Account Setup
1. How can I create an account to access the STAR platform?
Please log in with your EdCity school-based teacher account or student account to access the STAR platform.
For teachers and students to use the platform properly, EdCity school administrator should update their teacher and student account information through EdCity's School Accounts Administration System every school year. For enquiries about account update, please contact us on 2624 1000 or support@edcity.hk.
2. Can cross-boundary students use the STAR platform in mainland China?
EdCity websites support global network. Yet due to different situations in different areas, cross-boundary students are advised to check in advance if the functions of STAR platform are accessible, such as if multimedia can be played properly.
Assessment Setting
1. How can I search items on the STAR platform?
Teachers creating new papers should start by selecting paper coverage (Basic Competency or Full Curriculum) before adding questions according to the following criteria:
Basic Competency
- Choose Key Stage (KS) and Basic Competency (BC), and then specify Number of Items or Recommended Time for Completion. There are some optional criteria, including Language and Level of Difficulties, for some subjects or Basic Competency (BC);
- Task Title or Task Code.
Full Curriculum
Select assessment tasks / questions based on the learning objectives of the Curriculum Guide. Please click here for details.
2. Are the items categorised into different levels of difficulty?
The following items are categorised into different levels of difficulty: high, medium and low:
- Items of all subjects under Full Curriculum
- Items of English language subject and Mathematics under Basic Competency
Teachers can search items based on difficulty level when creating papers.
3. Can teachers create questions on their own?
The questions and answers on the platform are designed by EDB and HKEAA. Teachers cannot create or modify questions at this stage.
4. Do schools need to pay to use the platform?
The STAR platform is open to local primary and secondary schools for free. There is no charge for schools.
5. Can the information and data from the SA platform, which was decommissioned on 1 Jan 2017, be migrated to the STAR platform automatically?
The design and systems of the two platforms are different, so the information and data on the SA platform cannot be automatically migrated to the STAR platform.
6. When can students see the report and correct answers?
Teachers can set when students can see the report and correct answers: either after they submit the paper, or after the predefined end time of the paper.
7. When can students submit the paper?
If teachers have selected the setting of 'students must answer all questions', students must finish all tasks or questions before submitting the paper.
8. If teachers would like students to do the Listening assessment together in school, can the multimedia materials be broadcast by teachers?
Yes. When creating papers, the paper setting of Listening tasks will have a 'Teacher to broadcast multimedia materials' option. If it is set to 'Yes', then students will not be able to play multimedia materials on their own when attempting the paper.
9. Are all items in the STAR platform automatically marked?
While some items on the STAR platform are automatically marked, others need teacher's marking. When creating papers, teachers can see whether the tasks need manual marking in search results. File upload / recording function are available for some open-ended questions. Students can upload documents, images or multimedia files, or submit the paper through the recording function. Click here for system requirement details, or click here to refer to the 'Online Items Demonstration' of the Student User Guide.
10. Can the platform be used offline?
STAR is an online assessment platform and can only be used with internet connection.
Sharing paper and report
1. Can teachers share papers and reports with others?
Yes, teachers can share the papers or reports among teaching colleagues of the school by selection along the pull down menu or by entering teachers’ HKEdCity login ID.
2. Will the changes made by teachers in the shared papers alter the setting of the original paper?
The shared copies are independent, and can be edited individually. Any subsequent changes in the copies will not be propagated to the original one and neither will the subsequent changes in the original propagated to the shared copies.
3. What are the differences between "share paper" and "share report"?
Teachers can only share report among teaching colleagues of the same school. Recipients of the shared report can check students' submission status and performance, as well as any updates on the report. "Share paper" means sharing of tasks or questions with any teachers.
Assigning Papers and Distributing Reports
1. How will students know they have new assignment from teachers?
Teachers might use the learning management system of the school to notify students.
2. Is the system verified to support whole class to do the test at the same time for test purpose?
STAR platform developed to support the needs for all schools in HK. So this scenario shall have no problem.
3. Can teachers download the reports?
Yes, teaches can download the evaluation reports for further analysis.
4. Can teachers print out the questions or assessment items?
The questions are created with multi-media and interactive elements, which are not for printing use.