Presentation outlines tips/tricks on how to proctor AP language exams with Audacity and DiLL

2. Who are we?
• Chicago based Education Technology
company
• In 2006, developed classroom language
learning software at Northwestern University
• Worked with 100 schools (public/private)
• Help proctor 10,000 AP language exams
www.swifteducation.com

3. Agenda
1. CollegeBoard AP language exam overview
2. Audacity (recording tool for Windows/Mac)
• Review official CollegeBoard Audacity guide
3. Common problems & recommendations
4. DiLL (software we’ve developed)
5. Q/A

4. Caveats
• This guide only applies to:
• AP Spanish, French, Italian, German
• For AP Chinese and Japanese:
• Use CollegeBoard’s special exam application
• Please review CollegeBoard’s official AP
exam coordinator materials before test day

5. 1. AP Language Exam Process
Length: ~3 hrs

6. 1. AP Language Exam Process
Focus of webinar: listening and speaking
sections

7. 1. AP Language Exam Process
• For listening sections:
• Follow instructions and play CD audio out to
students via boom box
• For speaking sections:
1. Play CD out to students
2. Capture recordings of student responses
3. Save and process recordings
4. Burn recordings on to a CD
5. Mail to CollegeBoard

8. 2. Audacity
• Free open-source audio software
• Used to records and edit audio
• Download at: http://web.audacityteam.org
• Official Audacity CollegeBoard
guide:bit.ly/CBAudacityGuide

9. 2. How to Use Audacity
General setup:
1. Each student is in front of computer with Audacity open
2. Proctor plays exam CD via proctor-controlled computer speakers or
boom box
3. Student hits Audacity’s record button when prompted by exam audio in
“Conversation” section “Now press record…”
4. Student hits Audacity’s pause button when prompted by exam audio
“Press pause to pause your recorder…”
5. Only at the end of “Cultural Comparison” will the student hit “stop”
6. Students save/export recordings as .MP3 file
7. Proctor colleges student files, burns onto data CD, submits to
CollegeBoard

10. Demo of Audacity

11. 2. Audacity: Recommendations
Recommendations Recap:
1. Select the correct microphone and stereo channel
2. DO NOT press “stop” or “record” until prompt says “you may
stop your recorder” – only “pause”
3. Make sure there is only 1 track recorded (no overlapping
tracks)
4. Export entire response (not individual) to .MP3 no .WAV
5. Save file as AP number for easier processing
6. Save file to Folder “AP [subject] Exam, [form code]”
7. Save Audacity project if possible (as backup)

12. 3. Common Problems
I got 99 problems… and an AP test ain’t one!
1. For students
2. For proctors
3. For IT team

13. 3. Common Problems: Students
Microphone:
• Not calibrated properly – may have to adjust in system preferences
• Accidentally muted – some headsets have mute button
• Check the right input source is selected in Audacity
Recording:
• Do not hit “record” once the recording has started – only press “pause”
• Do not hit “stop” until end of exam
Saving Recordings:
• Export student recordings as .MP3 and not any other format
• Save file name as 8 digit AP number and not student’s name
• Do not log out / restart / shut down computer after exam

14. 3. Common Problems: Proctor
Audio Playback:
• CD skipping – have backup playback device
• Audio volume – ensure all students can hear audio over their
headsets
File Collection:
• Have some way to collect student recordings
• Have backup option just in case (ie. Flashdrive)
Preparing Recordings for Submission
• File is saved as .MP3 file
• Filename is 8 digit AP number – no student identifying information
• Burn file as data CD and not as an audio CD
• Assign CD with 8 digit AP number label

15. 3. Common Problems: IT Team
Computer Setup Prior to Exam
• Make sure all computers have power (if using laptop)
• Ensure:
• Headsets work
• Students can log into machines
• Audacity is installed
• LAME compression library for .MP3 processing is installed in
Audacity
• Power saving features are turned off (screensaver, auto-lock, etc.)
• Students can create folders on desktop
• Recordings saved on desktop are not deleted when students log
out or turn off computers
• Provide blank CD-R’s for submission to CollegeBoard

16. DiLL: The Digital Language Lab
• All software (no proprietary hardware)
• Built specifically for Macintosh computer
• Developed at Northwestern University
• Over 10,000 AP exams successfully
administered

17. 4. DiLL
• Designed to streamline process and reduce
human and technical errors
• All controls handled by proctor:
• Proctor streams out exam audio from their
computer to students’ headsets synchronously
• Proctor controls “record” button for all students
simultaneously
• Recordings automatically collected and processed
as .MP3 with student’s 8 digit AP number
• DiLL YouTube walkthrough (~5 mins)
bit.ly/APDiLL

18. Demo of DiLL

19. Thank you
Good luck!
Parth Shah
parth@swifteducation.com
www.swifteducation.com
SwiftEduSystems www.youtube.com/swifteduc
ation