Computer-Based Testing

In computer-based testing (CBT), computer technology is used in the administration of achievement or ability test items. Such assessments have been gradually supplanting paper-and-pencil tests in educational assessment since their introduction in the 1970s. The attractiveness of CBT lies in its potential to expand, in multiple ways, the way educational assessment is conducted. This entry provides a brief history of its development, as well as an assessment of the advantages and limitations of CBT.

A Brief History

As the capability and preponderance of computers evolved during the latter part of the 20th century and into the 21st century, so has the nature and impact of CBT evolved. In the early 1970s, computerized testing was primarily found in university research institutions, using CBT delivered through mainframe computers. In ...

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