Acuity User s Guide Release 4.5
Acuity User s Guide Page 2 of 80 Developed and published by CTB/McGraw-Hill LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 20 Ryan Ranch Road, Monterey, California 93940-5703.
Acuity User s Guide Page 3 of 80 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: GETTING TO KNOW ACUITY...5 OVERVIEW OF THE USER GUIDE...5 WHAT IS ACUITY?...5 WHAT IS ACUITY ALGEBRA?...5 WHAT IS ACUITY SCIENCE?...5 ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT...6 OVERVIEW OF ONLINE ACUITY...6 MANAGING ACCESS WITHIN ACUITY...6 CHAPTER 2: GETTING STARTED...10 LOG IN TO ACUITY...10 FIRST TIME LOGIN...10 RECOVERING PASSWORDS...10 MULTIPLE ROLES...11 EXPLORING THE HOME PAGE...12 EXPLORING THE HOME PAGE CONTENT AREA...13 COMMON INTERFACE ELEMENTS...14 Search Result Tables...14 Data Default Values...14 Required Fields...15 Tree Searches...15 CHAPTER 3: MANAGING CLASSES...16 CLASSES...16 Add a Class...16 Add Students to a New Class...17 Find/View/Delete an Existing Class...18 Edit Class Roster...19 Edit Class Information...20 CHAPTER 4: MANAGING STUDENTS...21 Add a New Student...21 Assign a Class to a Student...22 Find a Student...23 Edit Student Information...24 Delete a Student...24 CHAPTER 5: ASSIGNING ASSESSMENTS...25 ASSIGNMENT...25 Assign New Diagnostic, Predictive or Algebra Tests...25 Edit/Delete Existing Diagnostic, Predictive or Algebra Assignments...29 ASSIGNMENT STATUS...30 View Assignment Status...30 View Assignment Status By Student...31 PREVIEW/PRINT TEST MATERIALS...32 Preview/Print Test...32 Preview/Print for Custom tests...34 CHAPTER 6: MANUALLY SCORE ITEMS...35 Find an Assignment...35 Score a Constructed Response...36 Enter Student Answers Taken Offline...38 CHAPTER 7: CUSTOM TEST...39
Acuity User s Guide Page 4 of 80 CREATE/MANAGE CUSTOM TEST...39 Create a Custom Test...39 View Existing Custom Test...44 ASSIGN CUSTOM TEST...46 Create New Custom Test Assignment...46 Update/Delete Existing Custom Test Assignment...47 SHARE CUSTOM TEST...48 Share a Custom Test with Other Educators...48 CHAPTER 8: ITEM AUTHORING...50 Create a Passage...50 Create an Item...51 Edit Existing Items or Passages...55 Approve Items or Passages...56 CHAPTER 9: INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES...59 ASSIGN BY SKILL/STANDARD...59 Assign an Instruction by Skill/Standard...59 ASSIGN BY STUDENT...60 Assign an Instruction by Student...60 VIEW/PRINT INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES...62 Preview/Print an Instructional Resource...62 VIEW STATUS...63 Status by Student...63 Status by Skill Group...64 CHAPTER 10: MY SETTINGS...66 PROFILE...66 View/Edit Profile Information...66 CHAPTER 11: REPORTS...67 Report Descriptions...67 Report Availability by Level...68 Access Diagnostic Roster Report...68 REPORT BATCHES...70 CHAPTER 12: STUDENT EXPERIENCE...71 Logging in to Acuity...71 Recovering Passwords...71 Exploring the Student Home Page...71 TAKE A TEST...72 Test Screen...74 SAMPLE TEST ITEM TYPES...76 Selected Response Item...76 Split Screen Items...76 Constructed Response Items (online)...76 Constructed Response Items That Must Be Answered Offline...76 Grid-In Items...76 Items with Manipulatives...76 Innovative Items...76
Acuity User s Guide Page 5 of 80 Chapter 1: Getting to Know Acuity Overview of the User Guide The Teacher s User Guide for Acuity gives you step-by-step instructions on how to use CTB/McGraw-Hill s online Acuity program from a typical teacher s perspective. The guide is divided into chapters, each of which can be used independently to cover just the topics that interest you. Alternatively, you can read the entire guide for a thorough introduction to the Acuity online system. A separate guide exists that gives step-by-step instructions for administrative features. What is Acuity? Acuity is an online/paper-pencil, comprehensive program that includes an integrated suite of diagnostic and predictive benchmark tests for Math and Reading, covering grade levels three through eight and the high school NCLB test. Acuity includes the following components, which are discussed in this user guide: Predictive Tests (3 per year) that model the state NCLB test blueprints, in terms of content coverage of each standard and sub-content area Diagnostic Tests (up to 6 per year) Immediate Reporting Capabilities Instructional Resources Custom Tests, which utilize an item bank of 20,000 items What is Acuity Algebra? Acuity Algebra is a comprehensive set of online Algebra placement and assessment tools for Grades 7-12. Acuity Algebra includes the following components: Readiness Exam is a 40-item test that can be used to assist teachers and administrators in placing students in the appropriate math program. The test is designed to be given to students who are eligible to take an Algebra I class in the upcoming year. Formative Assessments (13 pre-made tests) test comprehensive series of concepts that are typically taught in Algebra 1. Custom Tests utilize a Formative Item Bank containing 500 selected response items, including those items found in the Formative Assessments as well as some geometry items. Proficiency Exam assesses all four of the 2001 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Algebra standards for grades 9-12. The Proficiency Exam is intended to be given at the end of the school year to assess the student s knowledge and mastery of the concepts that are most widely taught in Algebra 1. What is Acuity Science? Acuity Science is a complete assessment solution for Science.
Acuity User s Guide Page 6 of 80 Acuity Science includes the following components: Early indicator and predictive exams are available for the grades in which given states complete summative exams (grade bands three through five and six through eight). These tests align to the state NCLB test blueprints, in terms of content coverage of each standard and sub-content area. Custom tests which utilizes a formative item bank. Assistance and Support Acuity support is available via phone or online as follows: Phone: 1-800-282-4705 (8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. E.S.T.) For Indiana customers: 1-800-282-1132 For West Virginia customers: 1-866-282-2250, Option 1 Email: Acuity@ctb.com For Indiana customers: INAcuity@ctb.com Website: www.acuityforschool.com Overview of Online Acuity Online Acuity enables an educational organization to test its students online and to obtain feedback on how well they performed. Acuity is accessed through a secure site on the Internet, using a unique user name and password (see Chapter 2: Getting Started ). To do this, some administrative tasks must be performed. Educators (users) in the organization must be set up in Acuity, so that the work of maintaining student data, making tests available for scheduling, setting up test sessions, and reporting on results can be shared among staff. To protect the data in Acuity, users are assigned to a hierarchy level in the organization and are given user roles that control what tasks they have permission to perform within the system. Similar to educator profiles, student profiles must be set up and maintained, so that the system can accurately match performance on a test to a particular individual (see Chapter 3: Managing Classes and Chapter 4: Managing Students ). Other administrative features are covered in the Acuity Administrator Guide. After profiles are in place, students can be assigned to a test session or assigned an instructional resource by any user with permission to do so. Assignment to a session means that the students are expected to log on during a specific window of time, when a particular test will be administered to them (see Chapter 5: Assigning Assessments ). Students log in to the Acuity online test, using a unique user name and password. As students respond to the test items, their responses are recorded and stored in Acuity. (see Chapter 11: Student Experience ). Managing Access Within Acuity Every educator in the Acuity system is assigned one or more roles within the hierarchy level in the system. This means the educator has access to information at the level assigned in the hierarchy and below. The following is a list of hierarchy levels in Acuity:
Acuity User s Guide Page 7 of 80 Multi-district (Group) District School Class There are eight roles defined within Acuity, as listed below: Super User Test Coordinator Observer Scorer District Administrator School Administrator Teacher Student Each role is assigned permissions which define what functions the user can perform. The system is set up with default permissions for each role, but can be modified by the Super User to meet the needs of the organization. Permissions associated with a role are applicable to the hierarchy level with which the user is associated with, and all the levels below it, meaning a school administrator can see everything that is going on at his or her school. The table below is a summary of the default functionality and the eligible hierarchy levels that can be assigned to each role. Additional information about roles, hierarchy and permissions can be found in the Acuity Administrator s Guide.
