About schedules with a direct link
As a scheduler, you can choose to deliver your assignments to your participants via schedules with a direct link. You can either:
use a direct link to a schedule.
When clicking on the link, the participants will have direct access to the schedule detail page from which they can start their assignment(s).use a direct link to an assignment in a schedule.
When clicking on the link, the assignment in the schedule is immediately opened in the player.
The direct link is only accessible for users who have an account in assessmentQ. If they are not signed in, the users will first have to sign in (via SSO or with their e-mail address and password).
Direct link to a schedule vs. direct link to an assignment
The table below gives an overview of the differences between a direct link to a schedule and a direct link to an assignment:
| Direct link to a schedule | Direct link to an assignment |
Number of assignments | The schedule can contain one or more assignments. | Only one assignment |
Opening link | Participants arrive on the schedule detail page showing the assignment overview. | The assignment is immediately opened in the player. |
Taking assignment(s) | Participants can take the assignment between the schedule start and end time. | Participants can take the assignment between the schedule start and end time. |
Reviewing assignment(s) | Participants can review their assignment when a review period is set on the schedule. | Participants can review their assignment when a review period is set on the schedule. |
Viewing results | Participants can see their assignment results when these are published in the schedule. | Participants cannot see their assignment results. |
Workflow
The process of working with schedules with a direct link typically includes the following steps:
As a scheduler, you create a schedule with a direct link:
You define the delivery settings, including the assignment(s) and the availability period of the schedule. You can optionally enable proctoring for your assignment(s).
You can optionally publish the results.
You can optionally add a review period.
As a scheduler, you make the direct link available to your participants (for example, via your intranet, a third-party platform, e-mail, etc.).
The participants click on the link and sign in or are signed in automatically via SSO. Depending on the schedule settings, the participants can take their assignment(s), review their assignments and/or view their results after finishing the assignments.
In this document, you find all information specific to schedules with a direct link. For more general information about managing your schedules (such as editing your schedule, publishing the results for a schedule, finishing a schedule, etc.), see Schedules.
Creating a schedule with a direct link
Proceed as follows to create a schedule with a direct link:
Go to Scheduling > Schedules.
Result: You see the schedule overview page.Click on + Add at the top right and select the delivery type With a direct link.
Result: The schedule detail page is shown.Add the title of your schedule in the breadcrumb trail. Note that this title will be visible to the participants.
Optionally, add one or more tags to your schedule in the properties pane at the right.
Note: As a scheduler, you can use the tags to filter your schedules in your schedule overview. The tags will not be shown to the participants.
In the Delivery lane:
Add the assignment(s). More information.
Define the availability period. The participants will be able to take the assignments during this period. More information.
Optionally enable proctoring, see Enabling proctoring for the assignment in a schedule.
Notes:You can only add approved or live assignments to a schedule.
The order of the assignments in a schedule determines the order in which they will be shown to the participants. If you want to change the order in which the assignments should appear to the participants, see Changing the order of assignments in a schedule.
Optionally make the results available.
Note: If you don't see the Results lane, it means that the Results setting has not been activated for your assessmentQ environment. Please contact your assessmentQ administrator.
Optionally, define a Review period.
Click on Publish in the top right corner to publish the schedule.
Result: The schedule detail page is shown. A Direct link bar is added at the top of your schedule page. You can now copy the direct link for distribution in the environment of your choice, see below.
Note: You don't have to add the participants. As a scheduler, you can see the number of participants who have used the link in the bar at the top of your schedule. The participants will automatically be shown in the Results module and the Grading module (optionally).
Copying a direct link
As a scheduler, you can copy the direct link, so you can easily distribute it to your participants.
Note: When copying the direct link, you can choose the assignment in your schedule to be opened immediately in the player. You will only see this option if your schedule contains only assignment.
For more information about the differences between a direct link to a schedule and a direct link to an assignment, see above.
Procedure
Proceed as follows to copy the direct link:
Go to Scheduling > Schedules.
Result: You see your schedule overview page.Search and/or filter the schedule for which you want to export the direct link. More information.
Select the schedule of your choice.
Result: The schedule detail page is shown. At the top of the page, you see the direct link bar with the Copy button.Click Copy.
Result: If your schedule contains more than one assignment, you will immediately see the confirmation that the direct link is copied to your clipboard. If your schedule contains only one assignment, you will see the Direct link options pop-up.If you want to use a direct link to the assignment in your schedule instead of a direct link to your schedule, select the option Open the assignment immediately.
Click Copy.
Result: The direct link is copied to your clipboard. You can now distribute it to your participants via the communication channel of your choice.
Participants opening a direct link
When you have created a schedule with a direct link and you have distributed the direct link to your participants, the participants can open the link by clicking on it.
The direct link is only accessible for users who have an account in assessmentQ:
If the participants start the link from an environment with single-sign-on (SSO) to your assessmentQ environment, they will be signed in automatically.
If no SSO is used, the participants will first have to sign in with their e-mail and password.
Note: Schedules with a direct link can only be accessed via these direct links. If a participant signs in to the portal, these schedules will not be displayed there.
Direct link to a schedule
In the case of a direct link to a schedule, the participant will see the schedule detail page. Depending on the schedule settings, the participants can take their assignments, review their assignments and/or view their results after finishing the assignments:
When the link is used within the availability period of the schedule, the participants will be able to take the assignments in their schedule. Exams can be taken only once. Exercises can be taken multiple times.
In case a review period has been set and the link is used within the review period, the participants will be able to view their assignments in read-only mode.
Depending on the results settings of the schedule, the participants will be able to see the results for the assignments in their schedule.
Note: The schedule detail page is automatically refreshed every 30 seconds so the buttons for starting or reviewing the assignments and consulting the results become active or inactive automatically depending on the schedule time settings.
Direct link to an assignment in a schedule
In the case of a direct link to an assignment in a schedule:
When the link is used within the availability period of the schedule, the assignment is immediately opened in the player. Exams can be taken only once. Exercises can be taken multiple times.
In case a review period has been set and the link is used within the review period, the assignment is immediately opened in review mode (provided the participant has finished the assignment).
Note: It is not possible for the participants to see their result for an assignment that is taken via a direct link to the assignment.