Reflection 4

E testing is an assessment presented to the candidate on screen, which replaces paper base

tests. My thoughts on the implementation of e testing by CXC is still wavering. Everything has

advantages and disadvantages however, we need to make decisions based on reality and the present

situation. Sometimes better decisions are made in a bottom-up approach, with the input of persons

who are closer to the target group and can give all important information needed to implement new

ideas.

Each school has a different culture and might require different resources or have different

needs. For example, at my school students are remedial and hence underperforming academically

and have behavioral problems. They work under a different curriculum but are tested under the

same conditions and same examination as everyone else. E testing is done on a screen with keys

and symbols just to name a few aspects of it, and despite how much games they are drawn to on

their phones doing an exam is totally different. In such a case it is totally unfair to the students.

Secondly, in my subject area which is Mathematics, the syllabus changed whereby the

exam paper does not contain options and an S.B.A. was introduced. Keeping in mind the students

I work with, the entire syllabus needs to be taught in four terms to be real. An S.B. A. is required

to be submitted in which I utilize my lunch time to work with students, and now I will have to

include in my already packed schedule time to teach students the use of the laptops in relation to

Mathematics.

I am not totally against the implementation, my concern is how ready our students are, not

us the teachers, school or the country. Will it be fair to them?

 Share a discourse in which you are attempting to convince a colleague of the
benefits and utility of administering technology enhanced assessment

Technology enhanced assessment is simply a method by which technology

can be used to deliver an assessment. As it is termed above, it enhances the

assessment by using colours, animations, audio just to name a few

characteristics which will appeal more to students, unlike the boring paper

pencil tests. You might wonder how this helps you in any way, but apart from

appealing to students, there are many benefits to us teachers.

To begin with, there are many soft wares that are available free which we

can use to create our own assessments. I know you must be thinking its time

consuming and you are not comfortable with the technology but let me stop you

right there. There are many tutorial videos as well as instructions available to

guide you through. We have control of what we include as well as how we

enhance the assessment and what style we use. Each assessment created can

be different, for example one can be done where students have only one attempt

to the question or even two, also if they can return to an earlier question or not.

Each question has its time in which it should be answered depending on the

type of question.

Creating an assessment is the least of worries, what we complain most

about is correcting them, but with these technology enhanced assessments, they

are marked automatically and instantly. Over the past few months, remember
we had to bring our own copy paper because we were short on resources? Well

this could have saved us from using our personal resources and also in general

it is one of the ways where paper use can be reduced. Not to mention, last term

you had issues whereby students were cheating, well if you have not been

convinced as yet I think you will be now, the question order can vary for each

student. So the same questions will be given the order will be different.

In short, the world is taken over by technology, you have to admit our

students are more comfortable than us and even more attentive when it comes

to conversations about technology. Introducing these technological assessments

will benefit us more than the students. I can’t wait to hear your review after

you’ve tried it.