Creating Item Bank Tests

Let’s get started!
For this tutorial, we’ll create a third-grade CCSS ELA (Common Core English Language Arts) test. The techniques you learn with this tutorial will be useful for creating any test.

Creating the Test

To begin, click on the tile labeled “Create Test”

OR if you prefer to use the menu

Go to Testing > Create Test

Enter Test Details

From the drop-down menus . . .

Choose the Default Test Category for this example I’ll use District Benchmark.

Choose the Default Standard Set for this example I’ll use Common Core State Standards.

Choose the Default Content Area for this example I’ll use CCSS ELA.

Choose the Default Target Test Level for this example I’ll use 3rd Grade.

This is usually the grade level of the students you intend to test. Since you may want to test students at multiple grade levels with one test, you’ll need to choose the most applicable grade level here.

Test Name

The next step is to give your new test a name.

Click inside the text box underneath Test Name and either complete the auto-populated name OR type a new name.

You’ll also need to give your test another, shorter name. This is used on your reports and other areas in IO Assessment so keep it descriptive, abbreviate as best you can.

Click inside the text box underneath Short Name and type a short name.
(Tip: Copy the long name and paste it into the short name area and then abbreviate if needed).

Test Format
Now you need to choose a test format (does not apply to Test Keys).

Online and Print

If you choose this option you will NOT see any items tagged as ONLINE ONLY when searching for items.

Online Only

If you choose this option (this is the default option) you will see every item type when searching for items.

Print Only

If you choose this option you will NOT see any items tagged as ONLINE ONLY when searching for items.

We will leave the Test Format on the default choice of “Online Only”.

 

Detailed Notes

You can use the “Detailed Notes” section to describe your purpose for creating the test and any other distinguishing details that will help you identify this test in the future.

Click the arrow to the left of “Detailed Notes” to open up this section. Then click inside the text box underneath and type a description (this is optional).

Click “Create Test From Item Bank” to continue. 

 

 

Adding Items

You’ve successfully created a test draft now, but it has no questions on it yet. The screen you see now should be divided into three sections.

The top section shows the test information you set up on the previous page. If you need to change this for any reason, click Edit Info.

The left section should be blank right now. It’s a good idea to press the Save button periodically to make sure that your progress isn’t lost if you lose your connection. Note: Your progress will be saved automatically when you add or remove items.

The right section is the Items panel. This panel is where most of the work will be done.

Search

Here you can Search for Items using the IO Assessment Item ID or using your own Local ID if you created the items and entered a Local ID.

Filters

Here you can filter using the dropdown menus. The first drop-down gives you a choice of item banks. Inspect, Measured Progress, and Fluence are all third-party item banks that your district can subscribe to. Your district will also have its own item bank where district user-created items are stored. For this tutorial, pick an item bank available at your district.

The “Standard Set”, “Content Area”, and “Item Level” will default to what you chose when creating the test, but you may change these to add items from any standard set, content area, and item level.

You also can filter by:
» Item Bank or leave on All Itembanks
» Group (this is optional, but will narrow down the list of standards, making them easier to find)
» Standard (on the Standard dropdown list you will be shown the standard numbers with descriptions and the number of items that are available for each standard.)
» Item Type
» Passage
» Depth of Knowledge
» Advanced Options (Click the arrow to the left of “Advanced Options” to open up this section, where you can add more filters.)

Once you have selected all your filters you must click on the green button “Show Items/Questions” in order for the items to appear. You may have to scroll down to see the list of items that align with the filters you selected.

An item on the list should look like the image below. Always look over the item to ensure that it aligns with the standard(s) and that the correct answer (marked in green) is correct.

This item has a story, or passage, that will display in an online test to the left of the items. To preview the passage, click on the name of the passage—in this case, The Big Game.

Always look over the passage to ensure that it is appropriate for the grade level and has no unintentional errors. When finished, click the X at the top right corner of the window.

When you’re satisfied with the quality of the item, click the checkbox to the left of the item, then go to the top or bottom of the page and click Add All Checked. You can select and add more than one item at a time.

Now that your test has an item, the left panel, which we will call the Summary Panel, has new information.

Standard Summary shows a breakdown of the number of items per standard. Clicking on the standard will show you the standard description.

Passage Summary shows the passages and the number of items per passage. Clicking on the passage name will show you the passage.

Item Summary is a brief representation of all of the items on the test. Clicking on the question number will show you the item. You will also see the correct answer. It’s a good idea to pay attention to the distribution of correct answers to make sure that your multiple-choice items do not favor one answer choice too heavily. To delete an item from the test, click on the red X to the left of the item.

 

Add More Items

Now add more items to your test.

» Check the checkboxes next to a few items in the Item Panel, then click Add All Checked. You’ll notice that the Summary Panel is updated to show the new items.

» Click on Go to Step 2 in the upper right corner of the page.

On this page, you can reorder your items. Click and hold anywhere within the white bar on a question then drag that question where you want it to be on your test. To save the order of your items, click on
Update Order. (Note: an item cannot be moved outside of its passage) If you want to remove an item click on the red X.

A preview window shows to the right of the Item Summary window. Notice that the passage displays
first, then the items that belong to it. When you click on an item number in the Item Summary, that item
will display in the preview window.

Let’s move on to the next step now. Click Save & Finish at the top or bottom of the page.

Finalizing the Test 
Test Drafts

You’ve now created a test draft!

As long as the test is in draft form, you will be able to edit the test and add, remove, and move items. From the Manage Test Control Panel, click Edit.

Once the test has been finalized, we do not allow the items to be changed so that printed booklets and scan sheets will always match the test. Because a test draft can be altered, you do not have the option to administer the test to students until the test has been finalized.

Finalizing the Draft

To finalize the test, Click Finalize

You will get the following message:

If you are sure you are ready to finalize the test Click OK

Congratulations! You have successfully created a test. The next step is to schedule an administration.