Release 12.0 Information (July 2015)
In order to align release numbers across the range of Surpass products available, the Summer 2015 release of Surpass will be known as Release 12.0. From here, we will increment upwards with Release 12.1, 12.2 etc. This change has no effect on any features or upcoming developments.
New Features
Below you will find details of new and changed features that have been introduced in R12.0 of Surpass. The features are divided into sections based on the area of the system which they affect.
Setup and Admin: Password Reset and Security Updates
Surpass now provides users with the ability to reset a forgotten password through a ‘Can’t access your account?’ link on the log in page, sending an email to the user where they will be able to follow instructions to change their password. In addition to this, new and existing users will be required to set a security question and answer when logging in for the first time after this release.
Setup and Admin: Subject Name Duplication Warning
Users creating new Subjects in Surpass will now see a warning message if they attempt to create a Subject with the same name as an existing Subject.
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Item and Test Creation: New
Table Question Type
A new table question type has been introduced to Surpass. Item authors are now
able to create an empty or partially filled table that a candidate is required
to complete in order to answer the question.
Item and Test Creation: Static Table Tool for All Questions
A table tool has been introduced to all question types. This allows the item
author to include a static table of data as part of the question, for the
candidate to refer to when constructing a response.
Item and Test Creation: Dynamic Rules for Paper-Based Tests
It is now possible to create a test using dynamic rules, when creating a ‘Paper
and On-screen’ test using the Test Wizard. Users can now drag a folder from the
available items list into their test, and create dynamic rules to randomly
select items from that folder. The user is then able to generate and save a
fixed test form(s) using the dynamic rules, and can then download candidate and
teacher papers for each fixed version.
Item and Test Creation:
Improvements to QTI Import and Export
When importing or
exporting items in QTI format, the import/export will now also support any
media, including images, audio or video that is embedded within the item,
providing it is one of the supported file types.
Item and Test Creation: Ability to Download Media
User can now download media currently in the media library of a subject, so
that it can be saved and used in another subject’s media library if needed.
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Test Administration: New Bulk
Scheduling Tool
The new bulk scheduling
functionality means that Surpass users can quickly and easily schedule
candidates en masse for a test session. This simple tool allows for the upload
of up to 1000 candidates per upload. Users with the new ‘Bulk Schedule’
permission will have the ability to use this function.
Test Administration: Candidate Review Session Enhancements
When editing a Candidate Review session, users are now able to leave a comment
against the session. A ‘Review History’ function has been introduced to allow
users to see who last edited the review session, any changes that were made,
and view any comments that have been left.
Users also now have the ability to create their own 6 character unique passcode
for the review session, rather than using the automatically generated code
should they wish to.
When scheduling a candidate review session for summative tests, users now have
the ability to enable feedback to be shown to the candidate. Users can choose
whether to enable the ‘View Feedback’ button, and the ‘Feedback by Learning
Outcome’ screen.
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Reports: Reporting
Enhancements and Layout Changes
The layout of the 'Reporting' screen has been simplified to display two tabs,
under which the different reports sit. The two tabs are ‘Analytical Data’ and
‘Operational Data’. The analytical tab contains reports on Subjects, Test and
Item Performance, Item Production, and Awarding, whereas the operational tab
contains centre test volume data that was previously available on the ‘Centres’
report. On accessing the ‘Analytical Data’ tab, data is displayed at Subject
level. Filters can be applied to display data only for subjects at specific
centres, or the date range in which a test was last sat. Users can ‘drill down’
to test and item level data from this screen.
Furthermore, when exporting report data to a CSV file in the ‘Tests Delivered’
report (previously ‘Awards’), users can now select which columns of data they
would like including in the export. The choices made can be set as default
settings for future report generations.
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Integration: API Version Two Launch
With this release of Surpass a new version of the Surpass API has been
launched. Version 2 is a new version of the Surpass API, and is offered in
addition to the original API, which is still available. The new API offers a
more REST-based approach, and provides a more comprehensive solution. Version 2
also includes new functionality, such as the ability to manage centres and
retire candidates through the Surpass API. To learn more about V2 of the API,
and to access the relevant help materials, please visit the API Version 2 page
in the Developer Portal.
Fixed Issues and Defects
Below you will find details of issues that have been resolved in R12.0 of
Surpass. The issues are divided into sections based on the area of the system
which they affect.
General, Setup and Admin
ID: DE17332
Issue: There are two Dutch translation errors within Surpass. The word
'Klasse' which appears in the Awards tab should be 'Cijfer' and the words
'Kandidaat beoordelen' which appears on the 'Candidate Review' screen should be
'Kandidaat inzage'.
Resolution: The correct translations are now shown.
ID: DE15374
Issue: When attempting to delete a Centre in the 'Setup' tab, an error
is shown and the centre is not deleted.
