10/06/2008 05:14 PM

All tournaments will be online and web based.  You will not need to download anything in order to participate in the tournaments.  You will be assigned a username and password.  You will receive your username and password via e-mail on October 20.

If your school internet security program does not allow you to open ALCA  please send an e-mail listing the type of security software used by your school and your school computer technician contact information. 

If you are unable to access your account after I have posted that the account is open e me and we'll try to figure out what causing the problem.  gnbliss@carnegienet.net

Please read the following information carefully.  Some steps and procedures have changed since last year.  The link to the online tournament host site is at the bottom of the page. 

I will place a direct link to the site at the top of the page after the first tournament is underway. 

Username and Passwords:

You will be assigned a username and password.  If you competed in the online tournaments last year this will be a NEW username and password, last years won't work. 

Step by Step how to log into ALCA - scroll down the page...

Tests:

1. The test order for 08-09 is as follows:

Mathematics, Social Studies, Language Arts, Science, Humanities.  The Mathematics and Social Studies tests will be available on November 1.  The Language Arts, Science and Humanities will be available January 1.

2. The focus period for Humanities is the Baroque period. 1600 -1720 (music runs a little later -1760)

Time:

1. The tests are all in one section.  You may leave your testing session.  If for some reason your school loses internet service or power the test will time out after 10 minutes of non-activity.  When you return to the test it will begin on the next question.  Time does not reset, you will receive only the remaining amount of time to complete the test. 

2. At this time there is not an on screen clock. You may want to use either a stopwatch or timer to help your team stay on task.  ALCA is aware that we are wanting an online clock and is working to accommodate the request.

Results:

At the conclusion of your test you will be able to view the questions and answers.

Reporting Your Score your score will automatically be placed in the grade book - you may see it by going to My Grades. If for some reason your score isn’t posted, e me and I'll fix it.

Also...  Use the online form to report that you’ve taken the test, how many students were on your team and your score.

Practice tests:

There are three practice tests for each subject.  They tests from previous years.  With that in mind remember that the focus period for humanities is different for each year.  The practice tests do not give you the opportunity to review the questions at the end.

Step by Step how to log into ALCA

1.) Click on the link to take you to the ALCA community. 

You will NOT be listed as a community.  You will log in from the main page (top right hand side of the navigation bar)  Click Login.

2.) Enter your id (username) and password. 

Please Note:  The coaches e-mail address you provided when you enrolled is 'the' e-mail address for your online team.  If you forget your password ALCA will assign a new password and e-mail it directly to the coaches e-mail address.  You will be the only one who knows your new password.  I don't have access to the database for the reset passwords, you'll have to remember it!

3.) Now you are at the main ALCA page.

There are several tabs right under the dark gray bar. Click on the tab that says Rooms.  The OAAC room shows all of the online programs available and displays our web page.  The online

 competitions are in their respective rooms.  

If you will notice along the top part of the white (right below your team name) Is your bread crumb trail - it will show you where you are and where you've been.  You can click on those links anytime and get back to where you've been.

4. On the left side of your competition room are your links to the practice tests and the 2008-2009 competitions.

9. Take the test.

Online Tournament Link  Click Here

There are five separate subject area competitions. Multiple choice questions are given. The team determines the answer and keys "A", "B", "C", or "D". The program will score a correct answer or give the correct answer if the answer given by the team is incorrect. Unless otherwise noted in the instructions no outside references, assistance or calculators will be allowed. At the conclusion of the tournament the questions will be displayed with both your answer and the answer scored as correct.  The program will give you your score and post your score in the grade book. 

1. Team make-up may change for each tournament.

2. No limit on team size.

3. Students compete at their home site.

4. Teachers/Coaches are not to assist students in determining the answer to a question.

5. Only the score submitted the first time the quiz is taken will be used for competition purposes.

6. Students work as a team to answer the multiple choice, true/false and matching questions.

7. Each tournament is timed. The amount of time will be stated on the opening screen of each test. 

8. There are practice tests. They are labeled practice test. The test you will be taking for a score does NOT say practice test.

9. A team may take a tournament quiz a score after the results have been posted.  The late score will not affect the results of the posted tournament.  The late score will not change the results of the posted tournament.  The late score will be added to the team totals for sweepstakes consideration.

10.  Once the tournament results are posted teams will have 5 days to check the posting.  After 5 days the results become official.

11.  All ties for champion or runner-up placing will be broken.  Three questions in each quiz have been pre-selected as tie breakers.  If there is still a tie after those questions have been reviewed, a tie breaking set of questions will provided to the tied teams only.  The team with the most correct of the 3 pre-selected questions or the team with the highest score on the tie breaker questions will be given five points to break the tie.  The other points earned on the tie-breaker questions will not count toward team totals or the sweepstakes totals.  If the score is still tied after the tie breaker questions are reviewed the team completing the test in the least amount of time will be the winning team.