Online tests info needed please!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can any one provide me with a bit of information for our LEA advisor? She has been dragged into a battle between schools key stage 3 manager and ICT subject Leader.

Info needed on time it took from the envelope dropping on the mat to install APS software on server DPS onto PCs manually (how many?) registration, downloading of tests

Thanks

:?

so what you asking how long to set it up...

well i would day if worked on it alone can get it done with in a week biggist thing is waiting for rm to approve the site via aps...

If want you or the lea person an give me a call on my my 07 number below and will talk about it no problem

russ

before you start on this course I assume that all your machines have been passed as fit for purpose by RM? I should also save your breath arguing, it's going to be compulsory by 2008, so get used to it now.

you've obviously visited the forum, and there's a lot of useful information there. there's a lot of moaning, and most of it's for a very good reason. a lot of us have had to install it during term time, and quite frankly, you can do without the constant interruptions.

schools in our area (Rochdale) have a training day tomorrow, Friday, so there are no kids in. if it's the same for you I should start by installing the APS on the server of your choice and then having the weekend to wait while RM approve your school (that takes me back) and having a read through the all the paperwork. though you think some areas may not concern you, I suggest you read it all. By tuesday you should get the all clear from RM.

try and set up a control machine from where you can access the aps console via IE (it won't work with Firefox). make a brief note of everything you do.

there have been a few patches/updates released recently and they may not be included on your installation cd. it's a good idea to register on the KS3 pilot website and try and get emails directed to you, especially if you're solely responsible for rolling this out. with the best will in the world, other people don't always forward vital emails to you because they don't understand the importance of them.

The RM people are reasonably good at geting back to you, whether answering your web based queries, or calling you on the phone.

This should get you to Thursday and the holiday break. enjoy your time off and get back the following tuesday refreshed and ready to plunge into the deep blue lagoon that is the KS3 pilot. check your diary for wednesday though - if you haven't got EDUGEEK CONFERENCE NORTH written in there, then register now. there's still time. and you can talk in more detail the intricacies of the KS3 pilot (we hope to have a KS3 pilot black belt 3rd dan attending)

beeswax

Took about couple of hours day to install APS onto Centos and DPS onto 250 clients (all thin clients mind, so technically speaking I only installed on 7 servers) Need to wait 24hours for RM to authorise you, then time to download. Best give it a 3-5 days to be safe. Our data manager had much more problems importing data etc. Not used it in anger yet - reports are that the thin client grinds to a halt !

try and set up a control machine from where you can access the aps console via IE (it won't work with Firefox)

I should also save your breath arguing, it's going to be compulsory by 2008, so get used to it now.

I spoke to a rep from QCA - he was adamant that if enough of us grumble to RM about this they *will* look into how they can change it,(hopefully by making it web-based AJAX !) all feedback goes to the (contracted) developers and QCA.

 

try and set up a control machine from where you can access the aps console via IE (it won't work with Firefox)

- what bit doesn't work in firefox? I did it all in firefox (maybe Opera/konqueror actually) as I don't have IE on my workstation.

 

firefox wouldn't handle it for me

firefox wouldn't handle it for me

hmm, maybe check your java settings.

Actually I lied - I do have IE 5.5 running in wine (don't ever use it though )

Took about couple of hours day to install APS onto Centos and DPS onto 250 clients (all thin clients mind, so technically speaking I only installed on 7 servers) Need to wait 24hours for RM to authorise you, then time to download. Best give it a 3-5 days to be safe. Our data manager had much more problems importing data etc. Not used it in anger yet - reports are that the thin client grinds to a halt !

 

try and set up a control machine from where you can access the aps console via IE (it won't work with Firefox)

- what bit doesn't work in firefox? I did it all in firefox (maybe Opera/konqueror actually) as I don't have IE on my workstation.

 

I should also save your breath arguing, it's going to be compulsory by 2008, so get used to it now.

I spoke to a rep from QCA - he was adamant that if enough of us grumble to RM about this they *will* look into how they can change it,(hopefully by making it web-based AJAX !) all feedback goes to the (contracted) developers and QCA.

Please excuse my ignorance but i do not really understand thin clients our NM told us being a split site the APS software could only be registered on one server need seperate registration code for second. What is the difference between our two servers and your 7

I should also save your breath arguing, it's going to be compulsory by 2008, so get used to it now.

I spoke to a rep from QCA - he was adamant that if enough of us grumble to RM about this they *will* look into how they can change it,(hopefully by making it web-based AJAX !) all feedback goes to the (contracted) developers and QCA.

no going to happen why as the test framework will be used for other online tests that will come online that is both ks3 and ks4....

They will certainly look into it but they wont change the enviroment now as we are 3 year down line... If they where going to put it back it would have been at end of last year they did it...

Sorry to bust bubble there

Russ

when you say split site, are the 2 servers part of the same domain, physically joined or completely separate?

completely seperate.

Please excuse my ignorance but i do not really understand thin clients our NM told us being a split site the APS software could only be registered on one server need seperate registration code for second. What is the difference between our two servers and your 7

We only installed the APS on the one server, but we installed DPS on the 7 servers. -in thin client environments the servers are sort of the clients (but run server class OS) - the actual clients never see the software.

no going to happen why as the test framework will be used for other online tests that will come online that is both ks3 and ks4....

 

They will certainly look into it but they wont change the enviroment now as we are 3 year down line... If they where going to put it back it would have been at end of last year they did it...

 

Sorry to bust bubble there

Still, its worth mentioning - if 90% of people complain they will have to do something about this - so far there are only a few schools that cannot run the software at all. Restricting software to O/S restricts your future purchasing. - can't deploy linux/unix/Sun desktop/symbian/nokia whatever. This is a long term thing and need to be thought through. Current software is too restrictive, and clearly doesn't work so well as has been noted.Saying oh well its going to happen anyway IMHO is not an option, it may well happen but they need input to get it right.

yes i agree think i misunderstood you...

As by sounds of it you where saying if we complained enough they would change how the enviroment was coded i.e moving to ajax and that is what i was saying was never going to happen.

Yes getting software to work i agree but they are not going to do major redesign no matter how many people complain.

But all means yer tell them everything that is wrong with it and hopfuly they will take stuff on board they did from lasr years test to this years.

Got to remember this is not about ks3 test, not about schools, not about rm even

it is about politics and dfes, goverment want these tests to go ahead so they will

Russ

if we complained enough they would change how the enviroment was coded i.e moving to ajax and that is what i was saying was never going to happen.

@russ That is what I was saying, although the pesimist in me does agee with you that they won't change it - the restriction on the DPS operating system is my main critisism. A *mandatory* piece of software should not have such restrictions as it could block or restrict future technologies such as servers, handhelds, $100 laptops, different operating systems from being implemented in schools -this would have a negative effect on teaching and learning. Web based is the way to go here.

Maybe it should be for Sun/IBM/Novell/Redhat etc to argue this point.

(ok, probably I shouldn't care so much as I'll be BSF outsourced by soon anyway.....)

maybe it shouldnt be

but they have not got versions for thin client, version for linux (ok with problems), version for mac.

You will be surpised the framework for dps means that it could be put out to just about any platform as long as a client is written for hence why mac and thin client versions ae only coming out...

Russ

Well it should only take in total up to 7 days in a perfect environment, we had the same problem at our school (spilt site two seperate domains) the first stage went fine installed the aps on the first server but whilst waiting for RM to authorise us, i decided to install it on the second site only to find out it needed a seperate serial key, then after 4 weeks waiting & numerous phone calls we finally recieved the second serial key, but after that it was installed on both sites within 5 days (inc. school key confirmation)

Only problem i've come across is when logging into the admin cp, IE 5 & 6 automatically returns to the log on screen < wierd but only happens on one site, i have a feeling it has something to do with the current GP settings.

@suesmate

Do you also have seperate curricullum & admins domains??