There are many things to consider when transitioning your school to a digital environment. Online testing and assessments must be addressed since they are so crucial to the curriculum. There are always going to be pros and cons to going digital, but we want to cover the top 10 benefits of online testing for schools when they make the move to online testing.
1 - Students learn digital skills
Many students have grown up in a digital world and will be entering an increasingly digital work environment. The pandemic has also shown us that it is important for students (and teachers) to be prepared for moments when digital learning is the only option. Therefore, acquiring an online test-taking platform can be a way to incorporate digital skills into the curriculum, and give students more opportunities to learn and “work” in a digital setting.
2 - Improved accessibility
While online test-taking platforms are not the answer to all accessibility questions, there are still many ways that digital platforms can be more inclusive, and offer advantages for students.
Online test-taking platforms can offer more confidentiality to students who require extra time or access to material in an alternative format. For example, instead of taking students who require extra time into a separate space, a testing platform allows them to take the test in the same space as their peers. It also gives flexibility to students who need an entirely digital environment, or need the option to have hybrid learning and testing1.
Some accessibility features Digiexam offers are spell check, text-to-speech, and extra time.
3 - Anti-cheating features
Students will always be trying to find ways to cheat on tests. However, online test-taking platforms help create blockers for cheating. Many platforms create lockdown environments where students are unable to access any materials outside of the testing platform. Teachers can create exceptions to this if students need to be able to use any specific websites. There are also online proctoring options to monitor students as they take their exams, which can be more efficient than classic proctoring.
4 - Online proctoring = easier one-to-many proctoring
Traditional proctoring for high-stakes tests, or even for a teacher with many students, is not as secure or effective as online proctoring. For high-stakes tests, there often need to be multiple proctors present, which is costly. If it is just one teacher in the classroom monitoring their test it is easier for students to cheat because the teacher can only have an eye on so many students at a time. Learn about how Digiexam does online proctoring.
5 - Faster feedback for students
For shorter, everyday assessments, an online testing platform gives students faster or instant feedback! If a test is made up of entirely multiple-choice questions students can receive feedback as soon as their test is complete.
For the larger high-stakes tests, students are still able to get feedback faster because teachers can speed up their grading process. Which is our next benefit!
6 - Reduce time spent grading
No more grading tests one by one and correcting simple multiple-choice questions. A test-taking platform lets teachers automate the grading of multiple-choice questions, and helps streamline the grading process.
With certain platforms, like Digiexam, teachers can grade one question at a time for all students allowing them to focus better and get a more holistic view of how the questions were being understood and answered by the class. Teachers can put the time they spend on grading back into the students.
7 - Anonymous grading
There is another advantage online exams have on grading, and that is with anonymous grading! Some platforms allow you to grade all of your assessments anonymously. This is a benefit for both the students and teachers so they do not need to worry as much about any biases that could impact their grades. The grades for each student are revealed after the grading process is completed.
8 - No lost tests
Without paper versions, there is no more need to keep track of every individual test. An online testing platform keeps everything in one place where it is easy to access, and will not be lost.
Test-taking platforms that allow working offline means that students will not lose their progress on their tests if the internet connection goes down. So no paper versions will be lost and no digital versions will be lost.
9 - Quickly create tests
Creating a test in a digital tool can take just minutes, and with all previous assessments stored in one platform, teachers can easily reuse old questions on their upcoming tests. It is quick, it is simple, and it is not wasteful!
10 - Environmentally friendly
Digital assessments allow schools to remove the need for pen and paper. No more printing out hundreds of sheets of paper a year, only to have them thrown away (hopefully properly recycled).
Learn more about how digital test-taking platforms can help your school!
Resources:
[1] Pichette, J., Brumwell, S., Rizk, J. (2020) Improving the Accessibility of Remote Higher Education: Lessons from the Pandemic and Recommendations. Toronto: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario.