Will the PE exam move to CBT in near future?

[sunny777]

Just like FE exam moved to CBT - will the PE exam move to CBT in near future? It will be great as the results might come out sooner if that happens.

 

[snickerd3]

the plan is to move the PE to cbt but i don't see it in the near future because it will have to go closed book and there are lots of reference manuals that need to get written.

 

[PE4IE]

NCEES Committee had already voted to move PE in to CBT. But I think it will take more time before it actually comes out. But I agree.. It would be nice to see the results soon. Cant really wait for 40-50 days.

http://ncees.org/about-ncees/news/ncees-approves-expanding-computer-based-testing-to-pe-ps-exams-at-2012-annual-meeting/

 

[sunny777]

@snickerd3 - why will CBT test be closed book?

 

[matt267 PE]

@snickerd3 - why will CBT test be closed book?

The cbt would be given at a testing center and may not have room for boxes of books.

 

[Road Guy]

I wonder what color the mouse will be?

 

[matt267 PE]

Probably be touch screen.

 

[notsocivil PE]

I hope I pass before they switch it over! Drawing all over the diagrams is really helpful in solving some of the more difficult problems.

Seismic and surveying (CA civil) were annoying enough on the computer with a small desk. They still let you bring in as many references as you can carry in one trip though, so maybe CBT doesn't necessarily mean closed-book.

 

[sunny777]

There is no way it can be closed book. There is no way a person can memorize all formulae correctly of so many subjects. In real structural engineering world - it does not work like that. So even if its CBT I believe it will be open book.

If it becomes closed book then the level of difficulty would become way lower I guess.

 

[matt267 PE]

There is no way it can be closed book. There is no way a person can memorize all formulae correctly of so many subjects. In real structural engineering world - it does not work like that. So even if its CBT I believe it will be open book.

If it becomes closed book then the level of difficulty would become way lower I guess.

Either that, or they would give you an electronic reference manual like they do with the FE exam.

 

[Ken PE 3.1]

There is no way it can be closed book. There is no way a person can memorize all formulae correctly of so many subjects. In real structural engineering world - it does not work like that. So even if its CBT I believe it will be open book.

If it becomes closed book then the level of difficulty would become way lower I guess.

Either that, or they would give you an electronic reference manual like they do with the FE exam.

That would be a huge pdf file. Might crash the test centers server.

 

[matt267 PE]

This topic has been discussed before: http://engineerboards.com/index.php?showtopic=21393

Here is a press release from NCEES going back a few years: http://ncees.org/about-ncees/news/ncees-approves-expanding-computer-based-testing-to-pe-ps-exams-at-2012-annual-meeting/

 

[PE4IE]

My idea would to be have only answer sheets in the computer. After they finish the exam in a big hall (or whatever) lets the examinees go in to a testing center and enter their answer in a computer that has answer sheets. I know this idea would create lot of debate...

 

[Ramnares P.E.]

How is that a better alternative to the currently used scantrons? What benefit is there to NCEES to have the examinee manually enter answers into the computer? It would be more time consuming, harder to monitor for cheating, and the risk of incorrect data entry would be a problem for examinees.

Matt has it right on this one. A CBT PE exam would require discipline specific references and is probably modeled on the current CBT FE exam.

 

[The Wizard]

The closed book thing will never happen, and the guy who suggested it clearly doesn't know what he's talking about. When I took the survey and seismic exam via CBT, I was allowed one banker box full of books. What sucked was the lack of desk space. You really can only have basically one book out at a time. The rest of the space is wasted with the stupid computer and your scratch paper and calculator.

When I took my survey exam, it was supposed to be the last pencil and scantron exam like the 8hr before CBT started, but there turned out to be errors in the testing materials and the survey exam was cancelled that year for everyone! The exam was rescheduled for 3 weeks later but it went CBT! I was part of the group that experienced CBT for the very first time

I hate CBT testing. No desk space, other people in the testing center are typing away making noise, people are coming and going constantly, and somethings on the screen need to be written down so that you can draw on them and figure stuff out, thus wasting time.

When I took CBT seismic (for the second time), I got there early and was the first person to arrive at the testing center. I requested the biggest desk and the one with the most light. By doing so, I gained an additional 12" on each side of the cubicle; it was the only desk like it. I then put on their supplied headphones to block out the distracting noise, and hammered out the dreadful Seismic Exam.

I then passed the 8hr will the good ol' pencil and scantron with tons of desk space and couldn't be happier.

 

[iwire]

I'm so glad I'm done already.

Maybe. They give tablet to input answers. Gather up all pencils those will be collector items!

 

[The Wizard]

Nice ninja edit Matt. Wrong exam buddy.

 

[matt267 PE]

I think the survey is closed book now.

http://ncees.org/exams/ps-exam/

 

[matt267 PE]

Nice ninja edit Matt. Wrong exam buddy.

Is it?
Edit:

How many different survey exams does ncees administrator?

 

[The Wizard]

Nice ninja edit Matt. Wrong exam buddy.

Is it?
Edit:

How many different survey exams does ncees administrator?

Basic Survey exam is required for PE (CA only)...and Seismic too . Then there's the two survey exams for the actual PLS surveyor license (PS is like our EIT/FE, the the PLS is like our PE)