PARCC testing open discussion

[Johnny_Kim]

I believe there are a lot of admins here that are part of the PARCC testing. What are some issues you are seeing? What are your environments and such?

My environment is JSS 9.3 managing around 4500 - 10.9 MacBook Air's. For the PARCC I have two policies set. One policy creates a local account at startup and the second policy creates a shortcut of Firefox (v30) on the desktop with the configuration file (I used CCK2 to create the cfg file) triggered at login with the created account.

One issue that I'm hearing from the guys (randomly and only a small percentage) are two finger scrolling stops in the middle of the exam and the clicker doesn't work on others.

[roadrunner2348]

I've been running into several issues, the big ones are...

Java settings with Safari - Finally got this one sorted out, but in Safari you need to run Java in "Unsafe mode" for the testnav site. I was able to deploy this setting with a config profile that is working on my 10.8-10.10 clients. The short version is to set the java settings correctly on a computer, copy the safari plist, then remove everything else that you don't want set, just leave the managed plugin policy for java/parcc. Export the plist as an XML plist and import into JSS. If anyone wants it I can attach the file I uploaded to the JSS. This has been working great, provided that the computer gets the configuration profile of course.

Second is the Java update prompts, make sure they're disabled or you provide instructions for teachers/students on what to do if they get the prompt.

Third is use a new blank profile when doing testing. The first trial we had some issues with programs the students had installed popping up and kicking them out of the test.

One issue that a teacher pointed out was that if a student right clicks on the test they can bring up the dictionary lookup, but if they click on it, it bumps them out of the test. Was looking into disabling right click for the testing user but haven't had much luck yet, anyone have suggestions?

Last is a bug in the test itself, I have had a few students get kicked out of the test when clicking the tools icon or going to the next section, in some cases multiple times in 10 minute window. We did get some feedback from the state/parcc that other districts were having this problem as well. Can anyone confirm that?

[emjay]

We are also using a config profile in Safari, with a designated PARCC user that every student signs into. We didn't have any issues with right-clicking, as it looks like our two-finger click and control-click aren't working within TestNav at all.

We do run with a Student Restriction profile that bans executables from the /Users folder, and it appears as though this was causing issues using the in-test tools like Answer Eliminator and Line Reader. It looks like those pieces run from the /Users/CURRENTUSER/Pearson folder, so we've disabled that config and our testing seems to be going fine now, with all features accessible.

We also had students getting kicked from the test when attempting to skip questions or return to previous questions. We suspect that this is due to that restriction config profile, since once we disabled it we did not see any other issues.

I was wondering if anyone has verified that students getting kicked from the test can be traced to the automatic check-ins or inventory updates from Casper itself? Having to deal with this would gut any MDM solution out there, if these "phone-home" processes interfere with TestNav.

[Johnny_Kim]

@roadrunner2348 It wasn't the right click, they just couldn't click on anything within the exam or two finger scroll.

I haven't heard any students getting kicked off in the middle of the exam.

What are some of your JSS environment like? I have around 1300 devices being planned to hit the JSS across 3 buildings with the policies waiting to push tomorrow morning. I suppose this will be a good stress test on my JSS server!

[roadrunner2348]

@Johnny.Kim the logoff problem has been happening during the trials, the students will try to go to the next section and they will get logged out with the 3005 error. The only thing that has seemed to help in that instance is restarting the browser and clearing the local website data, but it doesn't work in all cases. I had one teacher who had to resume the test 15 times for one student in his class because of this problem.

As far as the JSS server goes, we're only running 3-400 computers at a time + our faculty & staff and ours hasn't had any issues, its a VM with 2 cores and 8GB of ram and no issues so far.

[Johnny_Kim]

Today was our first live testing and one common issue I am seeing is Java errors. Error 8028 which states that Java is outdated but the the laptop is up to date. I have been quitting firefox until they can.

Also, I have added the testnav site to the exception.list for Java, worked beautiful until the live testing today.

Anyone else see this?

[CGundersen]

Possibly some info here to work with:

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=6489
*still seems to work with 8

https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/oracles-java-8-update-31-has-been-updated-to-java-8-update-31/

[Sandy]

HI,
We are between windows now and running the samplers......
Uh oh! I just ran the tester and see now Java 8 update 40!!
But wait, I thought they had a release schedule and this was due on April 14 :)
EDIT: aaahhhhh, not a .pkg, a .app!!
Great timing ORACLE!!!

