For many years, secure online examinations have helped governments, corporates, and private institutions meet their specific needs. Despite offering several benefits, the education industry has been slow on the mass adoption of online assessments.
The global pandemic has affected all the sectors of the economy. While it has been simpler for MNCs and other professionals to shift to remote work, it has been more challenging for educational institutes around the world. There is a clear need for reinventing the current education system, and this is where smart classrooms with online assessments have come to play a significant role.
While the current situation is devastating, on the brighter side, it is certainly making both schools and colleges technologically advanced. The lockdown had resulted in large scale adoption of digital technology, with both colleges and schools working in tandem with IT companies specializing in data management methods and online education solutions.
The adoption of technology at this point will lead to unprecedented growth and transformation of the education industry. Virtual classrooms and other online tools have shifted the focus from instructor-led teacher-centric education to student-centric education.
So how is technology transforming the education industry?
According to a report published by KPMG, the Indian online education industry will grow at a CAGR of 44 percent to reach $1.96 billion, and its user base will touch 9.5 million by 2021.
Online education has opened higher education doors for people who cannot go for traditional learning due to time, place, finance, or other limitations. Thanks to better internet connectivity, increased smartphone usage, and government participation, people in rural and tier 2-3 cities can also benefit from quality online education.
E-learning is scaling up to offer more engaging experiences by including fun-filled quizzes, challenges, and interactive and practical approaches. What’s more, all this comes at a much lower cost as compared to traditional education.
E-Learning is egging students to discover new interests and focus on self-learning methodologies. Online learning has the true potential to transform the entire education system and generate an intellectual society.
Online Examinations perfectly complement the e-learning model by bringing loads of convenience, security, and time-cost savings in the entire examination system.
Connect with us to know how Questy’s proctored online assessments can help your educational institution.
Difference between Traditional and Online Examinations
The nature of the examination
Traditional examinations are pen-paper based tests that are held at examination halls under the supervision of human invigilators. The seating arrangements and other related administrative tasks play a dominant role in the successful conduction of traditional examinations.
Online examinations are digitally held with the help of technologically advanced assessment tools. They are usually conducted in centers that provide computers, internet connectivity, and other required tools, or at carefully selected remote locations. They are useful for conducting academic tests, entrance exams, vocational skilling, and training programs.
Need for resources
The traditional examination system is highly resource-intensive. It needs people who prepare papers, proofread them, take care of paper printing, security, and evaluate papers. Adequate administrative staff is needed for proper conduction and proctoring of traditional examinations.
Whereas online examinations just need proper digital infrastructure such as computers, assessment tools, internet connectivity, etc.
Vulnerability
Traditional examinations involve end-to-end manual processes and hence are strenuous, especially when issues arise. Issues could include delay in result processing, difficulty in filing and filtering of records, loss of critical recordkeeping information, and much more. The traditional examination system is also time-consuming and costly as compared to the online examination system.
Uninterrupted and stable internet connectivity is a must for online assessments. Online assessment tool Questy comes with a high level of security features to keep the data secure and avoid hacking of tests.
Test paper creation
Traditional examinations involve lengthy test paper creation process, which starts with long discussions, handwritten or typed question paper preparation, proofreading, and re-checking for repetition.
Test paper creation for online assessment is a fast, reliable, and accurate process. Questy, a robust assessment tool, has automated test creation and also provides advanced features for the same.
Administration of exams
Considering the volume of arrangements that go behind them, traditional examinations are conducted on fixed dates and are not subject to change under normal circumstances.
Online examinations offer more flexibility in exam dates. At times, the examinee needs to complete the test within a specified period.
Answer verification and result processing
Being manual-based, evaluating answer sheets, and processing results are very time-consuming processes in the traditional examination system. Not to mention that they are also prone to human errors for calculation, precision, etc.
Questy’s online assessments automate evaluation for most question types except for the subjective questions. They also generate electronic reports while saving a lot of time for educators and making the process error-free.
Security
Need specialized security personnel to safeguard question papers while storing them and transiting them to different exam centers as paper leakage is a significant and constant threat in the traditional examination system.
The in-built security features of the online assessment tool Questy ensures that the data is safe at all times. Furthermore, with online examinations, it is possible to give a different question paper with random questions to each student. Linear-on-the-fly testing is a cumbersome task if attempted in the traditional exam system.
Mass outreach
Traditional examinations are pen-paper based and require the examinee to be physically present at the exam hall. As a result, the traditional education system might become inaccessible by people with disabilities as travelling to reach the educational institute could be a problem for them.
On the other hand, computer-based online examinations can be customized so that people with physical disabilities can sit for them. Besides, online test content can be enriched with sound clips, images, videos, PDFs, etc. to make it more inclusive for all types of test-takers.
Summing Up
An all inclusive, student-centric education system is the need of the hour, and e-learning has the potential for it. The mass adoption of technology in the form online examinations is a great step in this direction.
Questy is an online assessment tool that helps education institutions conduct secure proctored online examinations.
Connect with us to use technological advancements for the benefit of your educational institute and your students.
