As more schools turn to Chromebooks for administering state or provincial testing, it's essential to ensure that your devices are prepared to handle the demands of these high-stakes exams. Managed Chromebooks can simplify the testing process, but they also come with their own set of challenges.
Here, you will learn how to optimally configure your Chromebook fleet for testing, avoid common pitfalls, and ensure a smooth testing experience for both students and administrators.
Verify Your Testing App's OS Requirements
Start by checking if your testing application requires a specific Chrome OS version for optimal performance. This step is crucial as some testing apps may only be compatible with certain versions of Chrome OS. Visit the testing support site to verify the supported OS versions for the current year. For instance, some apps may have been compatible with Chrome OS 124, so any devices on or beyond OS 125 must be reverted before testing time.
Example: See Pearson TestNav 8 for current requirements.
Assess Your Fleet’s OS Versions
Once you know the OS requirements for your testing app, assess your fleet to identify which devices need updates or reversion. Use the Admin console to check the OS versions across your devices, or consider pulling a comprehensive device list via GAM or Gopher for Chrome. This step helps you determine the extent of updates needed, making the process more manageable.
From the Admin Console: Navigate to Devices > Mobile & endpoints > Devices. Here, the device list is paginated, letting you view 50 devices per page.
From Gopher for Chrome: With Gopher for Chrome, you can load devices from the Admin console, a list of asset IDs or serial numbers, or from the device cache. Once loaded filter and sort to the necessary devices. See Load Devices Overview for more information.
Gopher for Chrome Inventory Sheet showing OS version and number of versions behind.
Update Devices Manually or Through Automation
For devices that are significantly behind or need to be reverted to an earlier OS version, plan time for manual updates. This may involve using a USB drive to update devices far from the required version. Depending on the size of your fleet, this task can be time-consuming, so it’s wise to plan and allocate sufficient resources. Alternatively, if your fleet management allows, you might consider using scripts or tools to automate the update process, reducing manual labor.
Force Updates by Disabling Non-Compliant Devices
To ensure students bring their devices in for necessary updates, you can bulk disable non-compliant Chromebooks. Using GAM or Gopher for Chrome, disable devices that are behind on updates.
Users see a Locked notification when their device is disabled.
You can configure a custom message on the Locked popup to inform students where to bring their devices to get them re-enabled.
This approach, while not foolproof, can significantly improve the number of up-to-date devices.
From the Admin Console: Navigate to Devices > Chrome > Settings ~ Device settings. The Disable device return Instructions setting is where you customize the message for end users.
From Gopher for Chrome: With the message customized, Use the Disable / re-enable feature in Gopher for Chrome to disable devices. Once updated, you can use the same feature to re-enable the devices.
Pin OS Versions to Prevent Unintended Updates
To avoid devices updating beyond the supported OS version for your testing app, pin ChromeOS updates to a specific version in the Admin console. This ensures that your devices remain on the compatible OS throughout the testing period. Remember to set a reminder to unpin the OS version after testing to allow devices to receive future updates.
From the Admin Console: Navigate to Devices > Chrome > Settings ~ Device settings. In the Device update settings section, select Auto-update settings. First, select Allow updates from the Allow devices to automatically update OS version field, then select the Target version to pin from the drop-down.
See Manage updates on ChromeOS devices - Pin ChromeOS updates to a specific version for additional information.
Optimize Update Settings for Testing
Review and adjust your update settings to ensure they align with your testing schedule. Instead of random updates, you can specify a rollout schedule in the Admin console, giving you more control over when and how devices are updated. This prevents disruptions during testing and ensures that all devices are on the appropriate OS version before the exams begin.
From the Admin Console: Navigate to Devices > Chrome > Settings ~ Device settings. In the Device update settings section, select Auto-update settings. Scroll to the Rollout plan setting and select Rollout Updates over a specific schedule.
Monitor Chromebook Auto Update Expiration (AUE)
Ensure that the Chromebooks you plan to use for testing have not reached their Auto Update Expiration (AUE). Devices that have passed their AUE may not receive critical updates, making them unsuitable for testing. Use tools like Gopher for Chrome to generate auto-refreshing AUE reports, giving you a clear view of your fleet’s status. Consider excluding post-AUE devices from testing to avoid potential issues.
See the complete AUE list by device manufacturer to be sure.
If you want to review the AUE for all your devices, the Gopher for Chrome auto-refreshing AUE reports offer a great holistic view.
From Gopher for Chrome: Navigate to Reports > Aggregate Reports
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Model/AUE: Shows totals for each model and end-of-life date, for all active and deprovisioned devices on the domain.
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Model/AUE by OU: The same information as the Model/AUE report, but broken out by org unit.
Configure Device Settings for Optimal Testing Performance
Different testing scenarios require different device settings. Review and adjust settings in the Admin console to ensure devices are configured correctly for the testing environment. Common settings adjustments include disabling external storage access, preventing guest mode, and ensuring the testing app is pre-installed and locked on the screen.
See Testing Administration Faux-Pas for more information on common settings for testing preparation in the Admin console.
Organize Devices Within the Correct OUs
Ensure that all testing devices are located within Organizational Units (OUs) that are configured for testing. This step is vital for maintaining consistent settings across all devices used in testing. Use your fleet inventory list to check device organization and update any stray devices to the correct OU to inherit the necessary settings and apps.
From the Admin Console: Navigate to Devices > Mobile & endpoints > Devices. Here, the device list is paginated, letting you view 50 devices per page.
From Gopher for Chrome: With Gopher for Chrome, you can load devices from the Admin console, a list of asset IDs or serial numbers, or from the device cache. Once loaded filter and sort to the necessary devices then bulk update. See Load Devices Overview for more information.
Consider Using a Designated Testing OU
For schools with complex OU structures, it may be beneficial to create a designated testing OU. This OU can be specifically configured for testing, with the appropriate settings and apps applied. After testing is complete, you can easily revert devices to their original OUs, ensuring that their everyday settings are restored. Use the Notes field in the Admin console to document each device’s original OU, simplifying the process of moving devices back after testing.
Conclusion
By following these updated tips, you can ensure that your Chromebook fleet is well-prepared for student testing. Proper preparation will help minimize disruptions, ensure compliance with testing app requirements, and provide a smooth testing experience for everyone involved.
| Document Version | Date | Description of Change |
| 1.0 | 3/28/2024 | Updated internal/external link tabs setting |
| 1.1 | 5/28/2024 | Removed author block |
| 1.2 | 8/22/2024 | Rewrite of 2020 blog, 10 tips to optimize, reverify |