Assessment program online or Internet-based testing is the result of the technological revolution in the education system. Today’s learning curriculum has been greatly influenced by the advancements in technology through the introduction of web-based study resources like digital textbooks and mobile-learning. Complementing our modern Internet-oriented education system, an assessment program online would be the most effective and productive evaluation method.
Due to the impact created by computer games, technology-based school programs and rapid proliferation of home as well as office computers, an entire generation of young learners have become computer literate. With great computer skills, they are the least bit intimidated by modern applications and technology. Quite likely, these technology-savvy students would largely prefer the expediency of the assessment program online. There can be multiple reasons behind this choice.
A major concern of every test-taker is to receive the results of a test at the earliest and provide the relevant institutions with that information. The assessment program online greatly reduces the time of scoring exams and increases the efficiency. This results in the decrease of the turnaround time in receiving the results. With an assessment program online, the test scores can be accessed electronically, with secure PIN codes.
Assessment programs online can provide assurance of consistency in evaluation with the commercially standardized examination review programs. The review programs can also be modulated to higher levels to elevate the standards of preparations.
For the students who have mastered adequate keyboarding skills, assessment program online would provide a great advantage in the writing segments of standardized examinations. Text-editing software is employed to quicken the process of editing. It is much more convenient to make correct usages of grammar, syntax, spellings and even move entire text blocks on a computer, with the help of a keyboard.
Computer-based testing has an added advantage over the conventional testing formats. Assessment program online can accommodate students with physical disabilities. Examination candidates with visual, hearing or motor impairments may not always find the conventional methods of conducting tests convenient. The assessment program online can be an appropriate solution to their problems. Visually challenged students can use Braille keyboards. Legibility can be enhanced by enlarging the text or presenting in different ways. There are also many other varieties of keyboards and input devices that help these students to have a better access to the assessment program online.
Web-based testing methods can effectively reduce the cost of large-scale programs, which would otherwise require a lot of facilities and personnel. In the assessment program online, reviews, updating and alterations are immediate and automatic.
There is also an advantage with scheduling in a computer-based test. Administering an assessment program online consumes lesser time as compared to a paper test. It is of great help for people with full-time jobs or class sessions, providing them with better access to the tests. As the schedule can also be compressed to accommodate more test dates in an academic year. The instantaneous computation and access to the exam scores, help the test-takers to plan their future steps, right after the tests.
Student Challenges
Accessing assessment program online might turn out to be challenging for the students. They must be properly acquainted with the equipment and software. They must have proper knowledge on how to log in to the examination websites, locate the test they are about to take etc. Using hyperlinks, multimedia applications and navigating between different questions and pages require more specialized knowledge than students may presently have about testing procedures.
Parent Participation
Participation of the parents are also equally significant with the assessment program online. The schools often ask parents to take active part in the evaluation process by addressing the assessment surveys. With the increasing popularity of this type of assessment, parents must also improve their computer and Internet skills to make these surveys more fruitful and accurate. Even today, the Internet is still a mystery to many parents. Adult education classes on Internet literacy have been introduced by many schools after the general working hours.
Teacher Understanding
Teachers play the most important role in the apt execution of an assessment program online. The teachers themselves need to have proper understanding of the procedures and technologies, to be able to guide the students. They should have enough knowledge on the Internet and proper navigation between different portions of the online tests. Each and every literacy skill essential for the students has to be introduced, demonstrated and practiced by the teachers in class. Teachers must also learn everything about conducting online exams, including assistance for the students to access the tests, supervising computer and Internet usage, accessing the finished examinations, compiling data, taking note of the grades and administrative skills to block particular sections of the Internet, providing access to others.
Training and Professional Development
School districts have a significant role to play in proper implementation of necessary training associated with the shift to assessment program online. Districts must make arrangements for professional development classes to address various issues regarding the literacy skills for administering online assessments. The provisions can be made at the schools, other facilities or through Internet.
Teaching Literacy: Keeping up with the Times addresses the changes in technology and how these changes affect the way we teach children to read and write. The paperless world we live in today includes digital textbooks, global communications and online assessments. It is time for educators to join forces and invest in strategies and learning methods that integrate new technologies.
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