Imagine spending weeks preparing for a paper exam, only to find out it’s now digital.
Starting this year, almost all AP exams are going digital to make testing more secure, speed up grading, and keep up with modern technology. Students are having to make the transition from paper testing to digital.
“Digital testing helps me focus on the material more and allows me to take the test faster,” said sophomore Colin Smith.
Digital testing allows students to work more efficiently by reducing the time spent flipping through pages and filling in answer bubbles. It also helps students stay focused by minimizing distractions and providing a simpler testing experience.
Paper tests can be lost or damaged during shipping, which can cause stress for students and delays in grading. If a test gets smudged, torn, or misplaced, students might have to retake it or deal with unfair scoring issues. Also, printing and mailing thousands of exams uses large amounts of paper and money, making it worse for the environment and more expensive than digital testing.
“I can type faster and quickly make changes on online testing. Furthermore, bad handwriting will never be an issue. Technology will make less grading issues then paper with Scantrons,” said sophomore Mia Lund.
On the other hand, paper tests may prove to be better for some. Paper tests don’t rely on technology, so students don’t have to worry about computers crashing, internet issues, or software glitches disrupting their exam. They also reduce screen time, which helps prevent eye strain and fatigue that can come from staring at a screen for hours.
Nowadays, schools are becoming more and more digital. Test taking is just one of many things that have been moved to digital. This digitalization could prove to be beneficial for the students since it also helps prepare students for a world that relies heavily on digital tools in the workforce. A hybrid approach on testing could also be beneficial to students. A hybrid testing format combines the advantages of both digital and paper-based methods, offering more flexibility. Students could complete multiple-choice or short-answer questions digitally for faster grading, while using paper for tasks like essays or diagrams.
Whether digital or paper, the future of testing will likely involve a blend of both methods, ensuring that students are well-prepared for the tests.