Experts in the field of assessment speak out: Rowan van Swieten

My name is Rowan van Swieten, and I have been working in the field of testing and examination for 15 years. Digitisation has always been central to this. I have held various roles over the years. This has given me regular insight into various testing and certification organisations and their stakeholders. Over the years, I have naturally developed my own vision on testing, particularly with regard to what is needed to develop testing software and support services in such a way that they meet the actual needs of end users (both now and in the future).   

End users' needs

This need among end users is constantly changing. It is closely linked to various social and technological developments. In fact, new insights are constantly emerging when it comes to testing and/or assessing knowledge. It is no coincidence that there is a recurring (social) debate about testing methods and their value. Think, for example, of testing knowledge, skills, competencies and talents, and how these are assessed.

New generation, new technical possibilities

Traditionally, the assessment domain has been fairly conservative. This is based on ensuring quality, integrity and reliability. But innovation can also mean improvement! Especially in our dynamic society with a generation of young people who have grown up with diverse (technological and innovative) possibilities. In addition, there are changes in what we want to test. It is time for new insights and to challenge traditional views. The challenge is to create support so that these changes are actually implemented.

Innovating the test format and structure

In short: maintaining tests as part of lifelong learning requires innovation in the form and design of tests. This also applies to the use of (digital) tools that support the testing process., more efficiently, more accessible and safer make. Digital support also ensures that the range of tests is expanded. You could also consider innovative applications such as machine learning (AI) to improve the quality of testing based on already available data. Or how about automatically compiling content based on that same data? The developer would then only need to perform quality checks on the basis of random samples.

The possibilities are there, time for new insights and improvements!