Inspera - Glossary of Terms

Below is a table of definitions and explanations for the different roles and terms used in Inspera.

TermDefinitionExample
Activate test

  • The final stage of the Test Setup. When the Test is activated it will become visible to students on their dashboard. The Test’s Question Set cannot be accessed by students until the Test start date and time.
  • Only the Planner can activate the Test.
Orange Activate test button
Assessment Settings

  • During the Test Setup, this is the section where Planners can set the Grade Scale and add a Mark Scheme.
  • Only Planners have access to Assessment Settings.

Black Assessment setting button in Inspera
Author

  • Refers to a role in Inspera.
  • Only Authors can create Questions and Question Sets.
  • Only Authors can edit Questions and Question Sets.
  • Only Authors can share Questions and Question Sets.
  • Role fulfilled by Academic staff.
Authors can access the Author option of Inspera:

Author dropdown in Inspera with the options for Question Set and Question

Deactivate Test

  • If changes need to be made before the Test has started, such as changes to the Question Set or the Test Set-up, then the Test can be deactivated. Once the changes are made the Test can be activated again.
  • Only the Planner can de-activate a Test.
Grey Deactivate button in Inspera

Confirm test deactivation pop-up

Design

  • Allows you to change the design options of the Question Set.
  • Accessible by Author during Question Set stage. Also accessible by Planner during Test setup stage.

Design option drop down menu
Grader

  • Refers to a role within Inspera.
  • Only Graders can assign marks.
  • Graders can download students’ scripts.
  • Graders can mark students’ scripts online.
  • Graders can moderate submissions.
  • Only Graders can transfer grades.
  • Role fulfilled by Academic staff but can also be used to grant access to moderators and external examiners.
  • Graders are added to a Test by the Planner.

Graders can access the Grade option in Inspera:

Grader option highlighted in dashboard within Inspera

Planner

  • Refers to a role within Inspera.
  • Only Planners can attach Question Sets to a Test.
  • Only Planners can edit options of a Test setup.
  • Only a Planner can monitor students’ progress on a Test.
  • Planners can access Grade to download results, but do not have the ability to mark work.
  • Role fulfilled by Programme Administrative staff.

Planners can access Deliver, Monitor and Grade options in Inspera:

Deliver, Monitor and Grade highlight on the Inspera dashboard

Preview

  • Authors can Preview Questions and Question sets.
    • Question
      • Authors can click Preview to have a student view of the question. In Preview the Author can check answers are correct.
    • Question Set
      • Authors can click Preview to have a student view of the question. Authors will be able to preview the design layout of the Test and ensure all the information necessary for the Test is included. Authors can also check answers.

Eyeball Preview symbol in Inspera
Question

  • Questions can be made from automatic marks, manual marked and not marked questions.
  • Found under the Author heading.
  • A group of Questions can be added to a Question Set to create the content of a Test.
  • Questions are saved in an Author’s Question Bank and can be used in multiple Question Sets.
  • Only Authors have access to Questions.
Different Questions you can use:

View of different question type icons in Inspera

Question Bank

  • Where any of an author’s previously created questions, or questions shared with that author, are stored.
  • An Author can add questions from the Question Bank to multiple Question Sets.
  • Only accessible by Authors.
Button to Add from Question Bank in Inspera
Question Set

  • A grouping of questions makes up the Question Set.
  • Found under the Author heading.
  • Questions for the Question Set can be added by creating new questions or by adding existing questions from the Question Bank.
  • The Question Set can also include stimulus and guidance documents.
  • You can layout the design and question order in the Question Set.
  • Question Sets can have multiple Sections within them.
  • Students will only see the Question Set after they click Start Test, so it is important to include all relevant information.
  • Question Sets can only be created by Authors.

An example of a Question Set:

Image of Question Set in Inspera

Randomisation

  • Randomisation can be applied to a specific section of Questions in the Question Set.
  • Randomisation allows the author to randomise the order of Questions in the given section.
  • Randomisation allows the author to pull a specific number of questions from a given section (if all questions in the Section award the same number of marks).
  • Only authors have access to Randomisation.

You can activate Randomisation by clicking the button highlighted in yellow:

Randomisation button in Inspera

Below is what you will see when you click Randomisation:

Randomisation options in Inspera

Section

  • Sections are found in the Question Set.
  • Questions in a Question Set can be laid out in different sections.
  • An author may want to put questions in specific sections if they want to randomise a group of questions.
  • An author may want to put questions in specific section to group similar questions together.
Example of Sections being used to hold exam instructions and to randomise questions:

 

Example of Sections being used to hold exam instructions and to randomise questions

Setup

  • The section of the Test Setup stage where the Planner can add the Question Set and modify the General Settings, Security, Exam Day settings, After test settings and Grading Workflow.
  • This can only be accessed by Planners.
Options Planner will see when they set up a Test
Share with User

  • Authors will be able to Share with Users Questions and Question Sets.
    • Question
      • Authors can add fellow Authors to a question. Any added author to a question will be allowed to edit and make changes to the questions as well as create a copy of the question.
      • Authors can add questions that have been shared with them to a Question Set.
    • Question Set
      • Authors can add fellow Authors and Planners to a Question Set.
      • Authors added to a Question Set will be able to view and edit the questions in the Question Set and change the Design of the Question Set.
      • Planners added to a Question Set cannot edit the Questions in the Question Set. Planners can modify the Design of a Question Set. Planners can attach the Question Set to a Test.
Share with user icon
Stimulus

  • Stimuli can be added in the Question Set.
  • A stimulus is a reference document that will show on the left-hand side of all the questions in a specific section.
  • Only authors have access to Stimulus.

Stimulus Icon in a Question Set
Test

  • Inspera term for an examination.
  • Consists of:
    • Question Set (created by an Author and added to the Test by a Planner).
    • Test name and test opening times (provided by DD+T and checked by registry).
    • Candidates (provided by DD+T and checked by registry).
    • Test general settings (enabled by Planners).
What the Test looks like for the students before they start:

 

Student Dashboard