Test Students Remotely – TerraNova NEXT Training

DRC INSIGHT Remote Testing Program Overview

Last updated September 7, 2021

DRC supports the administration of DRC INSIGHT online tests remotely with a public browser using a web conferencing service for remote test monitoring and administration.

As it is with traditional on-site, in-person testing, it is the responsibility of districts and/or testing sites to provide the necessary test administration and oversight in a remote testing setting. This document is intended to provide general guidelines for the option of administering tests remotely using web conferencing services.

The process laid out here is not intended to be prescriptive. Districts and/or sites are free to adjust and/or develop their own methods for delivering remote test administration that are in line with their Department of Education’s standards for ensuring the security of the testing content and the validity of the test results.

This document does not include information on Student Management, Test Management, or Reporting activities associated with a test administration. The processes and procedures for those activities are the same for both in-person and remote testing, so you will use the documents already provided to complete those activities.This page provides general guidelines for administering tests with remote test administration, including support documentation, testing guidelines for students and educators, test preparation tips, important information for the day of testing, and technical support procedures.

Remote Testing Guidelines

When administering assessments remotely, follow as closely as possible the requirements used for in-person administration.

The Test Administrator’s Checklist for DRC INSIGHT Remote Testing summarizes the activities in this guide and can be used to help you prepare for remote testing.
The Test Administrator must be trained to administer each assessment they will be delivering according to the standardized process outlined in the DRC INSIGHT Portal.
The Test Administrator must use a supported web conference platform and be familiar with the use of that platform. Possible options are Zoom, WebEx, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Skype, GoToMeeting, and Blackboard Collaborate.
Computer audio and web camera capabilities are required for both the Test Administrator and the student.
For each web meeting, there is a recommended limit of 10–12 students per meeting.
Tip: Medium to large districts should consider training more Test Administrators than usual due to the student limits for remote testing.
All test ticket information must be kept secure and should only be provided to the student during the scheduled web conference.
All test sessions must have a remote test administration via a web conference.
It is recommended that all test sessions be monitored using the DRC INSIGHT Portal Test Monitoring application.
It is recommended that all test sessions use the DRC INSIGHT Secure Extension in the Google Chrome browser.
Prior to the testing day, the Test Administrator should schedule a practice web meeting with the student(s) where they will take the practice test or Online Tools Training (OTT).
A parent or guardian must be present with the student during testing and must agree to the Parent/Guardian and Student Remote Testing Agreement.

Districts and/or sites are responsible for tracking, collecting, and retaining signed agreements; DRC does not distribute nor collect signed agreements.

Administrative tasks to register students, create rosters, print test tickets, and generate student reports are done in the DRC INSIGHT Portal. To access these capabilities, your account in the DRC INSIGHT Portal must have the necessary permissions, which are assigned by the district or the site Technology Coordinator.

Guidelines for Students

The following are student requirements for online testing:

A testing device (desktop or laptop) or another supported device, such as a Chromebook or iPad
A parent or guardian should run a system scan using the DRCdevicecheck.com URL to verify their child’s testing device before the day of testing
Google Chrome Browser with the DRC INSIGHT Secure Extension installed
Web camera
Microphone
Speakers or headphones
Smart phones cannot be used for remote testing
iPads and other tablets should have a keyboard
Note: For the Test Administrator to best view the student during the assessment, an iPad with a keyboard is recommended so the iPad’s camera can be better positioned on the student
A parent or guardian must be present during testing

Guidelines for Selecting a Web Conference Service

Review the Web Conferencing Options for Remote Testing for guidance on web conferencing solutions. It is recommended you select a web conference service with the following features:

Computer-based Audio and Video
- Supports “Computer Audio Only” for web This requires students to use the microphone and speakers on their test devices.
- Calling in by phone to a remote test session is not
Recording Capability
Ability to review completed web sessions
Breakout/Private Sessions with Private Chat and Screen Sharing Capability
- Ability to privately authenticate an individual student’s identity
- Ability to privately distribute test login credentials to individual students
- Ability to see/monitor student screens, while restricting view from the rest of the group
Screen Sharing by Participants
- Ability to let students share their screens with the Test Administrator
Private Chat
- Ability to respond to individual student inquiries privately
Meeting Login Information Embedded in Link
- Ability for all participants to access the meeting directly from the link without having to provide additional details

Test Preparation

The remote testing option only affects how students take the test. It does not affect how test administration activities occur prior to testing. You need to register students and create test sessions in the DRC INSIGHT Portal, just as you would for an on-site test session. Refer to the DRC INSIGHT Portal user guide for more information.

Register Students in the DRC INSIGHT Portal

To make the registration recognizable and easy to locate, use a unique registration name indicating it is a remote test session.
It is highly recommended that you set the Test Monitoring field to Required and Restricted Access to True. Setting Test Monitoring to Required allows Test Administrators to use the Test Monitoring application in the DRC INSIGHT Portal to monitor student’s progress during the test. Setting Restricted Access to True will place the students in a Waiting Room and prevent them from entering the assessment until you allow them to start. Requiring Test Monitoring allows you to control students’ access to the test when you are not monitoring them.
Copy the relevant test ticket information from each student’s test ticket or from the roster into a web conference details/reminder document that you create. This information will be shared with each student in individual private rooms during your web meeting.

