$title = "Impacts";
require "../header.php";
?>
1.4. Impacts
The potential positive impacts of the Test Tool as a functioning system are
increased convenience and efficiency in creating, managing, and distributing tests. Additionally,
the system will allow a more convenient and versatile system to proctor tests. A breakdown of the
major benefits are defined below:
- Efficiency - the system will automatically grade selected types of questions, thus saving
the instructor or grader valuable time and allowing for quicker exam turnaround. Additionally, the instructor
or grader will no longer have to invest time in deciphering student handwriting due to the uniform format of
the test answers
- Versatility - the system will allow for tests to be proctored in a variety of test settings. In addition,
the test generator will allow for the generation of multiple different types of tests tailored to a specific class.
- Reusability - the question and test pools will be dramatically increased through the usage of a central database.
Furthermore, since exams and questions are stored in a database, they can easily be retrieved and used again.
Potential negative impacts include those common to any user-oriented software
system. Viz., if the system is poorly designed and implemented, it can be
inconvenient to use and decrease rather than increase user productivity. Other
serious negative impacts are privacy, reliability, fairness, and security. More specific examples
of these serious impacts are defined below:
- Privacy - student IDs, grades, or other personal information may be released
to unintended parties
- Reliability - the testing system may malfunction during or before an exam
- Fairness: - taking a test in an electronic environment may be unfair due to the lack of a
one-to-one equivalency between paper tests and electronic tests. Specifically, graphs or other diagrams may
be more difficult and time consuming to draw than on paper.
- Security - cheating may be possible in the form of being able to see answers before
answering a question, being able to see others' tests, or being able to edit the final results
of an exam. In addition, students may be able to cheat in the form of inter-student communication during
the exam. Furthermore, students may be able to access untaken tests, taken tests, and graded tests if the system isn't
implemented properly
Prev: Operational Setting
| Next: Related Systems
| Up: intro
| Top: index
require "../footer.php"
?>