Tracking performance

Authorware uses system variables to automatically track a wide range of information about a user's performance. Here are some specific examples of how variables can provide a rich learning environment for the people you're training.

Tracking response time

The system variable ResponseTime tracks the length of time it takes a user to respond to an interaction. This variable is useful for limiting the amount of time a user has to respond in an interaction. For example, you could set up a calculation that automatically displays a warning if ResponseTime is greater than 15 seconds, and another calculation that exits the interaction automatically when ResponseTime reaches 30 seconds.

The value of ResponseTime is set to 0 each time a user responds, so it isn't a good choice if you want to limit the total time a user spends in an interaction but also give the user more than one try. In that case use the system variable TimeInInteraction.

Tracking time spent in an interaction

The system variable TimeInInteraction tracks the total time a user spends in an interaction. The time is measured from the moment Authorware enters the interaction until the moment it exits the interaction. You can use TimeInInteraction to limit the amount of time users have in an interaction when you're giving them more than one try or when the correct answer is made up of more than one response.

Tracking time spent in a section

You can use the system variable SystemSeconds to calculate how long a user has spent in a section of a course. SystemSeconds contains the number of seconds that have elapsed since a user turned on or restarted the computer. If you use a custom variable to record the value of SystemSeconds at the beginning of the section, you can subtract that value from the value of SystemSeconds at the end of the section to figure out how long the user has spent in the section.

This variable can be useful in determining how quickly a student learns. You might use the result to adjust the difficulty of a course to suit the learning speed of different students.

You can also use SystemSeconds to limit the amount of time a user has to complete a section.

Tracking time remaining

The system variable TimeRemaining keeps track of how much time is left in an interaction that has a time limit. Use it to give users feedback at appropriate points as time runs out.

Tracking the number of tries

The system variable Tries keeps track of the number of times a user responds to a particular interaction. You might give increasingly specific hints as the value gets bigger.

Tracking the choices made

You can use the system variable ChoicesMatched to keep track of how many different responses a user has tried in an interaction. This is a good diagnostic tool for determining how well a user knows the material and it's also useful for tailoring feedback to a user who's having particular trouble with a question.

Identifying objects clicked, moved, or matched

The ObjectClicked, ObjectMatched, and ObjectMoved system variables keep track of objects that a user has interacted with.

When a user clicks an object in the Presentation window, Authorware puts the name of the display icon that contains the object in the system variable ObjectClicked. Use ObjectClicked to give users feedback before they move the selected object. For instance, display a message such as "Now drag the part to its proper position."

ObjectMatched contains the name of the last object a user moved to the correct target area in an interaction. ObjectMoved contains the name of the last object a user moved, whether or not it was moved to the correct target area. You can use both in a target area interaction where you've selected the Match Any Object option to accept any object that a user drags to the target area. For example, use ObjectMatched to check which object the user moved into the target area, and then provide appropriate feedback. Use ObjectMoved to handle cases in which the user moved an object but didn't move it into the target area.

Identifying the word or line a user clicks

The system variables LineClicked and WordClicked keep track of text a user has clicked.

When a user clicks a line in a list or a block of text, LineClicked contains the number that corresponds to the line's position in the list or text block. When a user clicks a word that's part of a text object, Authorware puts the word in WordClicked.

You could use both LineClicked and WordClicked to test users' ability to understand the readout on the screen of a monitoring device. For example, you could ask them to click the line that displays the pressure in a vessel and the word that indicates the status of a relief valve.

Note: The system variable HotTextClicked also identifies a word that a user has clicked. But it's designed to work with words you've set up as hypertext links--words that, when clicked, take a user from one part of an Authorware piece to another. For more information, see Navigating with hypertext.

Other variables for tracking

There are several other variables you can use to track performance. They're explained in detail in System Variables.

AllCorrectMatched

ChoiceNumber

ChoicesMatched

CorrectChoicesMatched
WrongChoicesMatched

FirstTryCorrect*
FirstTryWrong*

JudgedInteractions*

JudgedResponses*

LastLineClicked

LastObjectClicked

LastParagraphClicked

LastWordClicked

MatchedEver

MatchedIconTitle

ParagraphClicked

PercentCorrect
PercentWrong

PreviousMatch@¬
Icontitle

ResponseStatus

TimesMatched

TotalCorrect*
TotalWrong*