Assessment in the 21st century has changed following the rapid development of technology around us. As such, English language tests follow the trend and started providing a computer based exams as another option for the paper one. This essay will discuss how the advantages of this new option exceeds its disadvantages.
To start with, some people are not comfortable using technology. This will definitely affect the students’ grade as the test will not only examine the English language skills but also the computer competencies. To illustrate this, when the students want to write an essay, but he/she doesn’t have a good keyboarding skills, which directly relate to the pace of their typing during the exam, this will be eventually reflected in the final outcome. Therefore, computer based tests need a certain level of machine literacy.
On the contrary, digital natives, those who are born in the past 25 years or so, are confident digital users. They are even more comfortable reading from the screen unlike those who are older. Not only this, but also having the option encourages students to learn and develop these 21st skills, which are part of what they should acquire during their k-12 years, to ensure the desirable outcome. For the stated reasons and many more, it is recommended to have a computer based exams specially in the current century.
In conclusion, although some are not at ease being examined digitally, but most of the students in this century, unlike digital immigrants, opt for a digital exam. Adding to that, all the standards for students require having not only the basic computer skills but advanced ones. Thus, offering a computerized option outweighs the disadvantages.
Assessment in the 21st century has
changed
following the rapid development of technology around us. As such, English language
tests
follow the trend and
started
providing a computer based exams as another
option
for the paper one. This essay will discuss how the advantages of this new
option
exceeds its disadvantages.
To
start
with,
some
people
are not comfortable using technology. This will definitely affect the
students’
grade as the
test
will not
only
examine the English language
skills
but
also
the computer competencies. To illustrate this, when the
students
want to write an essay,
but
he/she doesn’t have a
good
keyboarding
skills
, which
directly
relate to the pace of their typing during the exam, this will be
eventually
reflected in the final outcome.
Therefore
, computer based
tests
need a certain level of machine literacy.
On the contrary
, digital natives, those who
are born
in the past 25 years or
so
, are confident digital users. They are even more comfortable reading from the screen unlike those who are older. Not
only
this,
but
also
having the
option
encourages
students
to learn and develop these 21st
skills
, which are part of what they should acquire during their k-12 years, to ensure the desirable outcome. For the stated reasons and
many
more, it
is recommended
to have a computer based exams
specially
in the
current
century.
In conclusion
, although
some
are not at
ease
being examined
digitally
,
but
most of the
students
in this century, unlike digital immigrants, opt for a digital exam. Adding to that, all the standards for
students
require having not
only
the basic computer
skills
but
advanced ones.
Thus
, offering a computerized
option
outweighs the disadvantages.