Are your online testing methods as effective and efficient as they can be?
Wonderlic discusses the perks of administering your pre-employment or student admissions assessments online. Computers and the internet are vital to the way most companies do business, and we need to consider how this affects the way we train people and administer assessments. While most assessments are now available on computer, some people still choose to use paper and pencil. Both methods are effective in obtaining accurate results; however, there are many benefits to taking advantage of the technology that is available to us. Today I will address the benefits of online testing.
Now, when I say “online testing” I mean the test is going to be administered via a computer using a testing system that is run over the Internet. The test can be given either remotely, in which case users can test at their convenience from any location, or it can be administered at your organization. Either way, online testing provides benefits that are not available with paper and pencil.
First, let’s talk about the “pros” or benefits of remote online testing.
Remote Online Testing
- Immediate scoring and reporting
Online assessments enable you to get results immediately. You don’t have to deal with any paperwork or wait for the tests to be individually scored. You can also be confident that the test results have not been tampered with, damaged or lost. Also, having the data collected electronically lends itself to easy analysis of norms, trends, and correlation with performance.
- Flexible administration schedules
Second, with a remote, computer-based assessment, there is much more flexibility in administration. When you administer a paper-and-pencil assessment, you need to set up a convenient time and place for the candidate to come in, have someone administer the test, and take the time to gather the response forms and then score by hand, or enter the responses in to a software program for scoring. Conversely, remote tests can be taken at anytime and from anywhere, and you can access the results in the same fashion. Very convenient for everyone involved!
- Reduced cost
Online assessments can also be more cost efficient, as they do not require any materials other than a computer with an Internet connection to access the results. You do not need to compensate test administrators for their time and there is no equipment or consumable testing materials to buy.
- Standardized administration
Finally, another benefit of online testing is standardized administration. You can be confident that an online test is administered in a consistent manner, because the timing and instructions will always be the same.
On-Site Online Testing
Of course, when you administer an online assessment at your location, there are a few differences.
You’ll have to schedule a time with the individual to come in and take the assessment, and you’ll need to have a computer available. If you are testing multiple people at once, you’ll need to have enough computers for everyone. Also, if the test is proctored, you’ll need to have someone available to monitor the testing session.
However, there are still the benefits of immediate scoring and reporting, ease of data collection, and the peace of mind that standardized administration brings. Also, with proctored assessments, you can be confident that the individual has not enlisted any outside help.