Java 1.8 update 31 also had a "build" update during our live window which was unique. This required an additional update: java-8-update-31-has-been-updated-to-java-8-update-31

During live testing;
When we see issues with specific users getting kicked out many times we've contacted Pearson and they have done something magical on their end to fix the student.
We also see kids get kicked out when they try to up volume and hit the iTunes function keys by mistake.

We are using Safari
I'm using a Config Profile for the Safari>Java settings, and a Composer package to add the TestNav url site to Java security exceptions.
Not giddy with anticipation for the next round...
Sandy

[Sandy]

FYI inside the .app is a JavaAppletPlugin.pkg that appears to fulfill Pearson's java requirements, at least for us using TestNav 7.5.la.la.la

[Johnny_Kim]

@Sandy, Just saw the thread for Java 8u40 after not realizing oracle went with .app installer. This is throwing me off now as I use rtrouton's script to deploy Java. As mentioned on the other thread, it doesn't work at the moment. rtrouton did comment on just a few minutes ago, so maybe he'll have an update in a few hours? haha (wishful thinking).

Looks like I'll be hosting the .pkg on my JSS and deploying it which puts a nice chunk of load on the server. Wish me luck tomorrow!!

[rtrouton]

@Johnny.Kim,

Why wait? Updated script available now:

https://github.com/rtrouton/rtrouton_scripts/tree/master/rtrouton_scripts/install_latest_oracle_java...

[Johnny_Kim]

@rtrouton][/url You sir, are the man!! Thank you! If you and I make it to the JNUC 2015, I will buy you a beer or 4!

[CGundersen]

Oracle fears @rtrouton. Very nice! Ask Toolbar's got nothing.

Oh, and perhaps to deal with f8 and iTunes?

defaults write -g com.apple.keyboard.fnState -bool true

edit: approach too broad, volume would be a problem

I guess I'll test this ...

launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.rcd.plist

[Johnny_Kim]

Just to update, today was a very smooth day with PARCC. And thanks to @rtouton script, java update took less then 15~20 seconds triggered at login.

[sburrows]

Sandy,

During live testing when students were getting kicked out of the test were they getting error 3005?

Any ideas what they "magically" did? Pearson support is blaming Java for crashing for our students who repeatedly get knocked out of the test.

[roadrunner2348]

We had two students yesterday, unable to take the test becuSe rthey were getting kicked out after everything they did. We swapped out computers, adjusted settings to no avail. Had to pull them out of the test session. Today exact same students had the exact same problem, and they were on some computers we newly setup specifically for parcc, nothing but system updates, the latest Java and flash.

[sburrows]

@roadrunner2348 were they getting error 3005? If so we are seeing the same thing.

[roadrunner2348]

Yeah, error 3005, thankfully it's been a small number that have been having problems with this.

[Sandy]

Hi,
Prior to each test session, each computer is logged into the assessment local profile, in Safari we go to the Pearson system check page, once java loads (name and ip address filled in) we run the check, then go to the live site.
The student would get logged in and start the test and then it would shut down. In our case, we did not see any error codes. Move student to another computer, same result., get logged in , then a few questions in, kicked out.
We verified none of the obvious like iTunes F keys, other apps opening, etc. were happening.
Pearson requested logs, and lots of back and forth and then magically the student was fixed. took a few days, not good.
My list of error codes (TestNav 7) does not even have any 3000 range codes :(
Sandy

[CGundersen]

iTunesHelper.app ... we're just going to restrict the iTunes process on PARCC Smart Groups and test.

@Sandy][https://support.assessment.pearson.com/display/TN/Error+Codes

[Sandy]

@CGundersen, Thanks for the link! I see you're using TestNav 8, we're using 7.5 (MN)

For our assessment profile only, we are replacing the existing Loginitems.plist with one that only contains an automator app to mount our secondary save location, and Safari. This effectively removes iTunesHelper.app from login items.

If you're talking about restricting iTunesHelper.app using "Restricted Software" in the JSS, it may shut down TestNav before the restriction kills it....

[CGundersen]

@Sandy, thanks for the info as well! iTunes is the largest complaint. We are testing, limited scope, restricting iTunes.app. Initial info is promising, but we are still reviewing info as it comes in. I did speak with a site that experienced the issue and they indicated the afternoon testing went well (w/out iTunes interruptions).

