The NEW Testing Platform and Process – Coming Early July!

Danielle Filippone July 1, 2024 No Comments

After much anticipation….

The New Testing Platform and Process (TPP) is all new and shares nothing with its predecessor. It is built on the same platform as the quiz engine that has been used by the PTSI Learning Management System courses since the debut of the OLS almost a decade ago.

Overview

Test delivery will be through a lockdown browser called Respondus (full details at web.respondus.com). Respondus Lockdown Browser disables keyboard shortcuts, right-click menus, and more. It also makes opening new windows and applications impossible during a test. It forces students to focus on the test simplifying proctoring. Proctors are not tied to their computer, but free to walk around and monitor progress or answer questions.

Note: A link to download Respondus will be provided on the LMS under the EXAMS section

TPP only allows online tests. No paper tests will be available using the new system. TPP will scramble the question order, but students in a group will all see the same questions.

Use of either local program computers or student personal computers is at the discretion of the local program.

      • TPP exams are supported on Mac, Windows, Chromebook, and iPad operating Systems – Phones are not supported.
      • Keeping up to date machines and browsers is always important.


Test Availability Timeline

The New Testing Platform and Process and existing testing platform will coexist, and individuals who prepare and/or administer tests will need to be fluent in both. Here is a breakdown:

    • All new CML courses released in 2024 and after will only have tests available on The New Testing Platform and Process
    • CML courses are delineated with “ – CML” in their course title
    • Existing CML courses will be available on both platforms
    • All Outside Program tests will be available on both platforms
    • All other courses are only available on the existing Assessments system but will be added to the New Testing Platform and Process in the following order:
        • Inside, Installer/Tech, Residential Core
        • Inside, Installer/Tech, Residential Advanced
        • Substation, Underground Cable Splicing and Underground Distribution
        • All remaining courses

Still Have Questions?

Details about preparing and administering tests using the new system will be covered in a webinar scheduled for July 2nd, at 3:00 PM Eastern.

LMS Quiz Error Issue – June 12, 2024 (8:50 am – 10:57 am Eastern)

Danielle Filippone June 12, 2024 No Comments

At 8:50 am Eastern on 6/12/2024 we were alerted about an issue with the Learning Management System affecting quizzes in the Tech Math – CML and Construction Drawings – CML courses. The development teams were able to pinpoint the cause and resolved the issue at 10:57 am. 

So… what happened?

Tech Math – CML and Construction Drawings – CML both use questions that generate random variables that make each quiz and quiz attempt unique. When a student (or instructor) attempts a quiz, the system pulls the random variables needed for those question types. This morning, the number of concurrent random variable requests hit the limit that prevents overloading servers.

So… what did we do?

Because our LMS servers can automatically scale up and down as needed, the team was able to disable this parameter and the random variable function for these quizzes was restored.

We apologize for any interruptions and frustration caused by this incident. We will continue to monitor the LMS for issues, learn from incidents like this, and strive to deliver an online learning environment that performs flawlessly for your students and programs.

Significant Code Changes to the NEC 2023 – CML

Danielle Filippone January 10, 2024 No Comments

Significant Code Changes to the NEC 2023 – CML 

We are very excited to announce the rollout of an online Significant Code Changes to the 2023 NEC course and communicate how this course can further support the needs of the industry. You will now find this course available to programs within the etA bookstore. Stay tuned for future courses like this as they also become available on the SkillsPrep.org website. Read on to learn more about this new offering!

Course Layout

The Significant Code Changes to the 2023 NEC course is an asynchronous course and contains the most significant revisions and new requirements associated with the 2023 NFPA 70 NEC. The course has seven topics that each cover Code articles and their associated changes, along with a course completion certificate.

All training and reference material is contained within the course itself, but it is highly recommended to purchase the Significant Changes to the NEC 2023 textbook or e-Book that follows closely to the course and can provide the user with the information in a single-page format. Access to all materials is dependent upon an active internet connection and access to the LMS.

