"High Stakes Online Testing"

“High Stakes Online Testing”
Schaffhauser, D. (2011, June/July). High-Stakes Online Testing. T H E Journal, 38(6), 28-39.

Summary: From bubble sheet to blinking cursor; are online standard exams a testing or technology initiative? Online testing has been around for 10 or more years. It has been a choice of states whether to use it or not. Virginia and Delaware are two states who are already using online testing, and have been for some time. They extol the benefits of digital delivery of data in a “secure and efficient manner”. Also, the results are immediate. Online testing was born from a convergence of a focus on accountability, Standards (Common Core), and the development of more sophisticated assessment. Currently, with paper testing, results come too late to help students in their current grade before they move on. Using computers, teachers may give students practice versions several times throughout the school year to “gauge progress and address inadequacies”. After the Common Core State Standards came about, several groups backed by the Race to the Top initiative started developing better assessments based on the CC. These claim that online testing is slated to be a better fit for the upcoming generation. Benefits include reducing the paper trail, as well as the speed of results. Other possible advantages are better data collection and increased accuracy. In addition, a computer can provide accommodations, such as a larger print or a electronic voice. Increased student interest is also claimed. Challenges for the project of implementing computer testing in all 15,000 school districts in the country will be in relation to the numerous variables that exist between areas. These include: adequate number of computers, bandwidth capabilities, scheduling, network security and stability, power surges, staffing, budget, comparability (to paper testing), and overall readiness variability. For the best success, it is advised to form a strong relationship between the IT and assessment staff groups.

Response: This was written about one year ago. Now, online standardized testing is more a reality, and next year a regulation. I was surprised to discover that online testing has been around for ten plus years, since it was only recently that I learned about its upcoming implementation. I would be interested to know how many states, and districts, currently dabble/fully support it. With only the information from this article, I think overall online testing will be a positive move forward for standardized exams. I agree with the idea that it will appeal more to the next generation, and like how students can take several versions prior to the actual “official” test, giving teachers much information to guide their instruction. I also like how it can provide easily accessible accommodations for special needs students. However, even if it’s a good idea, the probability of it being equal for all students is going to be a great challenge. Once the systems are implemented in some states/districts and not others, will there be a disadvantage for those students who continue to take the tests using paper (i.e. those without computer resources, aka, poorer districts)? Security also seems like a major issue to tackle. As its mentioned in the end of the article, for testing to be successful, it has to be “air-tight”. Technology allows easier use in many ways, but also brings a host of other problems along with it.