Resolution: Centres can now be deleted provided the relevant criteria
have been met – for example, there are no live tests scheduled at the centre.
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Item and Test Creation
ID: DE16159
Issue: When using the equation editor option when authoring a question
which is to be included in a paper test, the equation content is centre-aligned
in the printed test. This is inconsistent with standard text which is left
aligned as a default.
Resolution: Questions which make use of the equation editor are
left-aligned, as is consistent with other question types.
ID: DE16474
Issue: When typing in text for a question within 'Item Authoring', if
the word doesn't fit on one line, instead of dropping the whole word onto the
next line, the word is cut in half. This does not affect the presentation of
the text to the candidate.
Resolution: The word wrap function behaves correctly during authoring.
ID: DE16515
Issue: When creating a Paper and On-screen test in the Test Wizard
questions can reorder if the test is re-edited at a later date.
Resolution: The order of items in a printed test is fixed regardless of
the number of questions included in the test.
ID: DE15022
Issue: Identical tests are being generated frequently despite them being
set to 'Randomise Items'.
Resolution: Tests are now being generated in a more random manner.
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Test Administration
ID: DE14799
Issue: The 'Question Summary' report in the 'Audit' screen is slow to
generate when there is a lot of data, sometimes causing error 146.
Resolution: Results are now being returned in a more timely manner.
ID: DE15276
Issue: The marking Auto Void Date is not set and implemented against
exams which are automatically submitted when they are in the Awaiting Upload
state.
Resolution: The Marking Auto Void Date is set and implemented correctly
for relevant exams.
ID: DE15607
Issue: The submission date for Computer Based Projects incorrectly
displays as the version's 'Valid From' date plus the duration rather than the
start date plus duration.
Resolution: The submission date is now calculated correctly.
ID: DE16184
Issue: An error is shown when closing the marking popup, if the exam
contains sections with non-consecutive IDs.
Resolution: The error is no longer shown in the above situation.
ID: DE15987
Issue: When changing something for one candidate in a group scheduled
assessment that is unlocked, SecureAssess brings up a warning message stating,
'This assessment was scheduled as a group with other candidates. If it is
modified, a new group will be created for this candidate. Are you sure want to
continue? To edit the group, use the Group by session view'. This message is
displayed even for users who have 'Group by session' view configured as
'Unavailable'.
Resolution: The warning message no longer appears for instances that
have the related feature configured to 'Off'.
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Candidate Delivery
ID: DE15816, DE15813
Issue: PDF tools cannot be re-opened after being minimised in
SecureClient, as the PDF is sent to the back.
Resolution: PDFs can now be re-opened after being minimised.
ID: DE16289
Issue: Adobe Reader 10 opens behind SecureClient when opening a PDF
attachment.
Resolution: PDF documents now open as normal with Adobe 10.
ID: DE15812
Issue: SecureClient becomes unresponsive if 'Download exam to take
later' clicked before a keycode is entered.
Resolution: SecureClient no longer becomes unresponsive in this
scenario.
ID: DE16219
Issue: In SecureClient, if an angled bracket "<" is entered
when entering a response to an Essay question type any text which follows the
bracket is removed.
Resolution: Text following an open angled bracket remains stored against
the questions.
ID: DE10237
Issue: When printing from the candidate feedback screen, the first print
out is complete, but in subsequent print outs sections of the feedback reports
are missing when saving as a PDF or printing.
Resolution: The report will now be complete, regardless of how many
times it is printed or saved.
ID: DE14308
Issue: The drag button in the Source Material pop-up window can
obscure content within the pop-up.
Resolution: The drag button no longer obscures content within the
pop-up.
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Reports
ID: DE16389
Issue: For certain items that have been created in BTL’s ContentProducer
product, the answer key is not presented in the Raw Data Extract.
Resolution: The answer key is shown for items created in
ContentProducer.
ID: DE15901
Issue: There are inconsistencies in the way candidate marks are
displayed in different screens of Surpass. In the 'Results' and 'Audit'
screens, results display up to 1 decimal place, however, in the Awards
reporting screen, marks are rounded to whole numbers, therefore a candidate
mark could appear differently.
Resolution: The mark in the 'Awards' screen is now truncated to 1
decimal place.
ID: DE16127, DE16744
Issue: When generating a Raw Data Extract, if particular large volumes
of a test have been delivered the generation of the report can timeout before
it is complete. This causes an error to be shown and the report cannot be
generated.
Resolution: Reports can be generated for larger volumes of tests.
ID:
DE16714
Issue: When viewing the 'Item Performance' report screen the information
can sometimes appear blank. This issue occurs when a test form is edited and
less than 3 tests have been delivered since the edit.
Resolution: Provided more than 3 tests have been delivered to
candidates, data will be show in the 'Item Performance' report, regardless of
whether the test form has been edited.