On-screen and written examinations go hand-in-hand

Dubai - Depending on the subject, the reality is, handwriting is necessary, especially for exams where proof of working is required. And in the case where handwriting may be deemed too hard to decipher, systems are in place.

 
Would examiners welcome the idea of scrapping handwritten exams in place of digital ones? Although the obvious answer may be yes, some examination boards say both modalities have their place in today's education sector.
When Khaleej Times reached out to several of the largest examination boards that mark British curriculum exam papers across the globe, they said they have "tried and tested" processes that have been in place for many years to ensure the utmost effectiveness and security of exam systems. And that includes for both handwritten and computer-based exams. 
"We make use of on-screen assessments where it is appropriate for the learning being tested. For example, we administer the Pearson Test of English, which is used by thousands of test takers in the UAE," a spokesperson from Pearson Edexcel said.
But depending on the subject, the reality is, handwriting is necessary, especially for exams where proof of working is required. And in the case where handwriting may be deemed too hard to decipher, systems are in place. 
"We have established processes for dealing with any exam paper where the handwriting is difficult to read. Any examiner who receives a response that they can't read is instructed to escalate it to a more senior examiner, who if necessary will work with our technical experts to ensure that the candidate receives a mark that is a fair assessment of their performance."
For examiners at AQA - who predominantly mark GCSE, AS and A-Level exams - it is the experience that alleviates any issues related to illegible submissions. "We don't publish any figures/numbers to say how many scripts are received that are considered to be illegible. However, our examiners do have a lot of experience in deciphering a student's handwriting," the spokesperson said.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
 

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