Each module within the course is presented with narrated instructions, followed by interactive knowledge checks on the Code-related changes of the associated article. You will need to achieve an overall score of 80% or higher to pass the module and continue through the course.

You can reattempt incorrect questions as many times as needed to obtain a passing score. Once a passing score is obtained, you will continue onto another module.

This course is designed to be completed within 60 days, even though your access will be determined through your training center. This is due, in part, to the ability for you to access the NEC language via the NFPA’s LiNK software. This access will last for only 60 days, so plan accordingly!

After completing all of the course modules, you will gain access to the course assessment quiz, which you will be required to pass with a score of 75%. A single score of 75% or greater will unlock the course survey and completion certificate.

 

Want to learn more about the basic structure of the course and see how it works? Check out this Course Directions Video that will give you a look at what is offered.

Still have questions?

Please read through the answers to the FAQs to see if we already have an answer for you.

If after you have read the FAQs doc and you have further questions, please contact Steve Strickland, your friendly customer service advisor, at 1.888.652.4007, or via email sstrickland@electricaltrainingalliance.org

Thanks for Reading!

Course Completion and Grade Management Tracking Integrated into TMS

Greg Greiner November 1, 2019 No Comments

Capturing learner course completion status and managing their course grades are now included as part of the Training Management System feature set.  This new tool allows you to manage documenting course completion in the same manner that the course enrollments were made.  This powerful tool pulls in LMS coursework progress and the online Test Assessment scores (where the online feature is being used) directly into your view for use in documenting the completion.  Since this information is already stored in the system, the process for determining completion is a snap and allows you to later pull reports and learner transcripts. (more…)

eBooks! The New Reference Option

Greg Greiner February 14, 2019 No Comments

The electrical training ALLIANCE is excited to announce that select eBooks are now available.  Students and Instructors will be able to access content on the go, wherever they are, without need of carrying the printed books.  This is just one beauty of eBooks where the content is also much more than a book in pdf form.  It offers many other great features. (more…)

TMS Course Enrollment Session Name Error

Greg Greiner January 21, 2019 No Comments

We are very sorry to note, but at this time we are having an issue with new sessions of courses created utilizing a session name previously utilized on other courses.

An example to explain: Let’s say I have an enrollment for DC Theory, Level I, 2nd Ed. called: 1A4 2018-19 that was completed early last week (or really any time in the past).  Now this week I try to create an enrollment in Conduit Fabrication, Level I, 2nd Ed. for the same or different group of students.  When I try to use the same session name of, 1A4 2018-19, the system will not allow me to place it in the cart and displays the error above.

This is not how the system is designed to work.  You should, and have always been able to use the same name across different courses.  The correct rule is that you may not use the same name for sessions of the same course.  At this time, this rule is jumping across courses.  We are aware of the issue and working to clear it.  We are very sorry that we are experiencing this bug.

A poor work-around is:

In the example above, use a name for the session that you have never used before in any course, then after submitting the course, edit the session and name it what you wanted using the cog and clicking Edit Session Name.  This is not at all a preferable solution.  It is just a work-around until we fix this bug.

There is no issue with adding users to existing sessions or creating new sessions using unique names to your training location.

I will post again as soon as we have this issue resolved.  The team is actively working on it right now. We know how important it is this system runs as it should and are very sorry for this inconvenience.

Courses Added and Courses to be Archived

Greg Greiner July 23, 2018 No Comments

Many of the new courses slated for the 2018-19 Calendar School year [identified here] and the 2018 Catalog, have been turned on in the past month.  The rest are still in process, but slated for use as described in those articles.  A future article after NTI will be posted when the details are ready for listing all recently released content.

The message here focuses on the Archiving of courses.  Some of the new courses turned on recently replace existing ones.  When this occurs, we Archive the course being replaced once it’s new-use is no longer part of the system.  On August 7th we will archive the listed courses below.  Archiving a course does not remove access for those already enrolled.  Archiving affects only new enrollments, not existing ones.  Read on to get the full explanation. (more…)