Test section shuffling

Test authors have the ability to shuffle entire sections defined in a test, so that those sections are presented in a random order to the test-taker during the delivery execution time.

Test Shuffling vs Item Shuffling

Section shuffling extends item shuffling by applying randomization at the section level instead of the individual item level. TAO supports up to three levels of sections, allowing entire sections to be reordered for different test takers.

When sections are shuffled, the order of the sections changes, but the items within each section remain in their original order unless item-level shuffling is also enabled (in the Selection panel of section properties). For more information on enabling item shuffling (within a section), see Test Section settings.

Steps

1. Create a new test or navigate to an existing test for which you’d like to apply section shuffling. To do this, follow the step-by-step instructions for Creating a test.

2. Create a new section level by clicking the sub-section icon within the Test Section:

   

   You can create up to 3 levels of a section to enable section shuffling.

A section cannot contain both other sections and items. If the current section includes items, a dialog box will appear to confirm that the items within the section will be moved to the new level. If empty, no warning will be displayed, as new sections can be added freely.

3. Click on the Properties icon (cog wheels) within the parent section you are working in (such as Section 1 in the graphic above). The Properties panel on the right side of the screen will display. 

4. Expand the Ordering tab within the Properties panel. 

5. Click the Shuffle checkbox to enable shuffling for the test section.

The “Keep Together” checkbox specifies whether or not the items within a sub-section will be shuffled as a block for test takers, or mixed with the other child items of the section when shuffling is enabled for the parent section.