Emerging Adoption of E-Assessment in the Professions

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Emerging Adoption of E-Assessment in the
Professions

• Garrett Sherry
• Country Manager - Ireland

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Emerging Adoption of E-Assessment in the
Professions

• Thomson Prometric Body of Experience
• External Factors Driving Adoption
• Changing Business Needs
• Emerging Developments
• A Few Cases In Point
• Review Our View

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Thomson Prometric A Body of Experience

• 1990 1st Computer Based Exam for Novell
• Global Leader in Technology Enabled Assessment
  Services
• 600 Clients, 132 Countries, 8 Million Exams every
  year
• Practical, Paper Pencil, Internet Computer
  Based Solutions
• Test Development, Delivery and Data Management
• Professional, Academic, Government, Corporate
  IT
• Ireland - 60 Test Locations, 200,000 Exams
• - Customers Department of Transport,
  Medical Council of Ireland,
• CITB NI, Microsoft, Cisco, Dell,
  Oracle

4
External Factors

• Changes in Regulatory Legal Environment
• Rapidly Evolving Curriculum
• Candidate Test-on-Demand The Now Generation
• Globalisation of Programmes
• Competition for Candidates

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Changing Business Needs

• Develop / Change Programmes Quickly
• Increased Availability Test Windows Quicker
  Results
• Improved Security, Integrity Easier
  Administration
• More Relevant Exam Experience
• Improve ROI Develop New Revenue Streams

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Independent Research on UK Attitudes to
e-Assessment

• Drivers Barriers to Adoption of e-Assessment
• Attitudes to QCA Proposals for e-Assessment
• Acritas Research Commissioned to Independently
  Research 116 UK Awarding Bodies
• Qualitative - Face to Face Interviews
• Quantitative Study Confidential Telephone
  Interviews

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Qualitative Findings

• A Highly Receptive Environment Innovative
  Working Examples
• A need to Develop Sophisticated, Robust and More
  Scalable
• e-Assessment Examples
• The Needs and Wants of Learners Should be Central
  to Implementation
• Business Continuity is vital to e-Assessment
• E-Assessment should include Vocational and
  Professional Qualifications Not Just Schools

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Quantitative Findings

• 26 Currently Deliver e-Assessment
• Of the 74 not delivering e-Assessment, 46 are
  developing / piloting
• 83 Believe e-Assessment More or Equally Robust
  as PP
• 60 Believe e-Assessment More Cost Effective than
  PP
• Client Satisfaction and On-Demand Testing are
  Most Important Factors
• 78 Would Prefer Multiple Technologies Conform to
  Agreed Standards

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What are the three main advantages of using
e-Assessment, in your opinion, overall?
(unprompted)
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What drives uptake of e-Assessment?
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Case Studies

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Securities and Investment Institute

• Customer Issues Needs
• UK Awarding Body, 40,000 Exams Per Year Rising
• Paper Pencil Delivery
• Complex Costly Administration
• Weeks to Get Results
• Candidate frustration - On-Demand Needs
• Increasing International Focus
• Revenue Growth

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Securities and Investment Institute

• Conversion to CBT
• Expanded delivery 60 Locations, 30 Countries
• On-Demand Continuous Testing
• Immediate Results Re-Test in 3 days
• Administration Efficiencies
• On-line Self Service Booking
• Enhanced Candidate Experience
• Flexibility to Change and Add Programs Quickly
• Expanded Revenue Opportunities

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Medical Council of Ireland

• Temporary Registration Assessment Scheme (TRAS)-
  Customer Issues Needs
• Paper Pencil
• Fixed Exam Delivery Dates
• Limited Overseas Delivery
• Increasingly Complex Administration
• Difficult Costly to Expand Delivery (especially
  overseas)
• Cumbersome to Change Update Exam

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Medical Council of Ireland

• Temporary Registration Assessment Scheme (TRAS)-
  Conversion to CBT
• Available On-Demand - Test When Ready
• Flexible Global Delivery 4 Countries, 15
  Locations
• Simplified Scheduling Registration
• Control of Eligibility Criteria
• Robust High Specification MCQ Exam
• Consistency of Exam Experience
• High Level of Security and Integrity
• Ability to Change Update Exam Easily

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American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (AICPA)

• The Uniform CPA Examination- Customer Issues
  Needs
• Paper Pencil Twice a Year
• Limited Locations Large and Costly Auditoriums
• First Time Candidates Two Day Exam
• Very Stressful Environment for Candidates and
  Invigilators
• Limited Ability to Simulate Real-World Skills
• Need for a More Flexible, Seamless Candidate
  Experience to Help Attract New Talent
• A 21st Century Exam for 21st Century Practices
  Demands

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American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (AICPA)

• The Uniform CPA Examination- Conversion to CBT
• Partnership Approach to Conversion (Steering
  Group)
• Flexible Candidate Options Whole Exam or
  Sections
• Year Round Delivery Test When Ready - 300
  Locations
• Fit for Purpose Test Centre Network Secure,
  Comfortable
• Innovative Test Items, Simulations and Tools
• Greater Public Confidence in Competency and
  Ethical Proficiency of CPAs
• A 21st Century Exam

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Emerging Adoption of E-Assessment in the
Professions

• Increased Availability Test Windows Quicker
  Results
• The Now Generation
• Improved Security, Integrity Easier
  Administration
• Increasing Competition for Candidates
• More Relevant Exam Experience
• Consistent Global Administration
• Improved ROI / New revenue streams / Expansion of
  programs
• Outsourcing Test Delivery Administration
• Concentrate on Developing Core Programmes
• Improved Security Integrity of Testing Process

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Emerging Adoption of E-Assessment in the
Professions

• Thomson Prometric Our View
• Professional bodies and other responsible
  organisations in Ireland should embrace the
  advantages offered by technology enabled learning
  and assessment to ensure
• That those who look after our sick are properly
  qualified
• Those who look after our money have an
  appropriate to licence to practice and,
• That education for the professions better
  reflects the realities of todays business and
  regulatory environment