Web 2.0 and Testing

I think that social media is going to change all the rule about testing. Besides the obvious, psychometric reliability, validity and legal defensibility who is the "authority" or subject matter experts? Who should the certifying body be? In the world of Web 2.0 the is much more emphasis on group opinion than top-down thinking. Doesn't that change who should decide what goes in a certification exam then? The implications are staggering. Who is in charge of authorized content? Look at Wikipedia as an example... this mysterious body of experts declares what is relevant, what needs citations etc. And its all self governed. If we think that this trend will not affect testing we are kidding ourselves.

Why are we so stuck to brick and mortar?

I understand why we have used brick and mortar testing for so many years - we had no viable alternatives. But now with innovations in technology it is so much better, secure, affordable etc. yet why do we stick to the past so zealously. I know change can be scary, but really. Paper-based testing in the 21st century for large scale assessements, certification, licensure, or even entrance exams... it does not have to be hard.

Nothing must be happening

OK, I admit it. Its been a while - call it blogger guilt. But I am not used to telling you about "what I am doing now" as my new Facebook account urges. Sorry, I guess I am old school that way. Not used to sharing every thought with the faceless universe. But that does not mean nothing has happened worth talking about (re-enter bloggers guilt - oh and there's new years resolution guilt too), actually a lot has been happening in the field of online testing. The jury has come back and said that online testing is secure - yet many are unconvinced. Maybe they are just in another classroom in my same old school... hmm. Technology is only as good as we apply it - and when it actually works of course. But the notion that online testing technology cannot create secure tests is, well, uhm, a little outdated. Whether we use it or not, tests delivered online can be secure and (gasp) even high-stakes. Wow, so why do we hold on to the way things have always been? Is there really security in stagnation? I wonder.