Acuity User s Guide Page 8 of 80 Role Default Permission Applicable Hierarchy Levels Super User Manage all system users Manage testing programs Manage assessment profiles Assign assessments Assign/preview instructional resources Print/view assessment materials Score constructive responses Upload scanned results Generate files for scanning View reports Create/assign/share custom tests View assignment status Extract data Test Coordinator Upload scanned results Print/preview assessments Multi-district (Group), District, and School District, School, and Class Observer View Reports District, School, and Class Scorer Score constructive responses District, School, and Class District Administrator Manage all system users, except district administrators Upload scanned results Generate files for scanning View reports Manage testing programs Manage assessment profiles Assign assessments Assign/preview instructional resources Print/view assessment materials Score constructive responses Create/assign/share custom tests View assignment status District
Acuity User s Guide Page 9 of 80 Role Default Permission Applicable Hierarchy Levels School Administrator Manage all system users. except district and school administrators Upload scanned results Generate files for scanning View reports Assign assessments Assign/preview instructional resources Print/view assessment materials Score constructive responses Create/assign/share custom tests View assignment status Teacher Manage classes View reports Assign diagnostic assessments Assign/preview instructional resources Print/view assessment materials Score constructive responses Create/assign/share custom tests View assignment status Student View Student Progress Reports (Diagnostic, Predictive, and Custom) School Class No level associated
Acuity User s Guide Page 10 of 80 Chapter 2: Getting Started Log In to Acuity When you log in, you must enter your unique user name and password. Your organization will receive a list of initial user names and passwords from your CTB Implementation Coordinator. These user names and passwords will be distributed by your administrator, either at a training session, via email, or by some other method determined by your organization. Open your web browser and type in the URL for Acuity.* This information should have been provided to you in an email or given to you by your administrator. 1. Enter User Name. 2. Enter Password. 3. Click Enter Site to validate your entries and display the Home page. If your entries are not valid, the User Login page displays again. If this occurs, check your entries for typos and try again. *Once you have reached the Login page, you can create an icon on your desktop (a shortcut to the Acuity website), so that in the future it will be easer to log in. To create an icon, complete the following steps: 1. From the Login page, right-click on the page. 2. Select Create Shortcut and click OK to create an Acuity icon on your desktop. First Time Login On your first successful login, you will be asked to enter email information. This is used to provide your login information via email when your password is lost or forgotten. When the Enter E-mail Information screen displays, enter your email address and click Enter. You will not be able access Acuity without first providing an email address. Recovering Passwords An educator s password is not viewable to anyone in the system. If you forget your password, you must use the link on the Login page to have the password sent to the email address on file, using the following steps: 1. Enter User Name.
Acuity User s Guide Page 11 of 80 2. Click Retrieve Password. An email that contains your password will be sent to the email address on record for you. Multiple Roles An educator can be assigned multiple roles within Acuity. Upon logging in the user can select which role to use using the following steps: 1. After logging in to the system using the steps above, select a Role. 2. Select a District/School. 3. Click the Save as Default checkbox to automatically log in as this role. 4. Click Enter. To change roles, click on the Switch Roles link in the header and follow the steps above.
Acuity User s Guide Page 12 of 80 Exploring the Home Page The Home page is the first page you see when accessing the system. It is your starting point for navigating through Acuity. Structural elements on the Home page that are common to all the pages in the system are described below: The Header contains the McGraw-Hill banner, Acuity logo, global navigation, and login information. If an educator has multiple roles within Acuity, a Switch Roles link will be available that allows the educator to change roles. Global Navigation contains the following links: Home returns you to the Home page. If you lose track of where you are in the system, you can always click Home. Help provides online help for using the system. Remember, help is also available by calling customer service at 1-800-282-4123. Contact Us provides an email address and phone number for technical support and a form to provide customer feedback. Logout is for security. Always log out of the system when you are not actively using it. The system will automatically log you out after 10 minutes if there is no activity.
Acuity User s Guide Page 13 of 80 The Main Navigation Menu fills the left side of the page. It displays clickable links to the functional areas within the system. Each menu item contains submenu items. The item that is selected is highlighted. Your role and permissions determines which functionality you will have access to. The Main Navigation contains the following links: Tests - allows educators to schedule and assign assessments, view/print assessment materials, view assignment status, create, assign and share custom test, upload scan results and enter offline responses, and create selfauthored items for use on custom tests. Reports - allows educators to view system reports. Instructional Resources - allows educators to assign and preview instructional resources and view completion status. Management - allows educators to manage students, manage educators, manage classes, generate data files and update permissions. My Settings - allows educators to view and update their profile. Additional Help - provides documentation for using the system. Content Area is the part of the page below the header and to the right of the main navigation menu. It contains the application content, which changes depending on the functional area in which you are working. The Footer contains the copyright. Exploring the Home Page Content Area The content area of your Home page is divided into the following two areas: Welcome The first thing you see in the content area is a welcome message containing your name. Messages This section allows you to view general broadcast messages from McGraw-Hill, such as system availability or news about system updates. Click the message link to display the full message. Below are types of messages that are sent to the users: Permission changes. Test window expiration. Scoring completion. Batch report generation. Custom test PDF generation. Test assignment file generation. Barcode labels generation. Data extract generation. Upload completion. Items awaiting approval (for item authoring)
Acuity User s Guide Page 14 of 80 Items review completion (for item authoring). Recent Activity The system sends three types of transaction notices to inform educators of recent activity. Administrative actions inform administrators that students were added or removed from a school, and that students were assigned or unassigned from a class. Test Activity provides the number of students with assessments scored or partially scored in the past 10 days. Instructional Resource Activity provides the number of students who completed an instructional resource. Common Interface Elements Below is a list of interface elements that are common across many of the functional areas in the system. Search Result Tables Search results are not visible until the user clicks the button which retrieves the results. Elements common to these tables include: Sorting: Above the table is a drop-down box that allows the user to sort by the selected column name. Paging: If the search results are more than the minimum specified, paging buttons will be displayed. Users can select how many results to show per page. Data Default Values Depending on your role within the hierarchy, the system will display the default values where appropriate. For example, if you are a teacher in one school, the system will default to the school where you are given access. You will not have to choose your school from a list in a drop-down box.
Acuity User s Guide Page 15 of 80 Required Fields When entering information (e.g., to add a student, to add a class) the headings for required fields are red-colored instead of black. In this manual, required fields are designated with asterisks. Tree Searches Tree searches will always be displayed side by side. Initial data is on the left and assigned data is on the right. Boxes can be fully expanded by clicking the + symbol. In the initial view, the search results box will populate with data based on the search criteria. The right side of the screen displays a data box with no data. When a selection is made, the user clicks Assign Selected, and the selected data will populate the right side. Data can be removed in the same manner, by doing the reverse and clicking the Remove Selected button.
