- Non-Monitored Test
- Monitored Test
- Pages (these are like interactive online documents)
Non-Monitored Tests
Staff can assign a non-monitored test to students by scheduling it with a start and end time; there is also an option to set a time limit in which the test must be completed by the student once started. Staff can set assessment access arrangements (known as accommodations in Top Hat) to give certain students additional time. Once the test is closed, it is auto-graded (in the case of most question types) or manually graded in the case of long answer questions.
For guidance on how to create a non-monitored test, see Non-monitored (open book) tests (this link will take you to Top Hat's support website).
Monitored Tests
Monitored tests are unsuitable for online cohorts. They are suitable for in-person on-campus assessments that are not open book.
Staff start and stop a monitored test manually and must monitor the test for the entire duration that it remains open to students. A unique code is generated when the test is started, which must then be shared with students so that they can enter the test. Non- monitored tests can be used for online time limited assessments and open book in-room assessments.
Once the test is in progress, certain behaviours can cause students to get locked out of the test. Prohibited behaviours are decided upon by the member of staff when setting up the test. For example, if the student tries to open a new browser window or move to a different desktop, minimise the test window or take a screenshot, you can choose for them to be locked out of the test. The member of staff monitoring the test will need to unlock the student’s test for them to continue. Once the monitored test is closed, it is auto-graded (in the case of most question types) or manually graded in the case of long answer questions.
For guidance on how to create a monitored test, see Live monitored (in-person) tests (this link will take you to Top Hat's support website).
Pages
Pages in Top Hat are interactive documents that you can embed videos, web content, links, images, questions and discussion topics into. Top Hat has two ways in which you can use Pages:
For Homework
Staff can assign pages which include questions as homework for students to complete within a scheduled start and end time period. It is also possible to assign homework to specific students and set arrangements to give certain students additional time.
In contrast to a non-monitored test, students are able to revisit homework content as many times as they wish whilst it is still available, however there is an option to limit the number of times a question can be attempted. As with the other Top Hat test environments, questions are auto-graded (in the case of most question types) or manually graded in the case of long answer questions.
For Review
Staff can assign pages for their students to review. Setting content for review provides students with the ability to respond to questions and check their own understanding as the right answer is shown to them after they attempt a question; review content is not graded.
Key differences between the test environments
| Functionality | Non-Monitored Tests | Monitored Tests | Pages |
| Well suited to | Open Book | In-Person Live Testing (not Open Book) | Homework Assignments (and self-paced asynchronous content) |
| Can be auto-scheduled to start and close at a certain time. | YES | NO, must be manually started and stopped by a member of staff who has to monitor the test the entire time it is open. A unique code is generated when the test is started – this must be shared with the students. Students use the code to start the test. | YES |
| Can set a time limit in which the content must be completed even if the content itself is available for a longer period of time | YES | NO | NO, you cannot set a time limit in which the content must be completed, however you can set a start and end time for it to be assigned to students. |
| Once the student starts a test, the time limit continues to count down even if the student leaves the test. | YES | NO | NO, you cannot set a time limit in which the content must be completed, however you can set a start and end time for it to be assigned to students. |
| Students can log in and out as many times as they want before they hand-in, and whilst the content is still available. | NO, students can forcibly leave the test and then log back in but if a time limit is set it will continue to count down in their absence from when they first start the test. | NO | YES |
| How this content is referred to in the student view. | Non monitored Test | Monitored Test | Homework |
| Option to limit the number of times a question can be attempted before hand-in. | NO | NO | YES |
| Has auto-graded question types. | YES | YES | YES |
| Question order can be randomised. | YES | YES | YES |
| Can set long answer questions (max. 500 words - must be marked manually). | YES | YES | YES |
| Number of question types available. | 9 | 9 | 16 |
| Option to provide students with feedback/hints when they answer a question. | NO | NO | YES |
| Option to use a discussion based question where students post their discussions (which are then visible to other students). | NO | NO | YES |
| Set marks for correctness. | YES | YES | YES |
| Set marks for participation. | YES | YES | YES |
| See class/test/assignment averages in the Gradebook. | YES | YES | YES |
| Certain behaviours can lock the student out of the test. | NO | YES | NO |
| Assign content to specific students. | YES | YES | YES |
| Give specific students additional time. | YES | Possible with a workaround. | YES |
