Creating Paperless Tests for Students
Creating Paperless Tests For Your Students
If you can scan the text, then you have two fairly easy options.
One is to use Microsoft Word.
- Step 1. Paste the scanned text into a new Word document.
- Step 2. Under the View menu, select Toolbars and then Forms. In the Forms Toolbar the first icon (ab) places a data field in your document and the last icon (a padlock) locks all text but the data fields.
- Step 3. position your cursor where you want an "answer field" and select the (ab) icon from the Forms Toolbar. A gray box will appear. Repeat for all desired "answer fields".
- Step 4. Place your cursor at the top of the document and select the (padlock) icon to lock all text except the data fields. When the documant is opened the cursor will be in the first answer field and Tab takes you to the next (Shift Tab takes you back) or you could use the mouse to navigate. If you initially save your documant as a template, you won't overwrite the original.
Here's a "homemade" solution for AppleWorks (or ClarisWorks) users who can use a mouse and read independently:
- Import a scanned image of the worksheet into a drawing document
- Then "lock" it (in the Arrange menu).
- Text frames can be placed over blanks (by the student or a helper), (If the helper does it ahead of time, type a "space" in each text frame - AppleWorks doesn't like to save empty frames - then lock it.
- You can even "show tools" (View menu) and use the paint bucket to colorize the background of the text frame so it's more visible.)
- Students can also use the "mountains" in the lower left of the window to zoom in and out. Line tools, circles, etc. let you follow other common worksheet instructions
This is a "quck" solution for a student who had muscular dystrophy and couldn't complete worksheets on paper. His/her needs can be accommodated without buying additional software, etc., and members of a "computer club" can be taught to do the scanning on a daily basis.
One other solution which is a variant of the others mentioned is to use AppleWorks(database document) or Filemaker Pro database.
- Scan the worksheet in as a graphic and paste it into the background.
- Now create some fields and position them on the graphic. What is nice is that you can create drop down menus, radio buttons, and position them anywhere you want.
posted by Sharon Eilts at 5:28 PM
