(1888PressRelease)
January 24, 2008 - Adults wishing to gain basic literacy and numeracy qualifications are now being offered more opportunities to do so through the launch of online Entry Level 3 Literacy and Numeracy tests by awarding body Education Development International (EDI – www.ediplc.com). Adults around the UK will be able to sit their assessments online in a specifically designed adult and interactive environment, rather than feel that they have gone back at school.
Following a successful pilot project in 2007 of selected online entry level skills tests, EDI is now working with the National Assessment Agency to explore the feasibility of offering all Entry Level 3 Literacy and Numeracy tests online, transforming existing traditional paper based tests into engaging online environments and creating new assessments that will both appeal and be accessible to all adult learners. A pilot will be held with four training providers from the beginning of February 2008.
The online assessments are a huge step forward in motivating unskilled adults to improve their qualifications and in helping them to develop, both on a personal and at a career level. The test scenarios have been designed so that they link into adults’ own life experiences, not only assessing their skills but also giving them confidence when facing day to day tasks. Using relevant concepts such as ‘buy one get one free’ offers, learners’ understanding of different pricing structures and their ability to work out how much money they are spending and saving can be assessed in a way that is neither daunting nor irrelevant to their lives. Working with topics such as public transport and holiday accommodation helps adults apply their learning to the real world and see the tangible benefits of the assessment they are undertaking.
Unlike traditional paper based examinations, colours and graphics are used to hold attention and to make the assessment more appealing and relevant to the modern world. In designing the online tests, EDI has focussed on providing adults with an informal, interactive and highly visual environment. Candidates can use the mouse to zoom into words and graphics for a clearer understanding of the presented information. For those learners who find the spoken word easier to relate to, questions can be clicked upon to reveal the audio version. Many scenarios require the candidate to drag and drop information into the correct order, not only additionally helping their ICT skills but also encouraging interaction and engagement with the subject matter.
Sitting the Entry Level 3 Literacy and Numeracy test online also offers candidates and training providers great advantages in terms of flexibility and time saving. The tests can be taken any time and provisional results are available within 24 hours. Once candidates reach the end of a test, they can clearly see which questions were not attempted or fully completed, giving them the chance to revisit those very questions without having to flick through the entire paper. Unsuccessful candidates can re-sit the test just a week later if they so wish and all learners receive a performance report that identifies areas for further attention, encouraging them to progress to the next level.
Nigel Snook, Chief Executive, Education Development International, commented; ”We are delighted that our proposal for online Entry Level 3 Literacy and Numeracy Tests was accepted by the National Assessment Agency. Our first pilot showed us that learners using our online assessments experienced far fewer feelings of anxiety than when facing paper based tests and we look forward to introducing our new and enhanced tests to adults nationwide. Through facilitating the examination process for both candidates and training providers and by making the qualifications more applicable to their daily lives, we hope to enable more adults to gain not only official qualifications but also greater confidence in their own learning.
Nigel Snook continued: “Initially the assessments will be rolled out across training providers but with the flexibility that the online assessment system offers, we see no reason why the tests cannot be run by adult learning centres and through community initiatives, encouraging wider participation and more qualifications for UK adults.”
For more information about Education Development International plc, please contact us at Tel: 08707 202909, email: enquiries ( @ ) ediplc dot com, website: www dot ediplc dot com
For press enquiries, please contact Livewire Public Relations, Tel: 020 8339 7440; Email: info ( @ ) livewirepr dot com
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