Presenter:
James R. Parry, Test Development Manager, and Art Stark, Instructor, US Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown, VA,
Title: How e-Testing is Improving Assessment for the U.S. Coast Guard
Synopsis:
The U.S. Coast Guard must provide top-notch training and operational programs in order to complete missions safely and effectively.
To that end, we have gone live with e-testing in some classroom courses and non-resident rating advancement tests. We are providing defensible advancement testing to our enlisted workforce via our Learning Management System (LMS) and expect to complete the transition from paper-based to electronic testing by 2013. Classroom testing is delivered directly from Questionmark Enterprise manager.
The move to e-Testing is fundamentally changing the way in which we use tests: our focus is changing from testing knowledge to testing the actual application of knowledge in the workplace. We are using question types such as drag-and-drop to test at higher cognitive performance levels instead of simply recall from memory, and we are improving the quality of test items by using Questionmark analytics reporting tools; Question Statistics, Test Analysis and Item Analysis. Our resident schools frequently use the Coaching and Gap Reports when counseling students.
This presentation includes a brief history of the Coast Guard's progress from paper to Perception. It traces the path from alpha/beta testing to implementation of a centrally hosted enterprise solution for delivering e-tests to a potential audience of more than 300,000 participants worldwide. It also examines special considerations for delivering tests within a secure environment and for ships at sea.
Although this case study relates to a military organization, much of the content is of general interest.
Learning Objectives:
- Appreciate the capabilities and limitations of e-testing
- Use reporting tools to improve the quality of questions and assessments
- Test application of knowledge, not just knowledge
- Use administrator profiles and groups to ensure security of test items and assessments at diverse test development centers
- Appreciate the problems associated with deployment of e-tests in a secure environment behind firewall protection
Recommended Experience Level: All