Acuity User s Guide Page 16 of 80 Chapter 3: Managing Classes Classes are needed in order to assign a student to a test. A student must be in at least one class. Most organizations will add classes and assign students to classes through a data load process. This chapter explains how to manually add a new class, assign students to a class, and edit existing classes. Note: teachers can view or print their class roster without having the Manage Class permission. Classes Classes can be added, updated, or deleted. Add a Class 1. Click Management on the Main Menu. 2. Click Classes. 3. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a District. b. Select a School. 4. Click Add New Class. 5. Enter the class information. a. Enter Class Name* (this is the name that is associated with the class). It should be meaningful to the organization and to the educator (this will make it easier for everyone to manage tests and view reports). b. Enter Class ID* (up to fifty alphanumeric characters). This field must be unique. c. Select Subject Settings.*
Acuity User s Guide Page 17 of 80 d. Select a Primary Teacher.* e. If desired, select Other Teacher(s), Test Coordinator(s), Observer(s), and Scorer(s). These educators will be given access to your class. The functions they perform depend on their permissions. 6. Click Save Class. * designates a required field Add Students to a New Class 1. Add a class following the steps above. 2. After clicking Save Class, click Add Students to Class. 3. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Class (default to the class that was just added). c. Select the Grade of the students you want to assign. 4. Click Search to view students who meet the search criteria. 5. Click the checkboxes and add an effective date for the corresponding students you want added to the class. This means all assessments completed after the selected date will be associated with this class. 6. Click Assign Students.
Acuity User s Guide Page 18 of 80 7. If students are chosen that are already assigned to classes associated with the same subject, a pop-up window appears where you must indicate whether to add the new class assignment to the existing assignment or to replace the existing assignment with the new one. 8. Click Save Assignment. Find/View/Delete an Existing Class 1. Click Management on the Main Menu. 2. Click Classes. 3. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a District. b. Select a School. 4. Click Show Existing Classes to view classes that meet the search criteria. 5. The following options exist from the Search Results box: a. Click the corresponding Class Name link to view a summary of the class. See the Edit Class Information section below for options available from this screen. b. Click the corresponding View Roster link to view a list of students assigned to the class. See the Edit Class Roster section below for options available from this screen. c. Click the corresponding Delete link to delete the class. Note: A class cannot be deleted if students are enrolled; the link will not appear.
Acuity User s Guide Page 19 of 80 Edit Class Roster 1. To view a Class Roster, follow the steps above in the Find/View/Delete an Existing Class section. Click the corresponding View Roster link to view the class roster. 2. The following options exist from this screen: a. Click the corresponding Change link to change the student s password. A student password must be a minimum of four characters and may contain letters and numbers. i. Enter New Password. ii. Enter New Password again. iii. Click Submit. b. Click the corresponding Login link to log in to the Acuity system as that student. The user may perform any actions in the application as if they were the selected student. Note: you will be required to re-log in after exiting the student screen. c. Click Unassign link for the corresponding student to unassign a student from the class. d. Click Print Roster button to print a list of students (i.e., students in the class in alphabetical order by last name, along with their user names and passwords).
Acuity User s Guide Page 20 of 80 Edit Class Information 1. Find a class, following the steps above in the Find/View/Delete an Existing Class section. 2. Click class name to view additional information. 3. Click Edit Class Details. 4. Modify class details such as Class Name, Subject Settings, Primary Teacher, and other roles. 5. Click Save Class. 6. To add students to the class, click Add Students to Class. See steps three through nine in the Add students to a New Class section above.
Acuity User s Guide Page 21 of 80 Chapter 4: Managing Students Student profiles must be added so that the system can match performance on an assessment to a particular student. Most organizations will add and maintain students through a data load process. This chapter explains how to manually add a new student, delete a student, or update existing student information. An educator must have the Manage Student permission to perform this functionality. Add a New Student 1. Click Management on the Main Menu. 2. Click Students. 3. Enter Search criteria a. Select a District. b. Select a School. c. Enter student s First Name. d. Enter student s Last Name. 4. Click Add New Student. Note: If a potential duplicate is found within your hierarchy level, it is listed. You can click on the Add This Student Anyway link or click on the student name to see additional information. 5. Enter the student s personal information, including ID Number,* First Name,* Middle Name, Last Name,* Suffix, Email, Grade Level,* and Birth Date. 6. Enter NCLB criteria, if applicable. 7. Select Test Accommodations if applicable. 8. Click Save to add the student. Note: A user name and password will be generated by the system. * designates a required field
Acuity User s Guide Page 22 of 80 Assign a Class to a Student 1. Add a student, following the steps above in the Add a New Student section or Edit a student, following the steps below in the Edit Student Information section. 2. Click Save and Assign Classes. 3. Click Create New Assignment link. a. Select a Subject. b. Select a Teacher. c. Select a Class. d. Enter Effective Date. The effective date will default to the current date. To view previous assessments taken by the student, this date can be backdated.
Acuity User s Guide Page 23 of 80 4. Click Add link. 5. Click Save and View Summary. Find a Student 1. Click Management on the Main Menu. 2. Click Students. 3. Enter Search criteria. The following are four different approaches: a. Enter all fields (District, School, and Name) to narrow the search. b. Select a District and a School for a list of all students in the school. c. Enter a valid Name. d. Enter the Student ID. 4. Click Search to display a list of students who meet the search criteria. 5. The following options exist from the search results: a. Click the corresponding student name link to view student information. i. Click Edit this Student to update student information (See Edit Student Information section below). ii. Click Delete this Student to delete the student (See the Delete a Student section below). b. Click the corresponding Change link to update a student s password. i. Enter a New Password (must be a minimum of four characters, and may contain letters/numbers). ii. Enter the New Password again. iii. Click Submit.
Acuity User s Guide Page 24 of 80 Edit Student Information 1. Find a student following the steps above in the Find a Student section. 2. Click the corresponding student name link to view student information. 3. Click Edit This Student. 4. Modify profile information. 5. Click Save to save profile changes. Click Save and Assign Classes to save profile changes and assign classes (see Assign a Class to a Student section above). Delete a Student For all educators except the Super User and District Administrator, the delete button only appears if the student has no completed assignments. Only a District Administrator or a Super User can delete a student that has completed assignments (See the Acuity Administrator s Guide for instructions). 1. Find a student following the steps above in the Find a Student section. 2. Click the corresponding student name link to view student information. 3. Click Delete This Student. Click OK to confirm deletion.
Acuity User s Guide Page 25 of 80 Chapter 5: Assigning Assessments In this chapter, we will walk through how to schedule test sessions, assign tests to students, and view/print assessment materials. Assignment Assignment allows you to create a new assignment or view existing assignments by Subject, Assessment Type, and Grade Level, for Diagnostic, Predictive, Algebra Proficiency and Algebra Readiness tests. The process to create, view and edit assignments is the same for each assignment option. An educator must have permission to assign the assessment type. Assign New Diagnostic, Predictive or Algebra Tests 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Assignments. 3. Click desired Assignment Option. 4. Enter Search criteria to display the Create New Assignment button. a. Select a Subject. b. Select a Grade Level of Assessment. c. Select an Assessment (assessment can not be Any ). 5. Click Create New Assignment. 6. Enter test assignment information. a. Enter the assignment name. It should be meaningful to the organization, to make it easier for educators to manage the test and to create reports. b. If applicable, click checkbox to Disable Time Limit and then enter a Disable Time Limit reason. c. If applicable, click checkbox to Override and Enable Calculator. d. Enter Assignment Start Time, including a start date (if a test session window exists, the test dates must fall within this test session window) and start time (the time the test can start to be taken).
