An online assessment refers to a test that assesses a student’s knowledge of a specific subject. Educational institutions conduct these tests to determine a candidate’s learning ability or expertise. They usually contain questions related to logical thinking, numerical reasoning, and personality questionnaires.
When choosing a quality online assessment platform, it’s essential to consider features like ease of use, customisation, real-time reporting, and integration capabilities. A key factor is how well it works with student management systems to streamline workflows and enhance the learning experience.
However, you require an online platform that provides efficient solutions by using updated technology to take the assessment. Besides having a set of powerful end-to-end tools for authoring, marking, and analysis, it must also have multiple online delivery options. Every step should be systematic and easy, from enrolling to creating test sessions.
What are the four things you should look for in a quality online assessment platform to ensure a satisfactory test delivery experience? Read on, to find out.
How well does it manage delivery?
Check the online assessment platform’s ability to manage the delivery of tests efficiently. Does it have a suite of tools that allow you to enrol candidates either by class or individually? Does it allow you to create test sessions and run and invigilate the exams? Does it have a delivery dashboard that provides you with a live view of the test sessions, various events, and candidates appearing for the test?
These are some of the questions that ought to ask yourself when you are judging an online assessment platform.
How well can you run the test sessions?
The next thing you must check in the online assessment platform is the way it allows you to run the test sessions and whether you find it satisfactory or not. While running the session, you should have complete control, enabling you to conduct a safe and reliable examination and have an administration screen to check and control the candidates involved in the session and track their progress without leaving your seat.
It would be helpful if you could run single or multiple tests in the same room where you are conducting the examination. You might consider checking if the session controls allow you:
- to start and pause the test
- allow and deny entry of candidates
- extend the session’s time or grant extra time to specific candidates terminate candidates while providing a reason simultaneously
- force-submit an examination, if necessary
Is the delivery method satisfactory?
A quality online assessment platform should have a satisfactory delivery method while offering various options online for delivery. You must also check if it remains interactive and responsive through dropouts or disconnections due a poor internet connection.
It must provide an equitable and consistent test-taking experience, regardless of the quality of the internet connection. The platform should also let you view the progress summary of candidates on the dashboard and run it as an application on Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS, or on the Google Chrome browser.
Does it offer you the option of running locked-down or open-book examinations within the browser or making tools like calculator, notepad, or notebook available to the candidates? These are things you should consider.
What test tools are available?
You must also consider checking if the assessment platform has tools like flagging, allowing students to flag any question they want and solve it later. Is there a progress summary tool that provides them with an instant view of the completed sections and questions they are yet to answer?
It should also include tools like a science and math equation editor that provides candidates with a keypad consisting of mathematical symbols and marks, which they may require for formula-based questions. Lastly, it should have a timer informing students of the time remaining for the test, allowing them to pace themselves accordingly.
These are the four things you should look for in a quality online assessment platform to ensure the test-taking and delivery experience is smooth, efficient, and hassle-free, both for you and the candidates.
