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Computer-based and Internet-based Testing

• Q: A number of associations in my industry (health care) are moving to computer-based testing. What are the benefits of such a move? Is there a downside for my candidates?
• Q: Some vendors say they offer computer-based testing and some say Internet-based testing. What’s the difference?
• Q: Is Internet-based testing as secure as computer-based testing? Where is the testing information stored?

Q: A number of associations in my industry (health care) are moving to computer-based testing. What are the benefits of such a move? Is there a downside for my candidates?

Many organizations have made the transition, or are considering the transition, from paper-based to computer-based testing. While the factors that lead to the transition vary, some of the advantages of computer-based testing apply to associations, government entities, and corporations alike.

Flexibility: Computer-based testing allows organizations to offer their candidates greater opportunities and flexibility in test scheduling. While paper-based examinations might be scheduled four days per year, computer-based examinations may be available on-demand, in scheduled windows of varying lengths, or on scheduled single days. Depending on the organization's retake policies, candidates might have shorter waiting periods for retakes under computer-based testing scenarios.

Access: Computer-based testing networks generally offer multiple sites in multiple cities. In fact, most testing networks include 200 or more sites worldwide. These numbers represent significant increases above the standard paper-based testing sites used by organizations. The additional testing locations allow candidates to save money on travel costs while testing closer to home or work.

Costs: Printing and mailing paper-based examination booklets can be cost prohibitive, especially to organizations with candidate populations above 1,000 per administration, due to paper and ink costs. Add to that the costs of printing or purchasing and mailing answer sheets, pencils, and calculators, and organizations can spend a large percentage of their budgets on printing and shipping costs. Computer-based testing eliminates the need for printing or purchasing and mailing examination booklets, answer sheets, handouts, pencils, and calculators.

Shipping and Security: Computer-based testing eliminates the need for tracking examination materials through third-party shipping vendors. With paper-based examinations, multiple boxes of examination materials must be constantly tracked from their departure from the testing vendor to their arrival and use at the testing center. The tracking continues when the materials are returned to the testing vendor. Multiple hands touch each package, leaving room for error.

Faster Score Reporting: With paper-based testing, candidates and jurors/scorers use paper-based media to record answers and scores, and answer sheets must be reviewed, scanned, and verified prior to actual scoring. With computer-based testing, all scoring information is recorded immediately, which greatly accelerates the scoring process. In fact, when certain psychometric aspects have been implemented, candidates may receive immediate score reports at the testing center following the completion of their examinations.

Q: Some vendors say they offer computer-based testing and some say Internet-based testing. What’s the difference?

A: Both computer-based and Internet-based test administration deliver examinations via computers. The examination questions are presented to candidates on a computer screen. Candidates choose their answers using the computer’s mouse or keyboard, and their responses are recorded by the computer, rather than on an answer sheet.

The difference between computer-based testing and Internet-based testing is the test delivery method. Traditionally, computer-based testing vendors stored examination data at each testing center on a server located at the testing center.

With Internet-based testing, vendors store the examination data on a secure server at a secure location away from the testing center. The examination is delivered via secure Internet connection to each testing computer. The questions are presented one by one on the candidate's computer from the test vendor’s secure server. All keystrokes are uploaded to the secure server as they occur.

For security purposes, several variables must be in alignment for the examination to be delivered: a specific candidate must be sitting for a specific examination on specific day at a specific time in a specific location for the examination to appear on a specific computer. And a dual login (proctor and candidate) must be completed.

Q: Is Internet-based testing as secure as computer-based testing? Where is the testing information stored?

 A: Internet-based testing actually enhances security since the testing information – from test questions to candidate answers – is not stored or retained on the testing computer at the test site. Instead, the information is maintained on a secure server in a secure facility maintained by the testing vendor.

Each vendor follows a different security protocol but at CASTLE our Internet-based test delivery system communicates to each testing computer through secure socket layer (SSL) encryption. The SSL protocol is the universal standard for secure data transmission via the Internet. According to information technology professionals, SSL enables all information sent between an Internet browser and an Internet server to be encrypted by the sending software and decrypted by the receiving software, protecting private information from interception over the Internet.  In addition, all data sent through an encrypted SSL connection is protected with a mechanism for detecting tampering.  That is, it automatically determines whether the data has been altered in transit. 

Again, for security purposes, several variables must be in alignment for the examination to be delivered: a specific candidate must be sitting for a specific examination on specific day at a specific time in a specific location for the examination to appear on a specific computer. And, a dual login (proctor and candidate) must be completed.