STACS is a Microsoft Server network-based group student testing system incorporating automatic correction of tests and storage of results. Each full version of STACS (STACS Server Multi Teacher Version, STACS Server Single Teacher Version, STACS Local Machine Version) consists of four modules: an Installer, a Main Application, an Offline Test Creator and a Sit Test Application. The same applies to the fully featured but time limited STACS Server Multi Teacher Evaluation Version.

The STACS Installer application initialises STACS on the Server or Local Machine by creating the folders necessary for the successful operation of STACS and setting the necessary user permissions.

The STACS Main application handles the creation, editing and deletion of teacher, class and student folders and many other administrative tasks. It also facilitates the export of results for distribution, external storage, offline viewing and printing through any spreadsheet application. Tests can be easily designed from within STACS or independently of STACS using the Offline Test Creator Application (below).

The STACS Offline Test Creator application handles the creation of test files for later student testing. This facilitates the creation of test files on any laptop or PC at any location. Full instructions are provided within the application itself.

The STACS Sit Test application tests students on multiple choice questions on any topic and subject designed by the teacher or a colleague. The STACS Sit Test Application presents a test consisting of 20 questions to a selected student group working at individual workstations connected to the teaching facility’s computer network. On completion of the test, the Sit Test Application automatically corrects the test for each student and stores the results as a percentage. The Sit Test Application is run from the workstations of the students sitting a test. There is a Local Machine Sit Test Application with the Local Machine version that can be used to simulate a student taking a test. 

Due to its extensive range of features (including the facility to add results for tests taken outside of STACS such as mid term and end of term tests), STACS can be used as a complete course management system.

The STACS Server Multi Teacher version can accommodate any number of teachers, any number of classes for each teacher and up to 30 students in each class and can be used across a a single school.

The STACS Server Single Teacher version is for use by individual teachers where the school has not purchased the Multi Teacher Version. This version can accommodate one teacher, any number of classes and up to 30 students in each class.

The STACS Local Machine version is a fully functional version of STACS that can be used to evaluate STACS without access to a server or to create and populate a teacher folder offline. This teacher folder can then be uploaded to a server for use in server mode. The STACS Local Machine version can also be used to update student folders offline by backing up, updating and restoring from backup.

Tests can be easily shared between teachers, thereby vastly reducing the test design time. Tests can also be forwarded to the author for upload to the STACS Community Area of this site. For security reasons, any teacher folder can be backed up to external medium and the teacher folder will be deleted from the server on exit. It can be restored from backup when required. The backed-up teacher folder can be updated offline using the STACS Local Machine Application or it can be updated directly on the network workstation running the STACS Main Application. 

Ideally, all students from a class group will sit the test at the same time in a computer laboratory. Students absent on the day can sit the test later or they can sit a paper version of the test which can be downloaded through STACS and printed. The test result can then be uploaded using the ‘Update Student Test Result’ item of the Update menu of the STACS Main Application.

STACS is extremely easy to use as long as one adheres to the hierarchical structure of teacher, class and student.