Amazingly, a very significant portion of proctored testing of online students is still conducted via paper and pencil. Not only is this a less secure way of test delivery, but is enormously expensive in terms of mailing and labor to and from the testing sites and instructors. For years, we've had built-in testing tools in our CMSs, including Blackboard and WebCT. These tools also allow us to lock the test, enabling only the proctor to open it with a provided password. I think that there are two main reasons why some of us are stuck. First of all, many university testing centers simply don't have enough computers (in their testing centers) to test dozens of students at one time (such as during midterms). Another reason - plain old resistance to change. The entire process of testing and mailing is historically so cumbersome that once we have a system underway (even a greatly flawed one), any attempt to suggest obvious and available improvements is met with fear and panic. For those still wondering if the change is worth the initial invesment, let's review the benefits of using online testing in the proctored environment:
- no mailing costs
- significantly lower labor costs
- no printing costs
- instant grading (for objective tests)
- earth-friendly
- ability to randomize questions through test bank
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