Remote Testing Tips

IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SIMULATE A REMOTE TEST SESSION USING THE PRACTICE TEST WITH YOUR WORK COLLEAGUES BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO REMOTELY ADMINISTER ONLINE WITH STUDENTS.
It is highly recommended that you schedule an orientation web meeting with your students and their parents/guardians a few days before their actual remote test. This meeting exposes the student to the web meeting software, is a chance to find system issues, and allows you to answer student questions prior to their actual test day.
Alert the students that when testing, they should close other applications, unless they are utilizing third-party accessibility software. They should also close any open Google Chrome browser windows. They will be using a public browser that will not secure the testing device. For example, if email is open, it will potentially pop up as the student is testing. Students should be reminded to ignore any pop-up messages and continue testing.
Have the students review and complete the practice Online Tools Training (OTT). No credentials are required.
Create a prep document to stay organized during testing. Include:
- Meeting details, such as the meeting link, date, start time and stop time, and Test Monitoring Code
- Student details, such as names, email addresses, test login credentials, and private room number
- The practice test/OTT URL for your practice session and the Remote Testing URL for the actual test session
- Any unusual events that occur during testing
Once students have logged into the web conference, assign students to individual private rooms. Add each student’s room number and the number of sheets of scratch paper on your document.
Utilize the private room to verify the student’s identity (Name, DOB and/or ID number). Once verified, move the student into the main meeting room.
Provide the test link and login credentials during your private room meetings, not before.
Include only students who are taking the same test/content area and grade-level test in the same web meeting. This will allow you to give the same test directions to the whole group.

Creating a Web Meeting

Ensure that your web meeting settings have the following defaults. This will make setting up remote test sessions easier and more consistent. Most web conference services will not allow you to change settings after the meeting has been created.
- Mute participants upon entry.
- Allow participants to send chat messages to the host only.
- Do not allow participants to record the meeting (except for host/Test Administrator).
- Enable breakout sessions (ability for only two people to chat).
- Disable virtual backgrounds.
Create a web meeting in your web conference service. Make sure the meeting duration allows sufficient time for meeting management and test administration.
Generate a meeting invitation and capture the meeting link to include in a custom email that will be sent to all participants. You should confirm that the link you will be using works before sending it out.
Send out a custom email to invite your student and their parent/guardian. Districts should consider the communication needs of their families. Your email should include:
- Information regarding the purpose of the assessment
- Your contact information
- The link for the web meeting practice session where you will go over the technical requirements of the test and allow students to take the practice test/OTT
- The link to the web meeting for the assessment
- The date, time, and anticipated duration of the assessment
- Omit call-in numbers for the web meeting. Calling in to the meeting by phone should not be an option for students.
- Contact information for the Test Administrator
- General information on which test(s) the student will be required to take during the web meeting
- Parent/Guardian’s Guide for Remote Testing with Remote Monitoring
- Parent/Guardian’s Checklist for Remote Testing with Remote Monitoring
- Parent/Guardian’s Frequently Asked Questions for Remote Testing with Remote Monitoring
- Parent/Guardian and Student Remote Testing Agreement
Create a web conference details/reminder document to stay organized during testing. Include:
- Meeting details, such as the meeting link, date, start time, and stop time
- Student details, such as names, email addresses, test login credentials, and private room number
- The Remote Testing URL for the assessment

Prepare Parents/Guardians and Students for Testing

It is highly recommended that you schedule a practice web meeting with your students and their parents/guardians a few days before their actual remote test. This meeting exposes the student to the web meeting software, is a chance to find system issues, and allows you to answer student questions prior to their actual test day. It is also an opportunity for students to use a practice test or the Online Tools Training (OTT) to get comfortable with the testing interface and its tools.

Day of Testing

Creating a Test Monitoring Code

It is highly recommended you use the Test Monitoring application in the DRC INSIGHT Portal to track student progress during their test session. If you are using the Test Monitoring application it is recommended you generate a new Test Monitoring Code for each test session, but the code can be used across multiple test sessions across multiple days (up to 6 days).

When you open the Test Monitoring application, if there are no sessions displayed on the dashboard and if the Test Monitoring Code’s expiration date shown to the right of the active Monitoring Code expires after your planned remote testing session, you can use that current code.
If you need a new Test Monitoring Code, select Generate New Code and select an expiration date up to 6 days in the future.
Copy the Test Monitoring Code into a web conference prep document that you create. This information will be shared with all students during your web meeting.

Managing Your Web Meeting

Students may have questions and/or concerns about remote testing. You should provide a brief introduction that helps them know what to expect as they go through the experience.

