So there is a HUGE push in both my state and my district for digital testing. We have a whole online website/program built by our district created for the purpose of testing online and having all that data instant and at our fingertips. I really appreciate it.
But I hear time and time again from the students grumbles and groans about not getting to test on paper.
Why? Is it really that much different on paper? For some students I think so. Especially those more artistic creative students, those with testing anxiety, and the ones at the bottom.
Linear thinkers go from front to back and then review answers. These students are probably unaffected by an online test.
Some kids get frustrated with taking a test front to back. They like to be inspired and distracted. They might start at the number 14 (their favorite for some reason), work forward, and then go to 28 and work forward, in some pattern until they finish their test.
And those kids that get testing anxiety, even just a little bit? They look at the first question and the inner monologue starts... "that doesn't even look familiar!" but after looking to the next page or starting from the back they find something they can easily answer and boost their confidence with.
Or the low students who use tools like underlining important words to help them read and comprehend a question? What do they do?
I agree we need to get these digital natives used to taking online tests, but we need to give them online test prep to prepare them as well as making our online testing friendly to students of all abilities. Add a highlight or underline feature with the mouse (or better yet- touch screen!) make it easier to switch between questions and add the ability to "circle" a question or an answer to come back to it. If those are things we are teaching our students to do to be successful, why do we take it away from them when it really counts?
Does your school/district do online testing? Do you feel it is adequate?
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