Computer Assisted Test

Computer Assisted Test. HistoryVarieties of ComputerAssisted TestingCurrent Issues and Future DirectionsComputerassisted testing began in the early 1950s when optical scanners were adapted to read special answer sheets and score tests This resulted in the widespread use of multiplechoice tests in a variety of testing applications As mainframe computers became more available the use of computers in testing expanded The first expansion focused on extracting more information from scores on tests with multiple scores Thus in addition to scoring tests computers began to interpret test scores and analyze test data Score profiles on a number of tests were interpreted by experts and their knowledge was embodied into computergenerated interpretive reports for instruments scored on multiple scales Notable examples include the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and the Strong Interest Inventory Interpretive reports have been expanded and improved over the years and are in prominent use today for a number of educational and psychological instruments The second expansion oc Conventional Testing The simplest application of computers in test delivery is the administration of conventional tests in which all examinees receive the same test questions in the same order usually a question at a time Although this seems like a trivial advance over paperandpencil tests it has a number of advantages First all instructions are presented by computer prior to the examinee receiving the test questions typically along with some practice questions This insures that each examinee has read a Branched or ResponseContingent Testing Branched or responsecontingent testing is useful in measuring variables that can be evaluated through a problemsolving scenario or sequence of steps In this approach a problem situation is presented to the examinee with a number of alternatives Each alternative “branches” to a different second stage in the problemsolving process Subsequent branches for each subsequent question continue to lead to different changes in the situation presented to the examinee As a consequence each exami Partially Adaptive Testing Adaptive tests are designed to adapt to each examinee as the testing process is implemented Branched or responsecontingent tests are adaptive in that sense but partially and fully adaptive tests take this process further Partially adaptive tests operate from a bank of questions that is structured by difficulty The simplest of these tests consists of subsets of questions grouped into short tests or testlets comprising questions of differing average difficulty levels A testlet of medium Since the advent of the Internet in the late 1990s a considerable number of tests are delivered through the Internet Although 20 years of research demonstrated that rigorously designed computeradministered tests were equivalent to or superior to paperandpencil tests the developers of most Internet or Webbased tests have given little thought to equivalence (ie Internet or Webbased tests have not been rigorously designed) Consequently substantial differences might exist between tests delivered on a PC and those delivered through the Web These differences can affect the standardization and validity of some tests Some of these factors include 1 Different browsers use different settings for fonts colors and other display characteristics to deliver Webbased tests These potentially render a given question differently to different examinees In addition differences in screen size and resolution reduce the equivalence of Webdelivered tests to PCdelivered tests On a P.

Computerassisted testing is an assessment model in which candidates or test takers answer questions or complete exercises that are part of a computer program In many cases computer tests also include automatic scoring This occurs when there are a finite number of correct answers such as in multiple choice testing models.

What Is ComputerAssisted Testing? (with pictures)

Audit SoftwareTest DataAdvantages of CaatsDisadvantages of CaatsOther TechniquesAudit software is used to interrogate a client&#39s system It can be either packaged offtheshelf software or it can be purpose written to work on a client&#39s system The main advantage of these programs is that they can be used to scrutinise large volumes of data which it would be inefficient to do manually The programs can then present the results so that they can be investigated further Specific procedures they can perform include 1 Extracting samples according to specified criteria such as 11 Random 12 Over a certain amount 13 Below a certain amount 14 At certain dates 2 Calculating ratios and select indicators that fail to meet certain predefined criteria (ie benchmarking) 3 Check arithmetical accuracy (for example additions) 4 Preparing reports (budget vs actual) 5 Stratification of data (such as invoices by customer or age) 6 Produce letters to send out to customers and suppliers and 7 Tracing transactions through the computerised system These Test data involves the auditor submitting &#39dummy&#39 data into the client&#39s system to ensure that the system correctly processes it and that it prevents or detects and corrects misstatements The objective of this is to test the operation of application controls within the system To be successful test data should include both data with errors built into it and data without errors Examples of errors include 1 codes that do not exist eg customer supplier and employee 2 transactions above predetermined limits eg salaries above contracted amounts credit above limits agreed with customer 3 invoices with arithmetical errors and 4 submitting data with incorrect batch control totals Data maybe processed during a normal operational cycle (&#39live&#39 test data) or during a special run at a point in time outside the normal operational cycle (&#39dead&#39 test data) Both has their advantages and disadvantages 1 Live tests could interfere with the operation of the system or corrupt mas CAATs allow the auditor to 1 Independently access the data stored on a computer system without dependence on the client 2 Test the reliability of client software ie the IT application controls (the results of which can then be used to assess control risk and design further audit procedures) 3 Increase the accuracy of audit tests and 4 Perform audit tests more efficiently which in the longterm will result in a more cost effective audit CAATs can be expensive and time consuming to set up the software must either be purchased or designed (in which case specialist IT staff will be needed)Client permission and cooperation may be difficult to obtainPotential incompatibility with the client&#39s computer systemThe audit team may not have sufficient IT skills and knowledge to create the complex data extracts and programming required There are other forms of CAAT that are becoming increasingly common as computer technology develops although the cost and sophistication involved currently limits their use to the larger accountancy firms with greater resources These include Integrated test facilities this involves the creation of dummy ledgers and records to which test data can be sent This enables more frequent and efficient test data procedures to be performed live and the information can simply be ignored by the client when printing out their internal records and Embedded audit software this requires a purpose written audit program to be embedded into the client&#39s accounting system The program will be designed to perform certain tasks (similar to audit software) with the advantage that it can be turned on and off at the auditor&#39s wish throughout the accounting year This will allow the auditor to gather information on certain transactions (perhaps material ones) for later testing and will also identify.

Computer assisted testing: An alternative assessment option

Printed in Great Britaii COMPUTER ASSISTED TESTING AN ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT OPTION FOR STUDENTS JOSEPH H THORMAN Moorhead State University Moorhead Minnesota 56560 USA [Received 22 November 1976) Abstractvidence indicates that students will voluntarily avail themselves of the retest option when it is offered in a course and will earn significantly higher grades with a more positive attitude toward their learning experience Author Joseph H ThormanPublish Year 1977.

Computer‐Assisted Language Testing Suvorov Major

Computer assisted audit techniques (CAATs) Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors Computer assisted audit techniques (CAATs) refer to the use of technology to help you evaluate controls by extracting and examining relevant data Sophisticated use of CAATs can be known as ‘data analytics’ and is increasingly being used across the profession.