1.1 Problem Statement

The general problems to be solved by the Test Tool are the following:

  1. to provide instructors with a tool that will allow them to create a test covering specific topics.
  2. to minimize the time instructors will spend preparing a test for students the way they would like it to be.
  3. to provide a grading mechanism for test within reason (essays cannot be graded by a computer).
  4. to provide a medium for students to take paperless tests. This is faster, more environmentally friendly, and requires less work by all involved.
  5. to create a convenient/easy environment to test programming skills with the use of programming questions
  6. to allow instructors to collaborate and share questions. This is done by the questions database system, which allows databases to be synced via a central question database server.
  7. to create a test environment for instructors that is controlled and secure as well as to be able to create practice and take-home tests.
  8. to allow students to view their score as well as their actual test. This allows students to learn from their mistakes and not make them again on subsequent tests.
  9. to create a tool that is more efficient, useful, and user-friendly than the current "Blackboard" system.

While some of these problems have been solved by existing tools, the goal of the Test Tool to consolidate all these features into a single, easy-to-use software suite that has certain functional improvements over existing software.



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