Online Assessments in Schools and Colleges – A Global Trend

Have you ever wondered why most prestigious global and national tests went online? Tests like GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, GATE, CAT, etc. have gained greater creditability and wider reach through the online testing domain. Online tests not only widen the reach, but also offer greater flexibility in terms of timing and scheduling, easy manageability, quicker results and analysis. It allows testing bodies to standardize, validate, and even individualize the tests.

Many schools and colleges in India have adopted some kind of learning management systems (LMS) or smart study programmes that integrate technology with regular classroom teaching. Most prestigious schools also make use of the internet to circulate study material, projects and additional learning resources. But online assessments are still a far cry in most schools and colleges.

Online assessments have numerous benefits for schools and colleges. Some of them are:

• Paperless exams – Go for eco-friendly exams, while also saving on the paper costs.
• Time efficient - Quick grading and results
• Flexible - Schedule exams according to your convenience. Easy to schedule retests.
• No partiality, no cheating – assessments allow you to present a different set of questions to each student, reducing unfair practices. Timed tests also ensure that each child gets the same amount of time – no more, no less.
• Varied testing techniques - Online tests can cover vast resources and include multiple references. Multiple levels and different question types can also be framed. Simulation or animation can be used to test comprehension, understanding or observation skills. Audio inputs can also be used to test listening skills.
• Scalable – The system can be easily scaled up or down to handle increasing or decreasing test taker traffic. It can also be administered to multiple students at multiple locations at the same time. It can prove to be a very useful feature for schools that have different branches and wish to synchronize the assessments.
• Proctoring facility -  proctoring services can allow a student to take a test from his home or the place of his choice, without a chance to cheat in the test. This can be very useful for students with disabilities or temporary illnesses. It can go a long way in making the education system more inclusive.
• Ease of use - Easy to administer with minimum staff.
• Reduced efforts - Drastically reduced efforts for teachers in terms of paper setting, invigilating, scoring and result preparation.
• Security - Secured test environment with backup.
• It’s time for schools and colleges to adopt online and computer-based assessments in their regular curriculum in-keeping with the global trends. For a demo of the most futuristic online assessment system, click here.