PS Exam Goes CBT (and AIT!)

[ptatohed]

The last pencil and scantron PS exam was April 2016.  The exam will now be CBT (Computer Based Testing) offered year round, starting in October 2016. 

That I knew.  What I didn't know is this:  "The computer-based PS exam introduces a new testing component: alternative item types (AIT)."

This AIT is interesting and I suspect we can expect to see AIT on the PE exam too, when it goes CBT. 

The PS exam format will be linear-on-the-fly testing (LOFT), in which examinees each have a unique set of exam questions that are similar in difficulty. The same format is used for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exams, which have been offered in CBT since 2014.

The computer-based PS exam introduces a new testing component: alternative item types (AIT). AITs are items other than traditional multiple-choice questions with one correct answer. This could include the following:

• Multiple choice options (allows multiple choices to be correct)
  
• Point and click (requires examinees to click on part of a graphic to answer)
  
• Drag and drop (requires examinees to click on and drag items to match, sort, rank, or label)
  
• Fill in the blank (provides a space for examinees to enter a response to the question)
  

See page 5:  http://ncees.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Licensure-Exchange_June-2016.pdf 

 

[knight1fox3]

Very interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing.

 

[leggo PE]

Hm, I actually like the sounds of those types of problems. I feel like variety in problem type is not a terrible idea.