Acuity User s Guide Page 26 of 80 e. Enter an Assignment End time, including an end date (must be after the start date and within the test session window, if applicable) and an end time (the last time a student can log in). f. Select an Overall Test Delivery Mode either Online and Offline or Offline Only. If an assignment is set to Offline Only then the test assignment will not appear on the student s page. g. Indicate whether or not students can access this assessment from outside your school appliance. The default for this selection is YES (allow remote access) for Diagnostic and Custom assessments and NO (restrict to school appliance only) for Predictive assessments. h. Click the Offline CR Test Delivery checkbox to ensure all constructed response questions are answered offline. The question will appear in the online test but there will be nowhere to record the answer online. i. Click the checkbox to Randomly Order Online Student Test Questions. This is only available for Diagnostic assessments. j. If applicable, enter a Student Report Access Date to allow students to view their test results. This date must be on or after the assignment end date.
Acuity User s Guide Page 27 of 80 7. Click Save and Proceed to Next Step to Assign Students. 8. Enter Search Filters. a. Select a Grade Level (hold the control key down and click on selection to select multiple selections). b. Select a School. c. If applicable, select test accommodations. Only those students whose profile requires these accommodations will be displayed. d. To narrow you search further, click Display Classes to view a list of classes for the selected grade levels(s) and school(s). Select one or more classes.
Acuity User s Guide Page 28 of 80 e. To narrow your search further within the selected grade levels(s), school(s), and classes(s), click the Click Here to Narrow Search by Student Name link and enter either a name or a last name range. 9. Click Search for Students. 10. Click the + symbol to expand the hierarchy table, if necessary. Click the checkboxes to select students. By selecting the top level in the hierarchy, all levels below are automatically selected. For example, if you click the school checkbox, then all students from the selected grade levels and class will be selected. 11. Click Assign Selected. 12. Click View Summary.
Acuity User s Guide Page 29 of 80 Edit/Delete Existing Diagnostic, Predictive or Algebra Assignments 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Assignments. 3. Click desired Assignment Option. 4. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a Subject. b. Select a Grade Level of Assessment. c. Select an Assessment. 5. Click Show Existing Assignments to view assignments that meet the search criteria. 6. The following options may be available for each assignment name, depending on your role and level within the organization, as well as the status of the assignment. a. Click the corresponding Delete link to delete an assignment. Click OK to confirm the deletion. Note: An assignment can only be deleted if no one has completed the assessment and if the assignment has not expired. b. Click the corresponding Edit link to edit the assignment detail. Follow steps six through twelve in the Assign New Diagnostic, Predictive or Algebra Tests section above to update desired fields.
Acuity User s Guide Page 30 of 80 Assignment Status Assignment Status allows you to view the assignment status by student. View Assignment Status 1. Click Test on the Main Menu. 2. Click Assignment Status. 3. Click View Assignment Status. 4. Enter Search for Assignments Criteria. a. Select a Subject.* b. Select an Assessment Type.* c. Select an Assessment Grade Level.* d. Select an Assessment.* e. Select an Assignment Expiration Status.** f. Select an Assignment Completion Status.** 5. Click Search to view assignments that meet the Search Criteria. 6. Click the corresponding assignment name link to view information about the assignment. Information includes: a. Assessment Name, Type, ID, and Grade Level. b. Assignment/Test Window Start Date and End Date. c. Assignment Completion Status. d. Student Assignments.
Acuity User s Guide Page 31 of 80 * designates a required field ** hold the control key dawn and click choices to make multiple selections View Assignment Status By Student 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Assignment Status. 3. Click Assignment Status By Student. 4. Enter Search criteria. a. Either: i. Select a School.* ii. Enter student s First Name (from zero to all letters). iii. Enter student s Last Name (from zero to all letters). b. Or: i. Enter Student ID. 5. Click Search to view the students who meet the Search Criteria. 6. Click the corresponding student name link. 7. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a Subject.* b. Select an Assessment Type. c. Select a Student Completion Status. 8. Click Search to view assignments that meet the Search Criteria.
Acuity User s Guide Page 32 of 80 9. Click the corresponding assignment name link to view information about the assignment. Information includes: a. Assessment Name, Type, ID, and Grade Level. b. Assignment Test Window Start and End Date. c. Assignment Completion Status. d. Student Assignments. * designates a required field Preview/Print Test Materials Preview/Print Test allows you to view an assessment online, print/view the test booklet, view test instructions, print the constructive response answer sheet, or print/view the answer key by Subject, Type, and Grade Level. Additionally, users with the appropriate permissions can copy DIAGNOSTIC tests to a custom test using Preview/Print. Note: The Acuity Algebra Readiness Tests can not be previewed or printed. Preview/Print Test 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Preview/Print. 3. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a Subject. b. Select an Assessment Type. c. Select a Grade Level. 4. Click Search to view assessments that meet the Search criteria.
Acuity User s Guide Page 33 of 80 5. Click Show for the corresponding Assessment Name to view the following test materials: a. Online Preview allows you to preview the test online as if you are a student. b. Print/View Test Booklet displays the actual test booklet in a printable format (PDF). c. View Test Instructions displays online and offline test instructions. d. Print Constructive Response Answer Sheet allows you to print an answer booklet (PDF format) containing all constructed responses and grid-in items, or constructive response items that must be taken on paper. Note: If this button is disabled, then all items on the assessment can be taken online. e. Print/View Answer Key displays the test item, followed by answer explanations, rubric, and exemplars, when appropriate. i. Click the Show Display Filter to limit the fields being displayed. ii. Click Print Answer Key to print the answer key. f. Copy to Make Custom Test allows the user to copy DIAGNOSTIC tests into Custom Tests. Once saved as a custom test, the user can add additional items, remove items, reorder items, etc.
Acuity User s Guide Page 34 of 80 Preview/Print for Custom tests Follow the steps above for Preview/Print Test with the following exceptions: Searching for Custom Tests does not include selecting a Grade Level. A printable format of a custom test must first be generated by clicking the Generate PDF button. There are no Constructed Response Answer Sheets for Custom tests. Currently all test questions can be answered online.
Acuity User s Guide Page 35 of 80 Chapter 6: Manually Score Items Constructed responses and Grid-in items can be scored manually online. In addition, offline responses can be entered for scoring multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. Find an Assignment 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Scoring and Scan Processing. 3. Click Manually Score Items. 4. Enter Search for Assignments criteria. a. Select a District. b. Select a School. c. Select a Class. d. Select a Subject. e. Select an Assessment Type. f. Select an Assessment. 5. Click Show Assignment to view search criteria results. Fields displayed include: a. Assignment Name. b. Created By. c. Start Date. d. Scoring Status - Not Started, Incomplete or Complete. e. Score CR Answers. i. Score allows the user to score an item(s). ii. View allows the user to view scores; either the user does not have permission to score items or the test session window has expired. f. Enter Student Answers i. Enter allows the user to enter the student s answer(s). ii. View allows the user to view student answers; either the user does not have permission to enter test answers, the test session window has expired, or the assignment was completed online.
Acuity User s Guide Page 36 of 80 Score a Constructed Response 1. Find an assignment, following the steps above in the Find an Assignment section. Click the Score link for the corresponding Assignment name. 2. Enter Search filters. a. Select a Scoring List. b. Select a Student. 3. Click Search to view assignment results. The following options are available:
Acuity User s Guide Page 37 of 80 a. Click the Click Here link to view the scoring rubrics and exemplars for all items. b. Click the corresponding student s View Response link to display the student s response and exemplars. i. Select a score for the item ii. Click Exemplars to open a popup window to view an exemplar for each score. iii. Click Print to open a popup window to print the student s response. iv. Click Close Window to save the score and return to the Score Item page. c. Enter a Score for each item by clicking on the corresponding radio buttons. d. Click Submit to submit and save the scores. e. Click Submit and Proceed to Next Page to submit and save scores and move to the next page (if applicable). f. Click Print All Responses to open a popup window to print the responses for all students in the class. g. Click Reset Score to return to your last saved constructed response scores.
