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Q&A Modes |
  
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Q&A Modes |
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Main|Options|Q&A Modes
The first section of the Q&A Modes page allows the user to select one of the six available WinFlash operating modes - four scored and the two unscored:
Ask All Questions Equally Often
In this mode, all Questions are asked with the same frequency. See Answer Dialog for information on Disabling/Re-enabling Question/Answer pairs.
Frequency Based On Priority List
In this mode, Questions ON the Priority List are asked with a relative frequency equaling the percentage in the Frequency edit box. The remaining Questions are asked the rest of the time.
For example, if Frequency = 75, a given Question ON the Priority List will be asked three times as often as a given Question NOT on the Priority List.
Frequency Based On Range
When using this mode, Questions within the range selected in the Pair Order & Sizedialog are asked with a relative frequency equaling the percentage in the Frequency edit box.
For example, if Frequency = 75, a given Question IN the Range will be asked three times as often as a given Question NOT in the Range.
Frequency Based On History
When using this mode, WinFlash keeps a record of the user's performance on each Q&A pair within the Q&A file and categorizes each Question as Unlearned, Short Term Learned or Long Term Learned. Thresholds in time and number of correct responses for promoting a Q&A pair to the next level are user-configurable as are the relative frequencies of appearance of each category.
Leitner Box System
When using this mode, WinFlash keeps a record of the user's performance on each Q&A pair within the Q&A file. This record is used to decide when each Q&A pair is next 'due' for review. This mode is ideal for learning and maintaining proficiency in large information sets - such as the vocabulary for a foreign language. Because of the unique nature of this mode, a whole topic is devoted to explaining it in more detail. Click the following link to learn more about the Leitner Box System.
Browse Mode - Unscored
In this mode the Question displays with a navigation-oriented control bar - this is useful for quick file familiarization and casual cruising. Previous Question, Next Question, First Question, Last Question as well as Go To Pair, Show Answer, Find and Find Next. No scores are recorded when using the Browse Mode.
Fast Timed Mode - Unscored
The Question displays with a bar allowing control of this mode - Start, Pause and Reset. Start initiates the continuing display of Questions when the mode is first invoked or after the Pause or Reset button is pressed. There is also a slider control to adjust the speed at which Q&A pairs are displayed. No scores are recorded when using the Fast Timed Mode.
Settings Common to all Modes
Answer First, Followed By Question
This check box allows you to reverse the order of the Question/Answer sequence. This is especially useful in foreign language vocabulary drills, where you are seeking to build bidirectional recognition of the word Q&A pairs.
Because of the many-to-one confusion factor that would result, it was decided that Multiple Choice Q&A pairs would not be reversed in this mode, but would be displayed in their normal sequence. Fill-In-The-Blank Q&A pairs will reverse in this mode if only a single FIB answer has been provided - thus maintaining a one-to-one relationship between Q and A.
After checking the box, the Always and At Random radio buttons to the right are enabled. Use these to select whether the reversal will always occur or will occur at random.
Display Answer After _ Seconds
This check box enables the timer feature of WinFlash. It is usable with any Q&A mode and simply "presses" the default button in the Question dialog after the number of seconds that you enter into the associated edit box. The delay value can be from 1 to 60 seconds. The remaining seconds on the timer will be displayed, after the first second the Question is shown, in the Category box on the Question's Status Bar unless the Show Countdown check box is unchecked.
Of course, for Multiple Choice and Fill-In-The-Blank answers, an "automatic" click will usually result in an incorrect answer. You can use this property to implement an interesting "beat the clock" session to liven up your studies on occasion!
Run Minimized - Popup After __ Minutes **
This check box enables the "PopUp" mode of WinFlash. When in this mode, Educator will minimize itself when the current mini-session is completed. This occurs under the control of the Continue sub-option as follows. If the For radio button is selected, the mini-session will consist of the number of pairs entered in the edit box to the right of the word 'For'. If the Until Snooze is checked radio button is selected then the mini-session will continue until the Snooze button is clicked - after which the program will minimize itself on completion of the current pair. The Snooze button is located in the middle of the Question dialog's status bar and has a graphic of an alarm clock on it when the program is operating in this mode.
After the program minimizes itself it will wait for the amount of minutes entered in the edit box to the right of the words 'popup after'. If the Randomize checkbox is selected the wait time will be randomly varied by an amount less than or equal to half of the nominal setting. After this period Educator will reappear with a new pair, repeating this sequence until the program is closed or the option is deselected or the option settings modified.
Automatic Multiple Choice From Standard Pairs **
This check box allows simple "standard pair" files, such as those imported from text files, to be used as if they were multiple choice type files with the incorrect multiple choices automatically generated from the other Q&A pairs' answers - alternate with the option below to lend variety to your studies!
Automatic Fill-In-The-Blank From Standard Pairs **
This check box allows simple "standard pair" files, such as those imported from text files, to be used as if they were fill-in-the-blank type files - great for things like vocabulary, state capitals, etc.!
Automatic Spelling Mode Using Text-to-speech **
This check box allows simple "standard pair" files, containing just a single spelling word per pair, entered in the pair's Question Text to be run with Text-to-speech READING the word as the Question (the word itself will not be displayed) in the Fill-In-The-Blank mode. After entering the (hopefully) correctly-spelled word, clicking check displays the Answer dialog with the word displayed as the Answer. This mode makes creating 'spelling list' study files a breeze!
Show Fill-In-The-Blank Pairs As Standard Pairs **
This check box allows you to use a fill-in-the-blank type file as standard, perhaps to take a break from typing in each answer but to continue to review the material.
Include Disabled Pairs
This check box allows you to include previously Disabled Q&A pairs in the study session. This also allows access to the Disabled Q&A pairs so individual disabled Q&A pairs can be Re-enabled without Re-enabling the entire group.
Multi-user Mode *
This check box sets the program to maintain a separate set of statistics for each individual using a given study file - depending on the 4-character student ID entered. The user will be prompted to enter this code whenever they open a study file. In educational and corporate environments using the full WinFlash Suite, this identifier should be the same one used by the student when accessing test files and the one entered in WinFlash Administrator.
Allow Pairs To Be Skipped
This check box causes WinFlash to enable the Skip button which is located on all Question answer panels when running in Study mode.
Resume Previous Session On Opening .FLU File
This check box causes WinFlash to start the session with the next unasked Q&A pair from the file's previous session. In effect resuming the previous session.
Mode-specific Settings
This pushbutton brings up a dialog tailored to the current Q&A mode that allows setting the frequency for the session and for History mode, the promotional "hurdles". Select the mode of interest below to see a description of the Options dialog associated with the corresponding Q&A mode:
Frequency Based On Priority List
Re-enable All Q&A Pairs In This File
This pushbutton re-enables any currently-disabled Q&A pairs in the current file.
* Scholar and Educator Only
** Educator Only
* and ** WinFlash Basic versions purchased under a multiple-copy license have these useful options enabled