|
|
Please click to expand the sections below to see the Digital FS FAQs:
General FAQs
|
How can I register learners for Digital Functional Skills?
|
How can I make a test booking for Digital Functional Skills?
To make a test booking, please see Onscreen Testing: Booking an Onscreen Functional Skills Test.
|
What are the technical requirements for running onscreen Digital Functional Skills tests?
Minimum System Requirements and Pre-Requisites for running the test are:
- Windows 7 SP1 or greater
- Dual-core processor
- Minimum 10GB Hard disk space
- 1GB RAM
- Network Adapter installed
- Screen Resolution of 1024x768 or higher
- Full administration rights during installation
- Windows Media Player 11 or higher
- Microsoft Office 365
- 10/100 Mbps network interface adapter (for local mode only)
- Access to the Internet (ADSL 1MB minimum) via a reliable ISP
- Microsoft .Net 4.5 or higher (Full or Extended version)
- Whitelist BTECNG.Pearson.com
Important: Firewall ports that need to be open 443, 52221 & 52222
Please Note: This is Windows-based software and will not work on Apple Mac or Linux operating systems. Mandatory logins/user profiles must not be used. Student users will require individual/local Windows logins.
|
Can Digital Functional Skills tests be sat offline?
The FS Digital Test Player is only available for online testing. Therefore, a strong, stable and constant internet connection will be required throughout the test.
|
How can I access and download the assessments?
The assessment and associated Data Files can be accessed through the secure site via Edexcel Online. To access the Digital FS Portal through Edexcel Online, you will need to have been given additional user privileges by an authorised member of staff at your centre.
Centre Administrators can add this feature in Edexcel Online to new and existing users of the system by ensuring 'Onscreen Booking Only' and 'Access to run On demand paper based tests' are selected below 'Edit User Access Profile', for example:
Once you have the correct access, you can then follow the steps in the following guide to download the Data Files and run the onscreen test.
|
When will the Data Files be available?
The Data Files will be available to download from Edexcel Online 24 hours prior to the scheduled time for candidates’ sitting the assessment. The Data Files will also be available for 4 hours after the scheduled test booking time.
|
I have downloaded the data files, what should I do next?
It is the centre’s responsibility to ensure the correct Data Files are downloaded and all files are extracted from the downloaded zip file in an assessment folder for each candidate; for a step-by-step guide on how to do this, please see Setting up the Data Files for assessment.
The assessment folders should be accessible via the local file storage (Documents / File Explorer) on the computer rather than through an online platform such as OneDrive to ensure that the .html file opens within the browser during the assessment. Centres must ensure that candidates sit the correct version of the assessment at the correct level. Further detailed guidance for preparing assessment folders and administration of the data files can be found in Setting up the Data Files for assessment.
|
How do I set up an assessment Folder?
The Head of Centre is responsible for ensuring that an assessment folder is set up (on computers used for assessment or a secure location on your server) for each candidate sitting the assessment. These assessment folders must not be accessible to the candidates prior to the scheduled date/time of the assessment and must only be accessible to the named learner to ensure test security. The assessment folder must contain an extracted copy of the Data Files for candidates to work on. Further guidance on setting up assessment folders can be found in the Digital Functional Skills: Test Walkthrough.
|
What must I do once the learner has finished the assessment?
As the assessment takes place online, Section A of the assessment is automatically uploaded to Pearson once the time ends.
Centres must ensure that all candidates’ work for Section B of the assessment is saved in the correct named candidate folder and uploaded to Pearson via the secure portal. For a step-by-step guide on how to do this, please see .
This includes checking the downloads folder on each computer for a completed .html file with the candidate’s name. The completed .html file must be copied into the candidate's assessment folder before upload if not already present. After the assessment, the candidates’ completed assessment folder needs to be zipped and uploaded onto the secure site. The candidates’ work should be copied to a storage medium and kept securely by the Examinations Officer. Centres should safeguard this work for two months in case it is required to be re-submitted.
Centres must also carry out maintenance on the computers used for assessment to ensure that all assessment material has been wiped. You must ensure that:
- all contacts are deleted from each email account
- all drafts and sent messages are deleted from each email account
- the trash/bin folder is emptied on each email account
- no other folders in the email account contain any content that could be used by candidates
- the ‘Downloads’ folder on each computer is checked; if a .html file is present here, this should be checked to see if it contains candidate responses and copied over to their user folder if the file is not already there. Then, all other files in the downloads should be deleted and emptied from the ‘Recycle Bin’
- no data files remain on the computer after the assessment has finished and candidate work has been transferred for storage or uploaded to Pearson.
|
How do we mark a learner as absent?
This can be done by logging into the Pearson Assessor Dashboard (PAD) and selecting the FS Digital Bookings tab. Locate the Order Number and Learner Number, then select Mark as absent at the bottom of the page. A step-by-step walkthrough demonstrating this.
Please do not upload any data files for absent learners, as this is unnecessary and may delay your ability to rebook the learner for assessment.
|
Troubleshooting FAQs
|
What can I do if I have downloaded incorrect Data Files?
If the assessment has started, first pause the assessment on the PAD dashboard. Then, download the correct Data files for the candidate and continue with the assessment.
|
An error message has appeared on the Test Player
Depending on the type of error message you are seeing, different actions will apply. Please refer to our Digital Functional Skills: Test Player Troubleshooting Guide for specific information.
|
An error message has appeared when trying to open the .html form
The .html form needs to open in the web browser and you must have JavaScript enabled. First, check where you are trying to open the file from; if you are trying to open it from an online platform such as OneDrive, then the file will not automatically open in the browser, and this will produce an error message. To resume testing, you can right-click on the file, navigate to Open and then click on Open in App and follow the prompts to 'Open' every time until the form opens.
To prevent this issue, testing workstations should be set up to access the Data Files locally via File Explorer / Documents. Please see the following article for a step-by-step guide on setting up the data files Digital Functional Skills: Test Walkthrough.
If you are opening the file from File Explorer and still see this error message, then it is likely JavaScript is disabled. Please see the following guide for how to enable JavaScript on different web browsers. How to Enable JavaScript in Your Browser.
|
The Test Player window was accidentally closed during the assessment
The FS Digital Test Player must not be closed at any point throughout the duration of the test. If a learner closes the test player, the test cannot be recovered. The player only allows for continuation if there is a loss of internet connection or if the test is paused. However, in both cases, the test player must not be closed. If this happens then the test must be rebooked.
|
