What is API implementation?
API implementation isn’t as complicated as it might sound.
It’s really just a simple way of integrating one piece of software with another. The best example of API implementation is when you are able to login to a website using your Google account. That’s an example of an API implementation between Google and the website that you’re on. The API is the string that connects those two pieces of software together.
APIs are also very common in the world of online assessments. Universities are one example of an organisation that would most often need to use an API to administer an online test via third-party software.
Let’s take a closer look at how API integration works with our online assessment software, Comprobo.
What is Comprobo?
Comprobo is a browser-based online assessment software that’s used by education providers, awarding bodies and other organisations to administer online tests.
You might use Comprobo if you need to deliver an online exam to your students. You might use it if you’re an awarding body who needs to run an online assessment as part of a program. You might use it to deliver a training program to your employees.
In any of these cases, the organisation that uses Comprobo may need to integrate it within their existing software or app. The way they would do that is through API implementation.
Comprobo and the Verify API
If you decided to use Comprobo, your organisation would have two options.
Your first option would be to use Comprobo ‘as it is’, and allow test-takers to access their online assessment directly through Comprobo. Your exam would be Comprobo-branded, and participants would have to take it via Comprobo.
Your second option would be to integrate Comprobo with your own piece of software. In this case, participants would take the online test via your organisation’s website or app. This integration is done through the Comprobo Verify API.
The steps to integrate Comprobo with your website or app are laid out in full in our API implementation guide. Although it’s possible to do this yourself, it’s probably best to ask your web developer to handle the integration process to ensure it’s as smooth as it should be.
Once you’ve integrated Comprobo with your website or app, it’s time to create your first assessment.
Creating an assessment with Comprobo
1. Create a workflow
To create your first assessment on Comprobo you’ll firstly need to create a new workflow. A workflow is the top level of your assessment, where the questions and sections are contained.
In the Comprobo dashboard you can change the deadline of the workflow, how many minutes each participant has to complete it and the maximum number of attempts each participant has.
2. Check the settings
If you’d like more control over your test, you can head into Advanced Settings to make some more changes. For example, you can edit the facial recognition settings to make them easier or more difficult to pass.
3. Add a question set
In Comprobo, questions are organised into different question sets. Think of question sets as different sections of an exam. For each set that you add, you’ll be able to set the pass mark threshold, randomise questions from that set and set an auto-fail limit for each participant. Questions can be freeform or multiple-choice.
The easiest way to add assessment questions is by using an Excel template, which you’ll find in our guide. Simply fill it out with your questions and then re-upload it to Comprobo.
4. Invite users to the platform
Once you’ve added all of your questions to each set, you can start inviting users to take your test.
To do this, you firstly have to add a list of users to your organisation and then either invite them individually or in bulk (using another template spreadsheet) to each assessment. Once you’ve invited a user, they’ll receive a link via email to access the assessment.
And that’s all you need to do to implement Comprobo with your website/app and set up your first assessment. If you have any further questions about the API integration process, feel free to get in touch.