By Dian Schaffhauser, THE Journal
For the first time ever, most states will be giving their end-of-year, high-stakes tests in elementary and middle school via technology other than pencil and paper. According to a new report by EdTech Strategies, only 15 percent of the 800-plus tests being offered to students in grades 3-8 this year will be available in printed format. Douglas Levin, president of EdTech and author of the report, “Pencils Down: The Shift to Online & Computer-Based Testing,” noted that while the adoption of the Common Core State Standards and its “associated tests” from PARCC and Smarter Balanced contributed to the shift to digital testing, that was “neither the root cause of the shift nor even the dominant driver.” The more likely reasons are the “compelling advantages” of computer-based testing: efficiency of test delivery, faster turnaround of scores, better security, enhanced accessibility, increased student engagement and more opportunities to gauge student understanding of the content.
https://thejournal.com/articles/2015/11/05/high-stakes-computer-testing-reaches-tipping-point.aspx
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