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The Main Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Online Testing Software

Modern online testing solutions are gaining increasing acceptance not just in the academic world but in recruitment centers as well. However, all new technology has its own pros and cons and they have to be carefully evaluated before you decide to incorporate such software into your exam testing modules.

Advantages of Using an Online Testing Software

Some of the more important advantages include the following:

It Saves the Hassle of Grading and Checking Exam Papers

Most online testing software solutions carry an ‘auto-grade’ option. For example, if you decide to use only MCQs (multiple choice questions), then it will eliminate the need of personally checking and grading all those exam papers on your own. This is because the completely automated software controlled testing system will effectively remove this hassle from your end.

Online Testing Solutions Can Help to Save The Environment

The typical ink and paper exam involves a lot of printed paper. Creating paper involves the destruction of trees as well as the consumption of other natural resources. The lesser the amount of paper we use, the more we contribute to the overall health of the environment around us. And of course, a ‘no paper’ policy means more living trees since its production involves pulpwood as its most basic raw material.

It Will Help You Save a Lot of Time, Effort and Money

In a typical recruitment center, the mere distribution of test papers alone can take a whole lot of valuable time. This precious time might be utilized by test takers to complete their tests. However, this disadvantage does not apply to the online testing system. Just uploading the email addresses of the candidates taking the test and sending them an invitation will get the job done. Apart from that, it will save time and anxiety because the students/applicants will be able to instantly check and see for themselves just how they have fared in the test.

The Main Disadvantages of The Online Examination System

• Open text questions cannot be auto-graded by the system.
• The answers to the questions must not be easily accessible to the candidates, either online or offline. If this is the case, the test taker will simply copy and paste the answers.
• The test must be time-bound to prevent students from cheating by looking at alternative sources for answers.

Conclusion

If we consider the above arguments, we will be able to see that online testing software has far more advantages than disadvantages but that doesn’t mean that the drawbacks of the system can be overlooked. Instead, the test makers should strive to ensure the optimization of this software solution in such a way that it is able to provide a level playing field for all people who are taking the test. This way, the results will never be controversial and they will be accepted by everyone taking the test.