Trouble of technology in tests

By

Wendy Currie

If computers are to be used in exams, the issue of equity must be addressed first.

In this technological age, the idea of computers being used in Board of Studies exams, such as the School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate, does not stretch the imagination too far at all.

The Board of Studies opened this discussion at a seminar in March.

There are already a range of tests or test-like situations using computers. A few that come to mind are the year 10 Computing Skills Test, the "test yourself" online HSC and School Certificate tests (six million of which have been delivered since it began), trial on-line School Certificate English and History tests using volunteer schools and old exam questions, while the Department of Education and Training has conducted the year 6 Computing Skills Test and the online practical component of the year 8 Essential Secondary Science Assessment (ESSA).

Of course some tests lend themselves more readily to computers than others and a great deal of work has been done in some areas, for example the practical component of ESSA, which is designed to capture the science laboratory on computer and test knowledge that cannot easily be tested by pen and paper. Some tests also lend themselves in varying degrees to computer marking. In General Mathematics there was a trial of computer marking in 2006-07, and it will be piloted in 2008.

But what of equity? We know that there are considerable differences between schools in the type of hardware and software available, the age of their computers, the network and speed. We know that public schools have little technological support, particularly support that is immediately accessible. We know that in using computers for exams there would not be a level playing field.

Some of the problems were canvassed at the Board's seminar, including the increased possibility of cheating when computers are used in exam conditions for word processing and the subsequent need for security, additional supervision and administration, occupational health and safety issues, students' variable typing speeds and computer expertise, system and school capacity and test centre arrangements, such as whether all students can do the test at the same time.

It was suggested that there might be a "blended" exam environment, that is, with some schools using computers and others using pen and paper, a suggestion that is fraught with dangers. It does not seem equitable that at a well equipped metropolitan school, students might be using computers to do the same exam as students at a remote school are completing using pen and paper. Surely the computerised students would be advantaged. Surely they're already advantaged enough?

It was also suggested that it was all really only a matter of time, since there was already a view expressed by parents that pen and paper tests disadvantage students who have keyboarded all through school.

It may well be only a matter of time, but between now and then, the government ought to put its mind to how it's going to close the gap between the technology haves and have nots.

One other discussion at the seminar was disturbing. This was the suggestion that the nature of exams can change the nature of teaching and learning. It may well be true that testing practical skills can be more authentically done on computers than pen and paper. However, I would have thought that such an exam was testing the practical work already done in school, and no doubt already tested in school, rather than the test driving the teaching and learning. Experience has shown that there has always been a danger of tests driving the curriculum. We have to be careful not to exacerbate this.

Wendy Currie is a Research Officer.

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