Acuity User s Guide Page 38 of 80 Enter Student Answers Taken Offline 1. Find the assignment (see Find an Assignment section above). 2. Click Enter link for the corresponding Assignment name. 3. Enter Search filters. a. Select a student. b. Click the item type checkboxes: Multiple Choice, Fill-in-the-Blank, or Grid-In. 4. Click Search 5. Enter the student s answers 6. Click Submit
Acuity User s Guide Page 39 of 80 Chapter 7: Custom Test Within Acuity, you can create your own custom test. These tests can be used to get a more in-depth understanding of the problems your students are having with specific objectives. They can also be used as end-of-chapter tests to assess the students understanding of material covered in class or as pre- and post-tests to assess the efficacy of classroom instruction. Note: See Chapter 5: Assigning Assessments for instructions on viewing Assignment Status and Preview/Print Test Materials for custom tests. Custom test can be carried over to the following school year. All custom tests will be unassigned at the end of the school year. At the beginning of the new school year, you can delete the test or reassign the test. Create/Manage Custom Test Create/Manage allows educators to view or update existing custom tests, or to create a new custom test. Create a Custom Test 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Custom Tests. 3. Click Create/Manage. 4. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Subject. 5. Click Create New Test. 6. Select Search for Skills by Skill Group, Standards or Passage. Standards are based on State Standards. a. If Skill Group is selected: i. Select a Grade Level. ii. Select a Skill Group. iii. Select the item Bank(s) to search for questions. b. If Standards is selected: i. Select Standard. ii. Select information for the desired standard. These fields will vary depending on your state-defined standards. iii. Select the item Bank(s) to search for questions
Acuity User s Guide Page 40 of 80 c. If Passage is selected: i. Select a Grade Level of the item. ii. Select Genre. iii. Select Sub-Genre. iv. Select Item Type (choices include: Multiple Choice, Constructed Response, Grid In and Fill in the Blank) v. Select the item Bank(s) to search for questions. vi. Enter Additional Search filters, if desired, for items created through item authoring. 7. Click Search to view a list of skills/passages that meet the Search criteria. 8. If searching by Skill Group or Standard, perform the following task: a. Click checkbox(es) of desired skill(s).
Acuity User s Guide Page 41 of 80 b. Click Assign Selected. Note: To remove a skill, click the remove checkbox of the desired skill and click Remove Selected. c. Change the Search criteria by repeating steps six through ten to add new skills and additional items to the test. d. When done adding skills, click Proceed to Next Step. 9. Choose how to select items. Either choose to allow the computer to select test items, and provide the numbers of items per selected skill or choose to select the items manually. 10. If Allow Computer to Select Items was selected above: a. Click View Sample to view a sample item of the corresponding test skill. b. Enter the number of desired items on the test for each skill. The number of items selected must be less than or equal to the number of items available. For passages, items are grouped under the passage.
Acuity User s Guide Page 42 of 80 11. If Select Items Manually was selected above: a. Click Select Items for each corresponding skill. b. Click Preview to preview an item. c. Click View to view item statistic. Note, you must have permission to access this link. d. Click corresponding item checkboxes for the items you want included on the test. e. Click Add Selected Items. f. Repeat steps A through C for each desired skill. 12. Click Proceed to Next Step. 13. Perform some or all of the following options:
Acuity User s Guide Page 43 of 80 a. To manually reorder the items on a test using the number fields on the lefthand side, click Update Order. b. To have the computer randomly reorder the items on the test, click on the Click Here link at the top of the page. c. To preview an item, click on the corresponding Preview link. d. To delete an item, click on the corresponding delete checkbox and click Delete Selected. Click OK to confirm the deletion. 14. Click Preview Test to view the entire test. 15. Click Proceed to Next Step. 16. Enter a name for the test (must be unique). 17. Choose whether or not to set a time limit and enter a time, in minutes, if applicable. 18. If applicable, click Select a New Reference Sheet link. a. Select a Grade Level. b. Select a Reference Sheet. 19. If applicable, select test tools. Note: To unselect, hold down the control key and click on the tool name. 20. Choose a publishing option. a. Save as Draft allows the test to be updated. b. Save as Final allows the test to be assigned, but the test can no longer be updated. i. Click the Allow test to be shared with other Acuity users in your district box to allow other educators to assign the test. A test is shared across educators with the same hierarchy level or below. This option can be changed once the test is published. Note: Once published, educators higher in the hierarchy can automatically view custom tests and can share them within their hierarchy.
Acuity User s Guide Page 44 of 80 ii. Click the Allow data from test results to be extracted for district wide administration and reporting box to have test results be part of district reports. These results are available for summary reports and data extracts. This option should mainly be used for district-wide custom test. This option can be changed once the test is published. 21. Click Save Test. From here, you can create an assignment (see steps below), share this test with educators (see steps below) or create/edit another test. View Existing Custom Test 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Custom Tests. 3. Click Create/Manage. 4. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Subject. 5. Click Show Existing Tests. 6. If desired, Enter Additional Search Filters. The search can include partial spellings. For example, an entry of tor would include results such as Tori Smith or John Storey. a. Enter last name b. Enter test name 7. Click Search. 8. The following options exist from the Search Results box: a. Click the corresponding test name link to view a summary of the test. b. Click the corresponding Preview link to view the test.
Acuity User s Guide Page 45 of 80 c. Click corresponding Edit link to edit the test. One of the following two options is available. If the link says Edit Draft, then changes can be made to the test. (See Create a Custom Test section above, starting with step six). A test can only be edited if has not yet been published. If the link says Edit Final, then only the option to share your Acuity test and Allow data from test results to be extracted for district reporting can be updated. d. Click the corresponding Delete link, if available, to delete a test. Note: A test can only be deleted if has not yet been assigned. e. Click the corresponding Copy link, to make a copy of the custom test that can then be edited.
Acuity User s Guide Page 46 of 80 Assign Custom Test Assign allows an educator to assign a custom test to students. Create New Custom Test Assignment 1. Select Tests. 2. Select Custom Tests. 3. Select Assign. 4. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Subject. 5. Click Show Existing Tests. 6. Click the corresponding test name link to view a test summary. 7. Click the corresponding View/Assign link to view assignments. 8. Click Create New Assignment. 9. Enter test assignment information. a. Enter an Assignment Name. It should be meaningful to the organization, to make it easier for educators to manage the test and to create reports. b. If applicable, click checkbox to Disable Time Limit. Enter a Disable Time Limit reason. c. Click checkbox to Override and Enable Calculator. d. Enter Assignment Start Time, including a start date (the start of the test window) and the start time. e. Enter an Assignment End Time, including an end date (the end of the test window must be after the start date) and end time. f. Select an Overall Test Delivery mode either Online and Offline or Offline Only. If an assignment is set to Offline Only then the test assignment will not appear on the student s page. g. Check the checkbox to Randomly Order Online Student Test Questions if desired. h. If applicable, enter a Student Report Access Date to allow students to view their test results. This date must be on or after the assignment end date. 10. Click Save and Proceed to Next Step to assign students. 11. Enter Search for Student filters. a. Select a Grade Level (hold the control key down and click on selection to select multiple selections). b. Select a School. c. If applicable, select test accommodations. Only those students whose profile requires these accommodations will be displayed.
