Academia is advancing at a rapid pace and so is technology. The classroom is transforming at all levels— from elementary and secondary, and all the way to university thanks to adaptation of newer teaching methods and better technologies being used by teachers. Teaching students is not what it used to be a decade ago. Teachers use online testing software such as a test maker to examine a student’s progress because of its flexibility, practicality and near instant feedback.
There are a number of tests that a Test maker can be used for.
Formative Tests
This kind of test is usually administered during a lesson to assess how much the student has grasped the subject being taught. It can be given at different intervals to test how well their learning is progressing. Think of it as a quiz; the further the lessons progress, the more the students’ performance improves. Formative tests in the class allow the teacher to analyze how well the student has understood the concept taught in the class. Formative testing can be done using a test maker (in the form of a class activity) and it can give the teachers an idea of where each student needs to focus to develop a better understanding of the subject. Formative tests can also give students a better idea of their own strengths and weaknesses in comparison to classmates.
Benchmark Tests
Benchmark tests are, just as the name suggest, used to evaluate whether a student has gained command over the content that was taught in the class over a certain period of time. The California Department of Education estimates the time interval for a benchmark test at six weeks. That means after every six weeks, the subjects of particular areas such as math, science or history are tested to see whether students have gained the level of expertise in order to advance to the next unit of study.
Using online testing software for this test can streamline the administration process and allow instant feedback. The tests would already have an answer key to tally the students’ responses. Parents receive feedback on the tests to let them know exactly where their kids are facing problems and need to concentrate.
Diagnostic Tests
A diagnostic test is very important for the teacher as it helps guide the course of the subject matter they are teaching. The diagnostic test helps them know what a student already knows. It is catered to the lessons that the teacher will teach in upcoming classes. This means that the diagnostic test will help the teacher decide what areas to focus on in the class. The parts which most students performed well on during the diagnostic test can be easily covered in lesser time and the teacher can move on. This will leave more time for teachers to work hands on with problem areas uncovered during the test and effectively develop the skills of students.
Using testing tools and test makers not only makes the work of the teacher easier but more effective. They can plan and distribute their teaching load more effectively through it and make realistic evaluations of students based on the tests they administer in conjunction with one-on-one time that they spend with the students.