SAM: About SAM Paths

As described in the syllabus, a SAM Path contains three parts: Pre-Test, Training, and Post-Test.

1) Take the Pre-Test:

To find SAM Path Assignments, make sure the Activities main tab is selected, and select the Activity List secondary tab. 

Click the arrow to expand the SAM Path if necessary, then click the SAM Path Pre-Exam link. 

When you’re ready to begin your Exam, scroll down and click OK, and the exam window will launch.  (This make take some time depending on your Internet connection – be patient)

Answering SAM Exam Questions

·         SAM pre and post exams use a simulated application interface.

·         A task instruction is presented on the right side of the screen. This may be moved by clicking and dragging.

·         To answer a question, complete the required action just as you would in the real application. The program will respond with Correct or Incorrect.

·         Each question or task has three attempts available.  For most questions, SAM allows as many "alternate" answers as the real application.

·         When you have either completed the task correctly or used your three attempts, the program will advance to the next question automatically.

·         You may also use the Task List to navigate to a particular question.

·         To complete the exam, press the Submit button.

·         If you receive 100% on the pre-test, there will be no training or post-test for this unit.  Your score for the SAM Path will be 100%.

·         If you miss any questions on the pre-test, training will be created based on the questions you missed.  It may take a minute or two for that to be generated. 

**NOTE: Your pre-test score is not significant by itself.  It simply customizes your course of study according to what you already know or don’t know.  The post-test score is added to the pre-test score to get the SAM Path grade.  You can even just submit the pre-test without doing any questions and still get 100% for the SAM Path by getting all questions correct on the post-test following the training module.

 

 

Remember, it is perfectly fine to just close out of the pre-test at any time.  You will still have an opportunity to get 100% by completing the training and the post-test.  The pre-test score by itself is insignificant because it is added to the post-test score.

2) Complete the SAM Training:

About SAM Training

The first screen displays a sample problem, similar to the pre-test but with the following differences:

Along the bottom are four parts:

Intro- this is the tab which opens by default.  It contains important reading describing how, when or why you might use this skill.  It may also contain descriptions of one or more alternate ways of doing the task. Don’t skip this!!

Observe- a video plays to show you how to perform a task

Practice- allows students to follow along with guided prompts to learn a skill

Apply- students perform actions, unprompted to prove that they know the skill. *You MUST complete the Apply component to receive credit for each task.  You may proceed to the Apply component at any time. It is not necessary to complete the Observe or Practice components unless you need to.

 

Just like in exams, you can show/hide the task list or move between questions using the arrows.  There are also controls to replay, rewind, forward or pause the movies in progress.

If you are unable to complete a training task, use the task list to skip it and navigate to the remaining tasks.  Note that there is no penalty if training is stopped and restarted.  Use the Show Task List button to determine which training tasks have not been completed.  It is not necessary to redo any training tasks previously completed.

There are several things you can then try:

  1. Watch the video in the Observe tab.  You may notice something you had not been doing (such as clicking in a specific spot.)
  2. Try the guided task from the Practice tab.
  3. Use a different browser. 

 

3) Take the Post-Test:

Once Training is complete, a post-test (or post-exam) will be created. This will be similar to the pre-test, but it will only contain the questions you missed on the pre-test presented in a different scenario. This may also take a few minutes to generate.  Sometimes refreshing the browser or logging out of SAM and logging back in will help you find the next component of a SAM Path.

When you finish the Post-Test, your SAM Path is complete.

4) Tips for Mac users: Click Here