Acuity User s Guide Page 47 of 80 d. To narrow you search further, click Display Classes to view a list of classes for the selected grade levels(s) and school(s). Select one or more classes. e. To narrow your search further within the selected grade levels(s), school(s), and classes(s), click the Click Here to Narrow Search by Student Name link and enter either a name or a last name range. 12. Click Search for Students. 13. Click the + symbol to expand the hierarchy table, if necessary. Click the checkboxes to select students. By selecting the top level in the hierarchy, all levels below are automatically selected. For example, if you click the School checkbox, then all students from the selected grade level and class will be selected. 14. Click Assign Selected. 15. Click View Summary. Update/Delete Existing Custom Test Assignment 1. Click Tests. 2. Click Custom Tests. 3. Click Assign. 4. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Subject. 5. Click Show Existing Tests. 6. Click the corresponding View/Assign link to view the assignments associated with the test. 7. The following options are available from the Test Assignment box: a. If no test assignments have been made for the test, the Test Assignment box will contain a message stating that no results were found. b. Click the corresponding Delete link to delete the assignment. An assignment can only be deleted if no student has started the assessment. c. Click the corresponding Edit link to update the assignment. i. Follow the steps in the Create New Custom Test Assignment section above. Listed below are the restrictions for editing an assignment: 1. A time limit may not be modified if the assignment has been started by one or more students.
Acuity User s Guide Page 48 of 80 2. The Use Calculator setting may not be modified if the assignment has been started by one or more students. Share Custom Test Share allows an educator to share a custom test with other educators on the same hierarchy level or below. Share a Custom Test with Other Educators 1. Click Test on the Main Menu. 2. Click Custom Tests. 3. Click Share. 4. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Subject. 5. Click Search. 6. The following options exist from the Search Results box: a. Click the corresponding test name link to view a summary of the test. b. Click the corresponding View Shared Educators link to see with whom the test is being shared. c. Click the corresponding Share test box to share or unshare the test. 7. Click Share Selected Tests With Educators. 8. Click the + symbol to expand the table. Click the checkboxes to select educators to share the test. By selecting the top level in the hierarchy, all levels below are automatically selected. Note: Unclick corresponding checkboxes and click Remove Selected to stop sharing a test.
Acuity User s Guide Page 49 of 80 9. Click Share with Selected Educators. 10. Click View Summary.
Acuity User s Guide Page 50 of 80 Chapter 8: Item Authoring Item Authoring allows users with appropriate author permission to create their own multiple choice items to be used in Custom Tests. Items will exist at the district level. Items will go through an approval process before being available for use. Approved items are processed nightly and will be placed in a district-specific item bank. Users can also create passages that can be used with multiple items. Create a Passage 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Create/Manage Authored Items/Passages. 3. Click Create Passages. 4. Complete Add Passage information. a. Select Item Bank. b. Select Subject. The lists of subjects match your purchased Acuity subjects. c. Select Estimated Reading Level. d. Select Genre to put the passage in the appropriate category. e. Select Sub-Genre. f. Select Passage Name. This name must be unique within the selected item bank. 5. Enter Passage or Stimuli.
Acuity User s Guide Page 51 of 80 6. Choose an option. a. Click Save to save the item for later editing. b. Click Reset to reset all fields on the page. c. Click Preview to view the time from a student s perspective. d. Click Preview PDF to view or print the passage. e. Click Send for Approval/Publish. If the user s permission requires approval then the time will be sent to eligible approvers. If the user s permission does not require approval, the item is automatically marked as approved and will be published to production on a nightly basis. Create an Item 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Create/Manage Authored Items/Passages. 3. Click Create Items. 4. Enter Search for Items criteria. a. Select a Search for Skills by either Skill Group or State-Defined Standards. i. If Skill Group is selected: 1. Select a Subject. 2. Select a Grade. 3. Select a Skill Group. 4. Select a Skill. ii. If Standards is selected: 1. Select a Subject. 2. Select a Standard. 3. Select a Grade. 4. Select information for the desired standard. These fields will vary depending on your state-defined standards.
Acuity User s Guide Page 52 of 80 5. Click Create Item. 6. Enter Add item information a. Select an Item Type types are Multiple Choice or Constructed Response i. If Multiple Choice is selected: 1. Select an Item Bank. 2. Select Depth of Knowledge. 3. Select Number of Answer Choices. 4. Click Select button on Use Passage field to associate this question with an existing (approved) passage. a. Enter Search Passage criteria. i. Select Subject. ii. Select Estimated Reading Level. iii. Select Genre. iv. Select Sub-Genre. v. Enter Passage Name. b. Click Show Existing Passages. c. Select desired Passage. d. Click Submit. 5. Enter Item Below. This is where a passage or picture is inserted to support the text question. Inserted images must be 96 dpi (dots per inch) or less. 6. Enter the Question using the text editor tools. This is the actual test question. 7. Enter the Answers and the Distractor Explanation. Images must be 96 dpi or less. B 8. Click the corresponding radio button to indicate the correct answer.
Acuity User s Guide Page 53 of 80 ii. If Constructed Response is selected: 1. Select an Item Bank 2. Select Depth of Knowledge 3. Designate whether this Constructed Response item can be answered by students online. The default is YES uncheck this box if you desire students to answer on a separate piece of paper. 4. Select Score Points Possible 5. Click Select button on Use Passage field to associate this question with an existing (approved) passage. a. Enter Search Passage criteria. i. Select Subject. ii. Select Estimated Reading Level. iii. Select Genre. iv. Select Sub-Genre. v. Enter Passage Name. b. Click Show Existing Passages. c. Select desired Passage. d. Click Submit. 6. Enter passage/graphic/stimulus in the first textbox. 7. Enter question stem in the second textbox. 8. For each score point possible, enter scoring criteria and exemplar information.
Acuity User s Guide Page 54 of 80 7. Choose an option. a. Click Save to save the item for later editing. b. Click Reset to reset all fields on the page. c. Click Preview to view the item from a student s perspective.
Acuity User s Guide Page 55 of 80 d. Click Preview PDF to view or print the item. e. Click Send for Approval/Publish button. If this user s permission requires approval then the item will be sent to eligible approvers. If this user s permission does not require approval, the item is automatically marked as approved and will be published to production on a nightly basis. Edit Existing Items or Passages This feature allows you to edit existing test items or passages and re-send for approval. 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Create/Manage Authored Items/Passages. 3. Click Manage Items. 4. Enter Search for Approve Items/Passages criteria. a. Select Item Bank. b. Select for (either Items or Passages) i. If Item is selected. 1. Select Subject. 2. Select a Status (either approved, draft, rejected or pending approval). 3. Select Created by. ii. If Passage is selected. 1. Select Subject. 2. Select Estimated Reading Level. 3. Select a Status (either approved, draft, rejected or pending approval). 4. Select Created By. 5. Enter Passage Name. 5. Click Show Existing Items or Show Existing Passages to view a list of items or passages that meet the Search Criteria. Fields displayed include: a. Unique Item number for items or a passage name for passages. b. Name of the person who created the item or passage. c. Creation Date. d. Preview Item or Preview Passage link allows the item or passage to be viewed from a student perspective. e. Preview PDF link allows you to preview or print the item or passage. f. Edit/View link allows the item or passage to be edited or viewed. Once an item is approved it can only be viewed. g. Copy link allows the user to make a copy of the item or passage and saves it as a draft. The user may then edit the item or passage and submit for approval.
Acuity User s Guide Page 56 of 80 h. View Items Tied to this Passage is only available for passages. This link is available if there are existing items associated with the passage. i. Status provides the status of the item or passage. Valid values include: Available for Use, Approved, Draft, Pending Approval or Rejected. The reject status may include a reject reason. j. Delete Checkbox. An item can only be deleted if it has not been included in a custom test. A passage can only be deleted if there are no items tied to the passage. Items and passages may be deleted by the creator, district administrator, or superuser. Click the corresponding delete checkbox and click Delete Selected Items/Passages. k. Disable is only available for passages. This is available if an item tied to the passage has been used in a custom test. Marking a passage as disabled prevents users from finding the passage and adding additional items to the passage. Existing items tied to the passage are available in custom test. Approve Items or Passages 1. Click Tests on the Main Menu. 2. Click Create/Manage Authored Items/Passages. 3. Click Approve Items/Passages. 4. Enter Search for Approve Items/Passages criteria. a. Select Item Bank.
