Using Access as a testbank database for K-12 education

M

mhanner

I have heard of a teacher typing their questions along with 4 answer choices
(1 being marked as correct) Students then go to the database and are able to
answer the questions and recieve a score based on their answers. Does anyone
know how to do this, or have a handy template that is already created?? I am
using Office 2003
 
R

roccogrand

I can help you little.

You probably need to have at least two tables, one to store the master
questions and one to store the students' answer sheets. You will need to
copy the master questions into the student data entry form using SQL INSERT.
You could copy all the questions or a select set. If you use a select set
then use a toggle button to specify which questions will be copied into the
student form when another student takes a test.

You will also need to a DELETE QUERY to remove student tests from the test
table. If you don't remove tests the table will get out of hand when
students graduate or move onto the next grade.

Each question will need Yes/No buttons for each possible answer. I think
that the wrong answers should have a value of zero and the correct answer a
value of 1.

If each question is weighted you need a field in the questions table for
that. If they all have equal weights, this field is not needed.

You will need to do calculations on the form if the students need immediate
gratification. You will need to calculations in the report cards. Don't do
the calculations in the tables.

You may want the application to make sounds for the different grades: A, B,
C, D, F. That can be done.

You may want the application to send emails to you or the parents. There is
lots code out there for this. You may also want the application to send the
grade to student. I think there is good code for this in the Access Bible.

You may want the application to create PDF files so that the students can't
change their grades and scores. See Steve Lebans' website for the code.

You probably want the application to reminder scores. You'll need a way to
Update the data.

You may want to time the tests. See the Access Cookbook for the code to
track who uses an application and when. You'll use an On Create and Update
event for these tasks. There is also probably a way to time out the test
with or without a time device.

You could have the application output the results to Excel and Word. Good
help/code for this is in the Access Bible.

The sophistication of the application depends on how much time you have and
your Access skills. Good luck.

HTH

David
 
J

Jeff Boyce

Just a thought ... if the original poster deletes records of student
testing, how will s/he be able to document student testing results when
called upon to do so?

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP
 
M

mhanner

ok, I am obviously in over my head here, but I need to learn this...so I will
get it done! You spoke of an Access Bible and Access Cookbook...I am "too
new" to know what that means...are those titles of actual books I can
purchase??
 
M

Michael Gramelspacher

This is a survey prototype which conceivably be used for tests with
some work.
http://www.psci.net/gramelsp/temp/Survey_Practice_2.zip

Really, you need to develop a clear concept of what you want to do.
Then you need to translate that into database tables. After you have
a solid database structure, then you can go to work.

It is really hard to guess what your level of expertise might be or
how fast your learning curve would be.
 
M

mhanner

Thank you! I do have a clear concept of what I want to do...but I don't know
how to translate it into database tables. I have minimal exposure to access,
but I do have a fast learning curve...I appreciate any and all assistance. I
will try you link and see how that works. I want a student to sit at a
computer and be able to answer multiple choice questions, one after another,
to basically practice the skill. The first concept is for a FFA contest
where the students are given massive amount of questions that could be on the
test, this will allow them to answer them all in rapid paced environment.
They won't have to wait on the teacher to grade their choices. Once this is
accomplished, I really see tons of opportunities to utilize access as a test
bank generator! I know someone out there has done this...that is where the
idea came from...but no one remembers who told them!!
 
R

roccogrand

I typed a long response and the server died. So now please describe in
detail what you want the application to do.

David
 
M

mhanner

I thought I had described it...
basically I want a student to sit at a computer and see multiple choice
questions on the screen. They will select the answer and then get another
question...on and on...then after completing say 100 questions, the student
will be given a score and hopefully, be told which questions were incorrect.
 
M

mhanner

wow, thanks...I really appreciate all your help with this! I did not see
this post until this morning...may I still call you today?
 
R

roccogrand

Not until this weekend. I am out of town. With my digital phone service I
can call you back as soon as I get your number.

I have been working on the app for a couple days. I am stuck right now on
summing the correct and incorrect answers. I do have it allowing the user to
have multiple correct answers so that responses 1 and 3 can be correct or all
the responses can be correct -- what ever you want.

The summing issue is driving me crazy. I wish that I had the right textbook
with me.

David
 
R

roccogrand

I would think that at some point, the administrator would need to purge old
tests from the db. So that statement relates to when the test for an
individual is no longer needed, perhaps six months or a year from after the
test is taken.

If as mhanner imples, the test is for FFA students preparing for a real exam
then there may not be a need to store the results at all. My questions were
meant to define the requirements so that the app would do what is required.

David
 
J

Jeff Boyce

I posed my question for the same reason -- is the "delete" an absolute
requirement (i.e., a business need required by statute, rule, policy) or a
"I think we should because x, y, z"?

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP
 
T

TXHusker

Please comment on how you set up your database. I am looking to do the exact
same thing for my daughter to re-affirm what she is learning in school.

Thanks
 
M

mhanner

ok, I am so excited about this!!! Once it it created, my teachers can use it
for everything!!!! I will give you a call this weekend. :> m
 
M

mhanner

I am sorry we were not able to speak this weekend. Will there be a time I
can call you this week? Please email me your number again and an acceptable
time...
(e-mail address removed)
 
M

mhanner

as soon as I know something, I will let you know, I was unable to make
contact over the weekend.
 

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