Do you use online tests?

[masashi]

Hello,

I'm wondering if any of you use online tests at work. Do you prefer using paper/pen to test students instead?
Did you try to use any online testing systems, like TeamTesting or so? I see more teachers start using IT for such needs more frequently.

I'm seriously considering it in the near future. I've been surveying online quiz sites, like Teachnology.com, and I'm beginning to see many benefits such as:

*Ease of scoring, as most sites will automatically grade the tests and send you the results via email.
*Student enjoyment - they're already online all the time anyway. Why not take advantage of that?
*Test/Quiz Creators that simplify the creation process and formatting, saving me valuable time.

Potential disadvantages:
*A lot of my students do not have home access to computers with Internet connections or computers at all. Therefore, I have to put in for a SmartCart from the library and hope that all the computers are functional.
*The problem of running all of them online at once. The connectivity speed drops rapidly due to the user load.
*Dealing with SPED children who are computer illiterate. If I have to walk them through it, step by step, I'm not helping anyone, and I'm certainly not saving any time. That, and I don't have time to walk my co-teaching classes through it anyway, where 80% of the children have ridiculously over-calculated IEPs and half of them can't even read.

So, I guess it would all depend on your personal situation. You may find that you can do them in one class over another. It'd have to be measured on a situational basis.

I hope that helps some! Good luck!

[masashi]

If teachers have strict policies at schools, then using online technologies for testing/surveying might be a problem. Sometimes test report formats are predefined, that's why online reports are not acceptable.
I've been using TeamTesting.com services for one year, and I'm pretty satisfied. Nevertheless, it seems our directors are going to strictly set some rules and I'm afraid I'd be unable to use such services anymore...sad.