For info; if you're interested in helping test this software please contact Jonathan directly at [log in to unmask]

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I'm pleased to announce that a software tool, Qyouti, that I created
in-house for Leeds Metropolitan University has been released open source
and is now hosted on SourceForge for free download.

The software was created as a result of extreme frustration with the two
local options for high stakes multiple choice assessment. Option one was
to use Multiquest from Speedwell in combination with a very expensive
OMR machine to scan very expensive MCQ response sheets. Option two was
to conduct examinations in a computer room with a lock down browser in
combination with the VLE. Both options have proved to be highly
unsatisfactory.

So, Qyouti is software which takes an IMS QTI file containing questions,
a class list and prints the questions on an ordinary colour laser
printer with areas for the student responses to be made in pencil or
pen. I.e. the responses are marked as crosses or ticks (or just about
any other kind of mark) in boxes that are right next to the options in
the question paper. Every page is bar-coded with the candidate's name
and ID so it is impossible to give the marks to the wrong person. At the
end of the exam the papers are scanned with an ordinary desktop scanner.
Then Qyouti processes the scanned images and produces a list of
candidates with their marks. Because the page is image is relatively
high resolution image processing can be done to compensate for
imperfections in the printing and scanning process such as skew and
greyscale calibration.  Each individual script has metrics encoded on it
using square barcodes and so there is potential for customising font and
layout for candidates with visual impairment or dyslexia.  A proper
statistical analysis is done on the question items too.

Two crucial advantages are: 1) an ordinary examination room can be used
2) if any of the hardware breaks it can be cheaply and immediately
replaced because any local PC shop will stock it. The only serious
disadvantage: The scanning is much slower than an OMR and with a large
class you need to go away and have lunch while it takes place. (However,
for the price of an OMR machine you could buy 5 PCs with top of the
range document scanners and multiply the speed of scanning by 5.)

I would really like to recruit volunteers to test the software and even
better to help develop it.  I'm prepared to offer free staff training in
the use of MCQ for your colleagues in return for significant
contributions to development of Qyouti!

Please take a look at:

qyouti.sourceforge.net

Regards,

Jon Maber


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