additional preparation time. Click here to learn more.

Edusoft and FSCreations Team to Provide Comprehensive Assessment Solution

FSCreations, Inc. and Edusoft, Inc. signed an agreement to integrate their respective products to provide a comprehensive teacher and district assessment solution. Using ExamView, the leading K-12 test generator, educators will be able to publish tests directly to Edusoft's web-based assessment platform.

Edusoft offers the only proven standards-based assessment platform to enable public schools immediate access to online student performance results and customized instructional tools based on the automatic scoring of plain paper answer sheets. For more information, visit www.edusoft.com.

FSCreations is a leading developer of educational learning and assessment software. Our mission is to enhance the learning process by providing superior products for students and educators. More than 250,000 educators currently use FSCreations' products.

New Publisher(s) Plan to Offer ExamView

The following new publisher(s) plan to offer ExamView for use with selected new textbooks. Contact your publisher to find out which textbooks will include ExamView as part of the instructor-supplement package.

• Houghton Mifflin School www.eduplace.com
• SRA/McGraw-Hill www.sraonline.com
• Thomson EMEA www.thomsonlearning.co.uk
• Thomson Custom Publishing www.thomsoncustom.com

by Mary Moore, Jason Lee Elementary School, Richland, WA

Do your students LOVE to practice their math facts? My students do!

Here’s my secret . . . I use MindPoint Quiz Show to engage my third grade students in the learning process. They are having so much fun they don’t even realize they are learning their math facts. The incredible energy level created by my students when they are “playing” MindPoint Quiz Show could easily light up New York City. If you could map my students’ brain activity while they are engaged in MindPoint Quiz Show, their brains would be lit up like Christmas trees!

I always start the new school year by having my students memorize their math facts to develop the fluency needed for problem solving. Now with MindPoint Quiz Show it is anything but “drill, skill, and kill!” My students ask me every day if we can play MindPoint Quiz Show, and are disappointed on the days when we just run out of time.

Using the ExamView Test Generator program, I first create separate question banks of 20 multiple choice math fact problems covering addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. I project Quiz Show on a screen, so I select a large font size so the students can easily view the math problem and the answer choices from where they sit. (I change the font to Times New Roman, font size 40.) Even at that, my kids just get so excited they jump out of their seats and slowly inch their way up to the screen during the course of the game!

With the upbeat “game show” music, cool team characters, and the game show announcer, my students feel like they are actually playing a game show. We set the game for “team play” and the students work cooperatively within their teams to earn points. The kids use their eInstruction response pads to “buzz in” and select their answer. The “fastest finger” (the student who buzzes in first) is the only one who responds for his/her team. Students help each other with their math facts within their teams, if needed. They jump and cheer and slap high fives when a team member answers correctly.

How often do your students get that engaged in learning?

Mary Moore
Jason Lee Elementary School
Richland, WA

Import test questions. Do you already have tests that you entered into a word processor such as Microsoft Word? With a few simple formatting changes, you can import these tests into ExamView with the ExamView Import Utility. The most recent version of the Import Utility supports the latest ExamView 4 features such as bimodal questions and long question information fields. The Import Utility is available as a free download from http://www.fscreations.com/download_updates.php.

Scramble answer choices. You may already know that you can scramble your multiple choice answer choices for all questions by choosing the Scramble option from the Edit menu. However, you can also choose to scramble answer choices for individual multiple choice questions by adding a simple algorithm. To scramble the answer choices for an individual multiple choice question, follow these steps:

a. Choose a multiple choice question and click the Edit button.
b. Press Ctrl+D to define an algorithm.
c. Click the New button.
d. In the Variable name field type scramble. In the Definition field type true.
e. Click OK and then Done.
f. Now, simply click the button or press Ctrl+K.

Customizing your banks and tests. You can change the layout and style settings for a question bank or test by choosing Preferences from the Edit menu and making changes in the Layout and Style sections. These changes will only affect the currently open question bank or test. If you want to change the layout and style settings for ALL new question banks, save and close the current question bank or test. Then, click the Edit menu, choose Preferences, and make your Layout or Style changes. Click OK to record these settings for all new question banks. Changes are not applied to any existing question banks or tests—only new ones. The same is true with headers, footers, and instructions.

ExamView hats for Tips! Share a tip or share a story about ExamView with our staff. Please email your ExamView user tip to support@fscreations.com be sure to include" ExamView Tip--Free Hat" in the subject line. If we publish your suggestion we will send you a free ExamView logo hat!

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