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The choice of testing software is a tricky one. There are many packages with varying costs, and it is not always easy to estimate what future requirements you need to consider. The choice of testing software is one you make for the long term. Then also look at the specific requirements the package should meet now and in the future. Perhaps the candidate number or the number of users or test sites is going to increase as a result of internal changes.
To help you think about that, we outline some points of interest:
Are multiple people, spread across different locations going to use the testing software? Consider test constructors and question reviewers. This requires a web-based system, with storage of questions in a central and well-secured location. It is also important to ask questions about the security of the system. Is it well regulated? Especially when summative testing is involved, this is important. In systems suitable only for formative testing, this security is not always optimal. Finally, it is important to examine how the software behaves when a large number of candidates participate. Are the servers used suitable for this purpose?
To what extent is the system equipped to meet the requirements of the AVG? Consider the security, storage and proper use of personal data. Do people have the ability to see their personal data and can it be amended or deleted? Keep these data processing issues in mind when choosing testing software.
When exam processes are set up, there are usually different responsibilities and authority. To what extent can you use digital testing software to match that? You can ask a number of questions in the process:
If you are researching appropriate testing software, know your requirements and find out to what extent the system meets them.
One question you can ask yourself is: how is the testing software structured? Software can consist of immense features, but are you actually using all the functionality in the package? When choosing software, consider how the package is structured and whether it can also be used in parts or modules.
For example, consider a module for on-site sampling, for monitoring, for enrollment and registration, and a module to analyze data and distill reports. Is there perhaps also a possibility of using a “light” version, for formative testing, for example?
How easy is it for candidates to book exams, change registrations or pay? Are there opportunities to link between a Web site and the relevant testing software? And in what ways is communication with candidates then possible?
How easy is it to enter questions? Can this be done by relatively untrained people? It may then be very relevant to make the test system accessible to test constructors and question reviewers and to give the different groups different rights for input, revision and determination. In addition, it may be important to make visible in the system which questions have already been established, which have not, and which have already been revised. How does the status of questions become visible? Furthermore, it is a point of interest to consider the system’s ability to analyze the results. Does the system already include formulas to calculate p and trip values, including from question types other than multiple choice? Some systems require user self-efficacy in this area, while others have this option integrated by default.
Finally, as a user, you benefit greatly from an uncluttered structure. How are the questions arranged in the database? Do you immediately see the structure or does it seem more like a puzzle?
What is the best way to test learning, with open-ended or closed-ended questions? You deploy open-ended questions when you are testing whether a student can formulate the answers on their own, or when it involves a “higher order” skill, such as analysis. The moment that applies, look for a system that offers this capability. There is also the question of the extent to which the method of correction leaves room: is it possible to use multiple correctors? And are there various ways to arrive at the figure?
Not every testing software system has the same ability to distill statistical data. Consider p, trip and a values, as well as data on scoring by correctors and a representation of the guessing probability for each question. Sometimes you also need information about which candidates had a particular exam question in their exam. This applies, for example, if you use flexible testing and want to exclude one or more questions from the exam afterwards.
For different question types, it may be helpful to use visuals, in the form of illustrations and/or videos. How easy is it to make use of that in the software? What requirements, in terms of image formats and file sizes, apply to them?
Is it foreseeable that interfacing with other software will be necessary? This may be an issue when the exam requires the use of other programs, such as Excel or another accounting program. Some systems allow for this.
In written exam administration, very different options apply than in digital administration. To what extent is it necessary to test time and/or place independent? Also consider the future-proofing of the system. What if candidates live all over the country or perhaps even abroad? Then it is wise to take that into account at the outset. When looking at the purchase options, also look for options for dyslexics, visually impaired, etcetera. Or to the possibility of taking an exam offline; there may be conceivable situations where there is no Internet connection.
Even though the choice is complex, there are several aspects that can be identified that are important and on which to base your choice. In a nutshell, these are named, but detailed interpretation applies to each system. Ask the right questions and choose testing software that suits you.
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