[Nick_Gooch]

Is anyone testing on iPads? Is ASAM working on the live test? Any feedback for iPad testing? We start testing Monday.

[msnowdon]

We are also using MacBooks as well as iPads for testing. The MacBooks took a lot of tweaking regarding allowing several sites to run in Unsafe mode and the Java exception list. We found that 3005 error was being caused by the students putting Safari into full screen mode PRIOR to logging into TestNav. Just let TestNav put Safari into fullscreen mode like its designed to do and everything works much better.

[sburrows]

@msnowdon looks like that may have been our issue. Thanks!

[roadrunner2348]

Yeah, same here. I logged into the site using the test username and password and it looks like if Safari is in full screen when the test starts if you click anywhere along the top edge of the screen it bumps you out. Probably has something to do with the way the menu bar drops down when you in full screen. Thanks for that @msnowdon!

[msnowdon]

That's great. Glad to be of help although I cant take all the credit. My co-workers figured this out. It wasn't happening to everyone so we tried to figure what they were doing differently than the people that were not getting the errors.

I entered a ticket with Pearson. They told me to go with a different browser. Idiots.

[sburrows]

Pearson was telling us to call Oracle cause Java was crashing.

[musat]

To echo what @msnowdon][/url said, that is what we have found as well. Our single biggest cause for the 3005 errors was students running Safari in full screen mode. Once we added that to the list of things to explain before the test, the 3005 errors were essentially eliminated.

I will also echo the comments of @msnowdon][/url and say that Pearson support are idiots who can only read from their script as if they were giving the PARCC test.

[gabester]

In my case I have a massive and distributed environment that has never been brought fully into the managed fold; as such some of the challenges are due to misconfigured distribution points or software update servers (my netops people regularly change VLANs at our sites which necessitate changing the site server's IP addresses... but the backend in the JSS doesn't always get updated along with it.)

We also have every recent and older version of OS X to support due to requirements that our organization accepts donated devices. But it's not all that bad for OS X - the Windows guys here are trying to block a pop-up but Pearson did some kind of update on their backend that uses a newer signed applet and they can't quash the "run this app" prompt for our end users. They got Pearson on the horn and were told, "Yes, our customers just accept that every user is going to have to click the 'Run this app' button once."

[Johnny_Kim]

I tested the theory for error 3005 but wasn't able to replicate in Firefox. I agree that Pearson support are not that bright.

Had one of our guys call in to Pearson for error 3005, they requested for the logs which he submitted and we're still waiting.

[sburrows]

We weren't able to replicate the full screen 3005 error with Firefox either, just Safari.

[roadrunner2348]

Yes I tried with chrome (just found out this was supported now) and Firefox and didn't have this issue with either.

[jeremysmythe]

Just started testing today and ran into the 3005 error on all our MBAs. I do think you guys are right and the issue is full screen Safari. We are doing more testing now and not seeing the issue once clear directions are given to not go into fullscreen.

[SincerelyJoshin]

Just about wrapped up with PARCC. Completed roughly 3,200 sessions on 1:1 MacBook Airs. Zero technical issues.

[roadrunner2348]

Just about wrapped up with PARCC. Completed roughly 3,200 sessions on 1:1 MacBook Airs. Zero technical issues.

You need to go buy a lottery ticket!

[SincerelyJoshin]

Suppose I could have gone into more detail regarding our deployment. Clients on 10.8.5 using Safari 6. Safari 6 ManagedPluginPolicies dictionary assigned via configuration profile. Java 8.31 with deployment properties configured and testnav applet cert being pushed down in system-level certificate store.

I have not been able to replicate any fullscreen issues on Mountain Lion. Assuming those affected are 10.9+ when all those wonderful additional fullscreen options were introduced.

[msnowdon]

Has anyone done anything about notification pop-ups, such as notifications that updates are available?

[sburrows]

@msnowdon check out this thread that I started: https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=13619

We were going to use that as a log in script to turn on do not disturb, but it seems like we have been fine without it.

[Johnny_Kim]

@msnowdon We don't receive the update notification possibly because I have all the students laptop pointing to our NETSUS server (which isn't currently running) and it doesn't see any "new update".