1. Download the setup file for Perception 3.0 to your local system now.

2. When the "Save As" box pops up, select a location to which you will save the .exe file (generally under your programs files on the "C" drive).

3. Once the download is complete, install the .exe file on your local system
4. On your authoring machine, find the directory where Perception is installed. This directory is usually c:\perception3\author; however, if you did not use the default installation path it may be elsewhere.

5. Request a copy of the license file and place it into the above referenced folder (or if you did not use the default path, copy it to the directory where zzmainauthor.qmlicense resides.)

Participant

At Sinclair, this generally refers to a student, but it can also be an employee or other type of respondent.

User

The test author (usually the faculty/staff member that inputs the tests.)

Question Manager

The first of two Windows-based applications within Perception. It enables the user to create questions with scores and feedback. Question Manager holds its questions within easily manageable topics, which are all stored within a question database.

Topic

A way to organize questions that relate to a particular subject, level of difficulty, or some other common trait (item bank, subject, category, or theme.)

Assessment Manager

The second of two Windows-based applications within Perception. It enables the user to create assessments from the questions created with Question Manager.

Assessment

A way to "grab" a number of different questions from various topics, individually, all within a topic, or randomly (a test, quiz, questionnaire, or other assessment.) Each assessment must contain a single control block, at least one question block and at least one score band.

Control Block

Contains the settings for how the assessment is to be delivered; this includes time limits, feedback settings, messages, and template, if used.

Question Block

Contains sub-blocks that specify which questions and topics are used. Question blocks allow the user to add questions from a topic individually, randomly, or in their entirety.

Jump Block

Allows the user to branch to another part of a assessment. Jump blocks can be set depending on question outcomes or scores.

Score Bands

A means by which a user can control the conclusion of a assessment.

Group

A way to organize participants to make managing and scheduling them easier. Generally used to pull together all participants in a particular class. A group name can be up to 50 characters long and have any number of participants in it. A participant can be a member of no groups, one group, or any number of groups.

TOPICS
As questions are created they are placed within categories, or topics. Perception's use of topics is best equated with an item bank. A topic is a group of questions (a.k.a items) relating to a particular subject, level of difficulty, or some other common trait. For example, you might have a topic for questions relating to sales-ethics, and another topic containing questions about Native American history. As the number of questions you create grows, topics become more important for organizing your questions. Topics can also contain subtopics. Native American history topic might contain questions organized according to difficulty, or time period.

FEEDBACK
Feedback describes any text, graphic, or other message given to a participant in response to an answer they provided to a question. Perception allows you to define unique feedback for each choice within a question.

Keep in mind that using feedback gives the student immediate information regarding the correct (or incorrect) answer to the question. Since it is possible for students to share this information after taking a test, providing feedback may not be desirable.

OUTCOMES
Outcomes are a facility within a question that enables you to attach scores or provide unique feedback messages (e.g. "That is correct because...") to particular responses to a question. When constructing outcomes, you first need to determine which responses you want to trap.

Want to learn more? Check out the Perception Authoring Manual

Assessments are held in assessment databases. These files have a .assessment extension, but can be held in Microsoft Access.MDB format, SQL Server format or Oracle format.

CONTROL BLOCKS
Control blocks contain settings for the entire assessment, such as a time limit, whether or not feedback messages for questions are displayed, and at what point in the assessment these messages are presented to the participant.

QUESTION BLOCKS
Question blocks contain individual blocks that select questions from topics. Questions can be grabbed from a topic in one of three fashions: a single question, randomly, or all.

JUMPS
Logical branching within an assessment is accomplished by means of jump blocks. Jumping to the end of an assessment, or to a particular question block is determined either by an outcome's condition being met, the score achieved within the session thus far, or the score for the question block directly proceding the jump itself.

SCORE BANDS
Score bands, sometimes referred to as "end blocks" within Perception, are a means by which you can control the conclusion of an assessment. Score bands allow you to supply participants with unique feedback messages, or jump to another assessment or even to a web or intranet address. For example, we could provide a unique message to anyone failing a test (achieving a score of less than 70%) and also send their web browser to a URL that contained tutorial information to address their needs.

Want to learn more? Check out the Perception Authoring Manual

Typical uses for Enterprise Manager include:

1. Schedule different groups, participants within a group, or individual participants to allow them to take different sessions.