Acuity User s Guide Page 57 of 80 b. Select Search for (either Items or Passages) i. If Item is selected. 1. Select Subject. 2. Select Creator Name. ii. If Passage is selected. 1. Select Subject. 2. Select Estimated Reading Level. 3. Select Creator Name. 4. Enter Passage name. 5. Click Show Items or Show Passages to view items/passages that meet the Search Criteria. The user will only see items created by users lower in the hierarchy. For example, a School Administrator only sees items created by teachers in his district. 6. The following options are available for each item/passage. a. For Items, click Item Number to view the item from item builder view. b. Click the Preview Item/Passage link to view the item/passage from a student perspective. c. Click Preview PDF to view or print the item/passage d. Click Approve checkbox to approve the item. Click the Approve checkbox in the header to select all items for approval. e. Click Reasons for Rejection checkbox to reject the item. The approver may enter a rejection reason. Click the Reject checkbox in the header to select all items to reject.
Acuity User s Guide Page 58 of 80 7. Click Submit. Note: Once a passages or items are approved they will be pushed into production on a nightly basis. Once these items are deployed, their status will change to Available for Use and can then be used in Custom Tests.
Acuity User s Guide Page 59 of 80 Chapter 9: Instructional Resources Instructional Resources can be assigned to students to provide guided practice and instructions on all skills. These resources can be used to supplement classroom instructions or to provide targeted remediation or review. Instructional Resources can be assigned by skill or standard or by student. Note: There are no Instructional Resources for Acuity Algebra. Assign by Skill/Standard This allows an educator to assign instructions by skill group or by state-defined standards. Assign an Instruction by Skill/Standard 1. Click Instructional Resources on the Main Menu. 2. Click Assign By Skill/Standard. 3. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Class. c. Select a Search for Skills by either Skill Group or State-Defined Standards. i. If Skill Group is selected: 1. Select a Subject. 2. Select a Grade. 3. Select a Skill Group. 4. Select a Skill. ii. If Standards is selected: 1. Select a Subject. 2. Select a Standard. 3. Select a Grade. 4. Select information for the desired standard. These fields will vary depending on your state-defined standards. Note: The screen show below is an example from Colorado.
Acuity User s Guide Page 60 of 80 4. Click Search to view a list of students who meet the Search criteria. 5. Click the corresponding checkboxes of students to whom you wish to assign the Instructional Resource. 6. Click Assign These Students to assign the exercise and to view an online confirmation. Assign By Student This allows the educator to assign an instruction by student. Assign an Instruction by Student 1. Click Instructional Resources on the Main Menu. 2. Click Assign By Student. 3. Enter Search criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Class.
Acuity User s Guide Page 61 of 80 c. Select a Student. d. Select a Search for Skills by either Skill Group or State-defined Standards. i. If Skill Group is selected: 1. Select a Subject. 2. Select a Grade. 3. Select a Skill Group. ii. If Standards is selected: 1. Select a Subject. 2. Select a Standard. 3. Select a Grade. 4. Select information for the desired standard. These fields will vary depending on your state-defined standards. 4. Click Search to view a list of skills that meet the Search criteria. 5. Click the corresponding checkboxes of skills you wish to assign to the student. 6. Click Assign These Resources to assign the instructional exercise and to view an online confirmation.
Acuity User s Guide Page 62 of 80 View/Print Instructional Resources This allows an educator to preview the instructional resources online or print the instructional resource. Preview/Print an Instructional Resource 1. Click Instructional Resources on the Main Menu. 2. Click Preview. 3. Select Search for Skills By a. If Skill Group is selected: i. Select a Subject. ii. Select a Grade Level. iii. Select a Skill Group. b. If Standard is selected: i. Select a Subject. ii. Select Standard. iii. Select information for the desired standard. These fields will vary depending on your state-defined standards. 4. Click Search to view a list of items that meets the Search criteria. 5. The following options exist from the Search Results box: a. Click Preview to view the desired exercise online. Close the pop-up box when you are finished viewing.
Acuity User s Guide Page 63 of 80 b. Click PDF Preview to display the instructional resource. This PDF file may be printed or saved on your computer. The PDF Preview link will be disabled for instructional resources sets that contain audio screens and are not conducive for printing. c. Click View Print Answer Key to view an answer key for the Guided and Practice exercises. View Status This allows an educator to view completion status, scores and results by student or skill group of instructional resources that were taken online. If an instructional resource was completed offline via paper and pencil the results will not be part of Acuity. Status by Student 1. Click Instructional Resources on the Main Menu. 2. Click Reports by Student. 3. Enter Search for Instructional Resources reports criteria. a. Select a School. b. Select a Class. c. Select a Subject. d. Select a Student. e. Select a Grade. f. Select a Skill Group 4. Click Search to view a list of Instructional Resources that meets the Search criteria. Fields displayed include: a. Instructional Resources name b. Last Score c. Date of Completion d. Number of Attempts.
Acuity User s Guide Page 64 of 80 5. Click the corresponding Last Score link to view a summary of the test results. 6. Click the corresponding Result link to view the actual test question. 7. Click Close Window to close the window and return to the summary of test results page. Status by Skill Group 1. Click Instructional Resources on the Main Menu. 2. Click Reports by Skill Group. 3. Enter Search for Instructional Resources reports criteria.
Acuity User s Guide Page 65 of 80 a. Select a School. b. Select a Class. c. Select a Subject. d. Select a Grade. e. Select a Skill Group. f. Select an Instructional Resource. 4. Click Search to view a list of Instructional Resources that meets the Search criteria. Fields displayed include: a. Instructional Resource name. b. Student. c. Last Score. d. Date of Completion. e. Number of Attempts. 5. Click the corresponding Last Score link to view a summary of the student s test results. 6. Click the corresponding Result link to view the actual test question. 7. Click Close Window to close the window and return to the Instructional Resources report page.
Acuity User s Guide Page 66 of 80 Chapter 10: My Settings In this chapter, we will walk through how to update your user information. Profile Profile allows an educator to view and update his or her profile information. View/Edit Profile Information 1. Click My Settings on the Main Menu. 2. Click Profile to view your profile information. 3. Click Edit. 4. Update fields as desired. All fields can be updated (except User Name), including ID Number, Name, Password, Email, and Phone Number. An educator s password must be a minimum of eight characters and a maximum of twenty characters. Only letters, numbers and the following special characters are allowed: $, -, and _ (underscore). 5. Click Save Profile to save changes, or click Reset to return to the original settings.
Acuity User s Guide Page 67 of 80 Chapter 11: Reports Acuity provides robust reporting capabilities. Reports are structured by assessment type and are available at multiple levels of aggregation. Reports may be available at student-, class-, school-, and district-level depending on the user role. Many of the reports contain hyperlinks that allow the user to navigate from one report to another report for additional assessment data (e.g., users can navigate from a Student-level Assessment report to a Student-level Item Analysis report for the same assessment). Item statistics are available at a district, school or class level. Item statistics include; P- value (percent of respondents who answered the time correctly), number of respondents, number and percentage of respondents choosing each option and depth of knowledge. The tables below define the reports and identify the reports by level that are available in Acuity. Report Descriptions Report Name Assessment Reports AYP Reports Item Analysis Reports Longitudinal Reports Portfolio Reports Prior Year Reports Roster Reports Summary Reports Description Provide actionable data on how classes or students are doing relative to the state standards. Provide state test predictions and performance by NCLB subgroups. Show specific points of student difficulty so educators can better address each student s needs. Measure a student s progress over time. Provide overall summary of assessments at the student levels. Allows those reports that exist outside the current scholastic year to be accessed. Provide completion and performance tier data on assessment testing. Provide performance data on assessment testing.
