Online exams tip sheet
1. Do the DEMO COURSE exam. This demonstration exam introduces you to the online environment and demonstrates the platform’s exam delivery features.
2. Understand the 3-attempt limit. The platform keeps track of how many times you
have accessed an exam that is in progress. It does so not by counting how many times you have logged in (entering your username and password), but how many times you have clicked the title of your exam and actually launched/resumed it. Logging in merely grants you access to the MyCCPE portal – clicking your exam inside of the portal is what actually launches/resumes the exam. And that is what the platform is tracking – not how often you have entered your username and password. Keep this distinction in mind.
3. Disable or reconfigure software that could impede the platform. The exam platform uses a pop-up window to deliver the exam questions. Pop-up blocking software (Google toolbar, Windows XP blocking features, Norton Internet Security, etc.) which are all excellent tools to use against Internet advertisements, will block the exam platform as well. All commercial pop-up blocking software allow their users to pick and choose where to permit pop-up windows. Configure your pop-up blocking software accordingly.
4. Scan your computer for viruses. Do this a day or so before the exam. The last thing you need on exam day is an unwanted intruder that suddenly begins wreaking havoc on your computer.
5. Know the computer you’re working on. Many people will use a friend’s or family member’s computer to do their exam. As long as the computer is Windows-based and you are using Internet Explorer 5.5 and up, this is fine. But ask the owner of this new, unfamiliar computer if it has been checked for viruses recently, or if the computer has software installed that could disrupt your exam session (refer to items 2 and 3).
6. Seek favourable connection setups. If you have the choice between using a high-speed connection to the Internet, or a dial-up connection, go with the high-speed connection. High-speed connections are not a requirement, though - dial-up is just fine (no slower than 56k)! Most people find the pace of a high-speed connection reassuring. It is also preferable to use a computer with a direct connection to the Internet. Using a computer that connects to your company's usual network (by VPN) and then on to the Internet, or that uses a wireless connection to the Internet may result in unexpected delays and connection problems.
7. Use your past experience as a guide. If you know that your company’s network is susceptible to poor performance and/or frequent connection problems, avoid using that setup. If you have a direct connection to the Internet but you know that your ISP gets overloaded on Fridays at 13H00, avoid that time frame.
2. Understand the 3-attempt limit. The platform keeps track of how many times you
have accessed an exam that is in progress. It does so not by counting how many times you have logged in (entering your username and password), but how many times you have clicked the title of your exam and actually launched/resumed it. Logging in merely grants you access to the MyCCPE portal – clicking your exam inside of the portal is what actually launches/resumes the exam. And that is what the platform is tracking – not how often you have entered your username and password. Keep this distinction in mind.3. Disable or reconfigure software that could impede the platform. The exam platform uses a pop-up window to deliver the exam questions. Pop-up blocking software (Google toolbar, Windows XP blocking features, Norton Internet Security, etc.) which are all excellent tools to use against Internet advertisements, will block the exam platform as well. All commercial pop-up blocking software allow their users to pick and choose where to permit pop-up windows. Configure your pop-up blocking software accordingly.
4. Scan your computer for viruses. Do this a day or so before the exam. The last thing you need on exam day is an unwanted intruder that suddenly begins wreaking havoc on your computer.
5. Know the computer you’re working on. Many people will use a friend’s or family member’s computer to do their exam. As long as the computer is Windows-based and you are using Internet Explorer 5.5 and up, this is fine. But ask the owner of this new, unfamiliar computer if it has been checked for viruses recently, or if the computer has software installed that could disrupt your exam session (refer to items 2 and 3).
6. Seek favourable connection setups. If you have the choice between using a high-speed connection to the Internet, or a dial-up connection, go with the high-speed connection. High-speed connections are not a requirement, though - dial-up is just fine (no slower than 56k)! Most people find the pace of a high-speed connection reassuring. It is also preferable to use a computer with a direct connection to the Internet. Using a computer that connects to your company's usual network (by VPN) and then on to the Internet, or that uses a wireless connection to the Internet may result in unexpected delays and connection problems.
7. Use your past experience as a guide. If you know that your company’s network is susceptible to poor performance and/or frequent connection problems, avoid using that setup. If you have a direct connection to the Internet but you know that your ISP gets overloaded on Fridays at 13H00, avoid that time frame.