In the Main Meeting

Once all the students are in the meeting, start recording the session.
Let the students know that you will have to leave the main meeting to work with students individually in their private rooms. Tell the group that you will be watching and that you will return to the main meeting after each student has been checked in.
Let the students know that they cannot stand or leave the room during the web meeting. However, if the student informs you that they must stand or use the restroom, instruct the student to pause the test.
Explain to students how to use the chat or raise their hand in the software to get your attention if they have questions.
Explain how students should let you know when they have finished their tests, and how they will be dismissed from the web meeting. Ask them to destroy the scratch paper they used during testing.

Sample Script:

Before you begin testing, I will verify your identity by checking your name and grade and will ask you to use your web camera to show that your testing area is free of all prohibited items. The only items allowed in your testing area are your computer, mouse, keyboard, and headset. You should close other open applications (such as email, games, browsers) unless they are approved accessibility tools. Your parent or guardian should be in the room with you, but they cannot help you to complete the test.

As your Test Administrator, I will be present and will use my webcam to watch you take the test. I cannot help you answer questions, but I can help you with any problems you have with the computer or test directions. Let me know if you have a question by typing in the chat section or by unmuting yourself and speaking to me. Please focus and do your best to complete each part of the test.

Are there any questions?

I will now virtually move each of you into individual testing rooms, verify your name and grade, and complete the room scan. This may take a few minutes. I appreciate your patience.

In the Private Rooms

Invite students, one at a time, to meet with you in their private room.
Validate the student’s identification according to the requirements of your program. This may include capturing the number from a school identification card as the student holds it up to the web camera and/ or confirming the correct spelling of the student’s name and other details.
Verify that the testing device has passed all of the system checks by running the www.DRCdevicecheck.com scan.
Verify with the student that the DRC INSIGHT Secure Extension has been installed to the Google Chrome browser and is active.
Have the student or parent/guardian use the web camera to show you the environment. The testing area should be clear of prohibited items.
Ensure the web conference service does not have the web camera set to show an alternate background photo or set to blur. You want to be able to clearly see the participants testing area and background throughout the test to ensure the student is not receiving inappropriate assistance.
Send, via private chat, the details for the student’s test session.
1. Student’s username (from the student’s Test Ticket)
2. Student’s password (from the student’s Test Ticket)
3. Which test and content area they should be taking (from the student’s Test Ticket)
  Tip: Organizing these details beforehand in a text document makes them easier to cut and paste into the chat. Make sure to provide login credentials only to the specific student to which they apply
Tell the student to return to the main meeting room.
Repeat steps 1 through 5 for each student participant in your web meeting.
Once all the private meetings are completed, use your web conference service’s chat to share the Remote Testing URL with all participants.
If you are using the Test Monitoring application:
1. Use the chat to share the Test Monitoring Code with all participants.
2. If you are using Restricted Access, once all the students appear in the Waiting Room tab in the Test Monitoring Dashboard, select all of the students and select Allow. This will enable them to start the assessment.
3. If you are not using Restricted Access, your students will begin testing immediately.
4. You can monitor their progress in the All tab in the Test Monitoring Dashboard.

Observing Students During Testing

The Test Administrator should carefully watch each student complete their test. You will not be able to see the student test interface, but you must be able to see each student at all times. Watch for suspicious activity, such as students moving outside of the web camera frame, students looking away from the monitor, cell phone glow, and reflections in mirrors or glasses. Watch their progress through the assessment using the Testing Monitoring Dashboard.

Ending Your Web Meeting

When all students have completed their tests, you may have them remain in the main meeting until you dismiss the whole group, or you can allow them to leave as each student finishes. You should, however, confirm that the student has completed testing before allowing the student to leave the web meeting.

To see if your students have completed the required tests prior to releasing them from the meeting, you may view and export test session details or utilize the Student Status Dashboard to track student testing status in the DRC INSIGHT Portal. Students whose test statuses show as completed can be dismissed from the web meeting.

Stopping an Online Test

Stopping a student’s test is allowed only if there are testing irregularities.

To interrupt a student’s test due to a testing irregularity, you must log into the same test using the student’s login credentials. This will present the student with an error message and allow you to take over the test. At this point, you will want to immediately Pause and Exit the test.

Invalidating a Test

There may be cases where you may want to re-test a student or invalidate the student’s test results from the remote test session. Possible reasons for invalidating a test include:

The student had technical problems during testing.
The student was discovered to have cheated on the test.
The student was given, or took, the wrong test.

Document any testing irregularity in the notes from your web meeting and report them to the Test Coordinator.

Managing the Web Meeting Recording

Web meetings are recorded so that in the event an irregularity is observed, the recording is available for review and investigation. Recordings can also be used to review the session again to confirm there were no irregularities.

Once it is determined that no test irregularities occurred during the web meeting, or after an investigation is completed, the recording for the web meeting should be deleted.

Technical Support

If technical issues arise and/or an error message displays during the assessment, parents/guardians are asked to contact their student’s Test Administrator, their teacher, the school’s technology staff, and/or the school office for technical support. If additional support is required, a school or district representative will reach out to DRC to determine a resolution. Parents/guardians and students should not attempt to contact DRC customer service directly for support. Any issue related to their student’s test session must first be relayed to the school and they will contact DRC if necessary.