--- Forwarded Message from Dr Jack Burston <[log in to unmask]> ---

>User-Agent: Microsoft-Entourage/9.0.1.3108
>Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2001 15:56:07 -0500
>Subject: Placement testing
>From: Dr Jack Burston <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information    Forum   <[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>

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Dear Colleagues,

I'm presently developing a local placement test in French (and ultimately
other languages) for which I am in quest of an authoring system  (LAN or
web-based) that can support the following functions:
1) Keep track of student results, both individually and for whole groups,
preferably with in-built data analysis/reporting functions
2) Produce multiple choice, matching, cloze and short-answer questions using
text, audio, and/or video as a question prompt and as responses (e.g. in
multiple choice or matching questions)
3) Accept voice recordings as responses for short answers (and of course
store them in some central, network accessible, location)
4) Set response time limits on individual questions or sections of a test
5) In the case of audio/video questions or prompts, allow author control
over the number of times an item can be played

I've looked at dozens of programs and, while I've found several that can do
some of these things, I've found none that can handle them all. None of
these functions involves cutting-edge technology, certainly not in a LAN
environment. Surely someone out there has thought to put most, if not all,
of these features into one neat, user-friendly package.  If you are aware of
anything that might come close, do please let me know (via the LLTI-L so
everyone else can find out, too).


------------
Jack Burston, Ph.D.
Director of Foreign Language Instructional Technologies
College of Liberal Arts
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA 19122