Acuity User s Guide Page 68 of 80 Report Availability by Level Level of Reporting Student-level Class-level School-level District-level Type of Assessment Custom Predictive Diagnostic Report Type Assessment Reports Item Analysis Reports Roster Reports N/A Summary Reports AYP Reports N/A N/A Assessment Reports Item Analysis Reports Roster Reports N/A Summary Reports AYP Reports N/A N/A Longitudinal Report N/A N/A N/A Assessment reports Roster Report N/A Summary Report Item Analysis Report All Portfolio Report N/A N/A N/A The process of accessing a report is similar for all reports. Below is an example of how to access the Diagnostic Roster report. Detailed information about reports can be found in the Acuity Report Guide. Access Diagnostic Roster Report 1. Click Reports on the Main Menu. 2. Click Roster Report. 3. For a Class Roster Report: a. Select a Subject. b. Select an Assessment Type. c. Select a School. d. Select a Class.
Acuity User s Guide Page 69 of 80 e. Select an Assessment. 4. For a School Roster Report: a. Select a Subject. b. Select an Assessment Type. c. Select a School. d. Select a Grade of Assessment. e. Select an Assessment. 5. For a District Roster Report: a. Select a Subject. b. Select an Assessment Type. c. Select a Grade of Assessment. d. Select an Assessment. 6. Click Get Report. The following is a sample Class Roster Report for a Mathematics Diagnostic Benchmark test.
Acuity User s Guide Page 70 of 80 Note: Fields will vary based on the level at which you ran the report. This report is divided into the following two sections: The Header section provides the mode of delivery of the test, the date of the report, the name of the teacher assigned to the class as well as the school and district, the name of the test, the number of students assigned and who completed the test. The Test Performance section list the students in the class along with their overall percentage of points obtained on the assessment (performance tier) and the date the assessment was completed. Report Batches In addition to generating reports online, users can generate batch reports by choosing the batch report options off the report sub-menus. Batch jobs expire after 7 days. You must view the output report file for the completed job within this time frame. Each report in a batch may be viewed in one file or separate PDF files. View Report Batch Jobs 1. Click Management on the Main Menu. 2. Click Report Batches to view a list of unexpired batch jobs. 3. Click desired report name.
Acuity User s Guide Page 71 of 80 Chapter 12: Student Experience Similar to an educator, a student logs in to Acuity using a unique user name and password. Upon a successful login, students can take tests that have been assigned, complete assigned exercises, and view reports about test results. Logging in to Acuity 1. Open your web browser and type in the URL for Acuity. This information should have been provided to you in an email or given to you by your administrator. 2. Enter User Name. 3. Enter Password. 4. Click Enter Site to validate your entries and display the Home page. If your entries are not valid, the User Login page displays again. If this occurs, check your entries for typos and try again. Also, a district can choose whether or not to require students to change their password on the first login. Recovering Passwords If a student forgets his or her password, depending on permissions either a teacher, school administrator, and/or district administrator may reset the password. Exploring the Student Home Page The Home page is the first page you see when accessing the system. It is your starting point for navigating through Acuity.
Acuity User s Guide Page 72 of 80 The following elements are displayed on the Home page. The Header contains the McGraw-Hill banner, Acuity logo, Global Navigation, and Login information. Global Navigation contains the following links: Change Password allows a student to change his or her password. Student passwords must have a minimum of four characters and a maximum of twenty characters. Only letters, numbers, and the following special characters are allowed: $, -, and _ (underscore) are allowed. This option is only available if the district chooses to allow students to update their passwords. Reload Page refreshes the current page. Help provides online help with using the system. Logout is for security. It is always a good idea to log out of the system when you are not actively using it. The Main Content Area is the part of the page below the header that contains the following three options: Take a Test allows students to start an assigned test (predictive, diagnostic, algebra, or custom). Study allows students to select a topic to study (instructional resources that have been assigned by the teacher). View Reports allow students to view test results when given permission from a teacher. The Footer contains the copyright. Once a student selects an activity, he or she will be asked to select a subject area, either Math, Language Arts, Science, or Algebra. Take a Test By clicking Take a Test, students can access assessments that are assigned to them. Assignments are displayed in descending order by assignment start date, meaning the most recent assignments are listed first. A student can only start a test if the current date falls between the begin test date and end test date. A student cannot resume a completed assignment.
Acuity User s Guide Page 73 of 80 Upon clicking Start for a test, a set of test instructions is displayed including a description on how to navigate through an assessment.
Acuity User s Guide Page 74 of 80 Test Instructions are dynamically generated based on the assessment, but may include: Materials: a list of materials needed for the online test delivery. CR Item List: a list of constructive responses that must be answered offline. Additional Test Taking Instructions: for example a list of items that must be answered based on a passage read by the teacher. Navigation: explains how to navigate through the system including shortcut keys. Time Limit: indicates if there is a time limit on the test. Calculator indicates whether or not a calculator can be used during the test. Reference Card indicates whether or not a reference card is available for the test. General Online Student Instructions displays the online student test instructions. Test Screen After clicking Continue on the instruction page, the test begins. The screen below shows the standard interface for all tests. The test items appear in the white space in the center.
Acuity User s Guide Page 75 of 80 The following elements appear on the test screen: Icon Screen Element Description N/A Student Name Displays the student s name. N/A Subject Name Name of the subject associated with the assessment. N/A Question ## of ## Displays the current item number and the total number of items. N/A Mark for Review? Yes/No Test Instructions For each questions, a student can click yes to highlight the question for later review. Opens a window with the test instructions. Calculator Reference Card Opens either a simple four-function calculator or a scientific calculator (depending on which was specified for the assessment) for the student. Opens a reference card for the student. Show/Hide Time Shows/hides time below the button. Back Button Navigate to the previous test question. Next Button Audio Button Erase Button Advances to the next test question. If student is on the last question, this button takes you to the Item Review screen. Turn on/off the audio for items. Only available for Instructional Resources. Clears student answer for the current test item. Exit Button Save & Exit Allows student to exit the test. Student is taken to the item review page (to check for answered / unanswered items) and is presented with options to either Save & Exit or Finish see buttons below. Only appears after student clicks EXIT button immediately above. This option saves the test progress. Student can resume test at a later date. Test is NOT submitted for scoring.
Acuity User s Guide Page 76 of 80 Finish Only appears after student clicks EXIT button above. This option turns in the test for scoring. Student can NOT access test at a later date. N/A Item Navigation Menu The test numbers across the bottom of the page allows students to navigate to other items on the test. The student clicks End when hr or she is finished taking the test. Sample Test Item Types Selected Response Item The item can be a mix of text, images, and the available answers for the item.
Acuity User s Guide Page 77 of 80 Split Screen Items The item allows the student to view and scroll through the item content without affecting the view of the answers. It is typically used for items with content that takes up a large amount of space. Constructed Response Items (online) The item content can be a mix of text and images, and allows a student to enter a response.
Acuity User s Guide Page 78 of 80 Constructed Response Items That Must Be Answered Offline The lead-in text instructs the student to answer the item using his or her answer sheet. The item content can be a mix of text and images. Grid-In Items The item content can be a mix of text and images. The answer display area is in a grid format where the student enters his or her answer.
Acuity User s Guide Page 79 of 80 Items with Manipulatives The item content and available answers are displayed. The manipulative is displayed on the left hand side of the screen. The student may drag and rotate the manipulative into position to answer the question.
Acuity User s Guide Page 80 of 80 Innovative Items Innovative items allow the student to interact with the graphic. In the example below, the student can force certain conditions (i.e. wet/dry, light/dark) then click Run Experiment to see the reaction of the pillbugs. The students submit their answers on the right pane. Innovative Items are only included in Acuity Science.