Are educators being left behind by the digital exam debate?

I talked recently with school managers and headteachers about the recent Ofqual consultation on digital exams. Listening to them, it struck me that many feel left behind by the debate, disengaged, and disenfranchised.

‘How can we be confident about the exam tech world...tech folks make you feel ancient, like Yesterday's Folk...we’re going to have to change how we teach and prepare learners for exams...that are being created without us...it’s knocking everybody's confidence – some of us are almost cowering and quivering in a corner.’

Not holding all the facts? Awarding bodies, suppliers, regulators, and many trade bodies often feel they’re walking on eggshells discussing digital assessment. It’s generally civilised and informed, usually within a broad accommodating arena. But in the wider world, we’re never far from quarrelsome and combative participants, often holding light appreciation of operational facts and successful deployments. These participants are actively holding back progress and benefit to learners.

Nobody wants to feel they’re being left behind - as yesterday’s men or women.

Seeking comfort in certainty I’ve witnessed social media attempts to demonise the digital exam sector, offering polar opposite views, rapidly becoming bitter, personal, and unsavoury. This ‘affective polarisation’ stirs disapproval of those attempting positive change. It’s also compounded by ‘Complexity Phobia’ - when people feel revulsed by case studies, advocacy, incontrovertible evidence and facts, that challenges the position that provides easement and comfort to them. Alternative facts, if you prefer!

As the debate is revealed, newbies can be discombobulated, shook out of their ideological comfort zones. Conflating digital exams with childrens’ social media use. Ignoring learners locked out by paper delivery, because it threatens (their own) penmanship and calligraphy. And attempting to falsely cite neuroscience claims of paper’s superiority. They are seeking comfort in certainty: the status quo. A black-and-white world. Nuance and understanding is seen as obfuscation or weakness. Their opinions stagnate, are weaponised, and become tribalised. Unfortunately, being civil, and agreeing to disagree, appears passé at the moment. And it's compounded by certain LLMs telling you you're right, even when you're wrong.

Many on social media seek comfort in their own certainties and experience, while learners continue to be blighted 

Unwilling to improve equity, access, and fairness? Arguments tend to be trenchant and aggressive on money and capacity. I’ve written about both before, but who do the naysayers think is currently paying for all the paper exams? And why are they unwilling to improve equity, access, and fairness? Their often belligerent response tells you more about themselves than the (paper) hill they wish to die upon. Simplicity is elevated, subtlety is trashed, and complexity denounced.

A belligerent social media condemnation of digital assessment tells you plenty about attitudes towards equity, access, and fairness.

The sector needs to calmly and quickly debunk those who know and understand little about exam production, delivery and the digital exam sector. And who also absently forget the learners currently locked out by paper delivery.

Occasionally, strong debate facilitates truth. It can be done. By focusing on learners, their lack of agency, diminished voice, and their every day struggles to engage with paper assessment. The enlightenment that digital exams are all about greater equity, transparency, and certainty can be uncomfortable, but is powerful and potent.

Bringing everyone on the digital journey Just as compassion and empathy have a role in supervising serious assessment, a little more understanding to bring everybody on the digital journey is sorely needed. The haranguing of so-called ‘Analogue Men’ or Mr Angry in the digital exam debate can be unhelpful. Slamming neighbouring countries for digital political point scoring doesn’t help learners or educators. It’s tempting to mock ignorance: but again, that doesn’t help learners. We don’t need to hold the regulator’s feet to the fire on the speed and cadence of digital. But ensure they are accountable, transparent, and not do anything weird.

Most educators don't want to rule the world. They just want to run their classes well and help their learners. So advocates and suppliers for digital exams need to marshall their arguments much better. At the moment, digital refuseniks are buying candles while you’re pushing lightbulbs.

Digital exam refuseniks are buying candles, while you’re pushing lightbulbs.

Even lollipop operators wear body cams for fear of abuse

Digital is here to stay Sector advocates need to give operationally-driven, learner-focused responses to the naysayers. Yes, things will go wrong with humans and technology. But to misquote the song: we’ll still be here in the long run. No serious exam professional is rolling back from digital exam creation, delivery, and certification. Unfortunately, we live in times when even lollipop men and women have to wear body cams, for fear of abuse. Hopefully it’ll never come to that at an e-assessment conference!