HAPS Online Exam FAQ
Can I talk to a real human about the HAPS online exam? I’d
like an overview on how the whole process works.
Yes, call Craig Gundy at 801 725-8610. I also reply promptly to email
sent to craiggundy@me.com
Is there a practice exam?
Yes, there is an exam that provides practice with the mechanics of
taking an exam, but not with subject matter. To take this fivequestion practice exam, follow the instructions below.
1. Visit chisquaredsoftware.com
If you get a warning “there is a problem with the security certificate”,
or “this may not be the site you’re looking for”, or something similar,
just confirm that you have entered chisquaredsoftware.com and click
“Continue to this website”.
2. Log in with the username “student_999” and password “haps1”.
3. You will see a list of exams–locate "HAPS Practice Test".
4. Select the exam, and (on the right side of the screen) click “Take
this test”.
5. A “Confirm the test to take” screen will ask for an exam password.
The exam password is “password”.
6. Take the exam. Most options on the left are unavailable because
students are not allowed to go back to previous questions.
7. After you end your exam, note your score summary, and click the
"Home" button.
How do I order an exam?
At least two to four weeks before you need the exam, submit the
exam request form.
The exam request form asks for the date and time I’ll be
administering the exam. I can’t give a specific time, because I
want to give the exam over several days. Is that okay?
Yes, you may schedule the exam for any length of time necessary.
Is there a time limit on the HAPS exams?
Yes, the 100 question comprehensive exam has a 2 hour time limit.
The 44 question A&P1 exam has a 55 minute time limit. The 56
question A&P2 exam has a 70 minute time limit.
Can I make last-minute changes to my exam dates, times, or
number of students?
Yes, contact Craig Gundy and he can usually make the change within
minutes.
I have a student with an ADA certified disability who needs
extra time to take the exam. Can this be done?
Yes, contact Craig Gundy and include the student’s username and
the amount of time needed.
When administering the exam, does the proctor have to walk
to each testing computer to enter the exam password? This
takes a lot of time for my large class.
Yes, it’s critical that the proctor enter the exam password in a way
that prevents students from seeing it. To facilitate this process, HAPS
instructor Carol suggests this procedure.
Before students enter the computer lab, place an index card by each
computer with the student’s name and the unique student username
assigned to that student (such as student_101, or student_102, etc.).
This helps ensure that proctors enter the correct student username at
each computer, and shows students where to sit.
Also before students arrive, at each testing computer, enter
everything, up to and including the exam password (but don’t click
“Begin Test”). Now students can sit down at the proper computer,
listen to your directions, and click “Begin Test” when ready. The exam
timer does not start until they click “Begin Test”.
While taking an exam, can the students return to a
previously-answered question?
No
What happens if a testing computer freezes, the internet fails,
or the server crashes while my students are testing?
If a testing computer freezes, restart the computer and log the
student into the exam again, as you did initially. If the original
computer is non-functional, you may use a different computer. At
worst, answers to two or three questions may be lost.
If the internet connection fails or the server crashes, the student will
see a message describing the problem. The student may continue
testing, since answers will be stored (temporarily) on the testing
computer. If the problem is not fixed by the time the student finishes
the exam, wait a few minutes and then click the “Try Again” button. If
unsuccessful, wait and try again, and so on. As long as the testing
computer has not deleted the “browser cookie”, no answers will be
lost.
The browser cookie may be deleted if the computer is restarted,
depending on local setup parameters. In any case, if the duration of
the problem is so long that you have to leave the computer and now
have returned to it, log the student in and see what happens.
Hopefully the cookie will still be available. If you are unsure, call Craig
Gundy and he will check to see if your score has been recorded.
I need to get results quickly so that I can submit grades. How
long do I have to wait for my results?
You don’t have to wait at all. If you’ve chosen to show students their
scores immediately after they finish the exam, you can record each
student’s score into your gradebook as soon as they finish. Showing
(and recording) student’s scores also provides a backup in the
unlikely event that there’s a problem later. In any case, Craig Gundy
send you a report within one day after your exam ends.
Are our results safe from hackers, malware, etc.?
Our hosting partner uses antivirus software, and their networks have
firewalls, iptables, and various authentication protocols to prevent
hacking. No system is perfect, but these industry-standard tools and
techniques make our servers as secure as possible. Furthermore,
useable student ID information is never stored on our servers.
Students are identified only by generic student usernames, such as
student_101, student_102 etc. Only the instructor knows who
“student_101” really is.
How is the exam protected against theft?
In order to protect the security and credibility of the exam, instructors
must agree to take precautions as outlined in the document “Security
Guidelines for the HAPS Standardized Exam”.
The testing software (Chi Tester) uses several layers of security. 1)
exams are available only at the scheduled time, 2) exams are
accessible only to the scheduled group of users, 3) exams are
password protected, 4) administrative reports track several
parameters that detect suspicious activity: exam start time, end time,
duration, and IP address of the testing computer.
Can an instructor take a practice exam to see the content?
No, instructors may not take any HAPS exam to judge whether the
test is hard or easy enough for their students. Think of this as you
would any other standardized test – instructors do not get to evaluate
the SAT or MCAT either. This test has gone through extensive
editing and validation.
What if I only have 15 students in my class?
That is fine! Just call the HAPS business office and explain your
situation. The policy is in place to discourage instructors from trying
to sneak a peek at the exam. If you have a small class we will just
need to hear from you.