Kmindz Education

1. WHY COMPUTER BASED TESTS ARE EFFECTIVE FOR IELTS? The IELTS has been traditionally conducted as a paper-based English test for almost three decades now. However, with the emergence of better computer-based technologies, the increasing trend of using technology to deliver education and testing, IELTS has now introduced computer-based tests (CBT) in addition to the existing paper-based tests (PBT) in Australia this year. The option was available for IELTS test-takers for UK Visas and Immigration since March 2016. It must be noted that both computer-based tests CBT and paper-based tests PBT options remain open for test-takers. IELTS as a test remains the same, but now computers will also deliver the exam, enabling multiple sessions in a single day, and faster delivery of results. According to the IELTS website, the option for CBT IELTS in Australia is currently available at Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and the University of Technology, Sydney. The trend of CBT is likely to find more favor around the world, as technologies develop further, and test-takers continue to look for better, and more streamlined pathways of evaluation. In all probability, the future will be one, wherein CBT and PBT will complement each other, as equally relevant and critical testing methodologies. Therefore, it is crucial that your IELTS test preparation is fine-tuned enough to handle the CBT. One significant aspect in CBT is that test centres are significantly less crowded. The order of the test is a little different. CBT starts with Listening, to be followed by Reading, Writing, and finally Speaking. As mentioned before, a human evaluator conducts the Speaking component. While the PBT allowed an extra 10 minutes of time in the Listening component, CBT does away with it altogether. A test-taker is given time within and between different sections to check the answers, but there is no extra time allowed at the end. Every test-taker is allotted a computer booth and a headset for the Listening component. Intuitively speaking, the most significant advantages of CBT are expected to be in the Writing component of IELTS. Typing is indeed more comfortable, and faster than writing down the answers. There is also more scope for editing, re-structuring sentences anytime within the given timeframe. No fear of strikethroughs, arrows, or even lousy handwriting. Further, the word count appears on the screen, and one does not have to count all the words manually. With the CBT, you get to take IELTS with a small group of other people, which is a remarkable shift from PBT. Smaller groups are usually considered to be better, since they are less noisy, and therefore, as a test-taker, it is easier to concentrate, and not be distracted. According to a study conducted by researchers Cyril Weir, Barry O''Sullivan, Jin Yan, Jiao Tong University, and Steven Bax, there is no difference in performance between the two modes. The study found that there was no significant difference in the scores awarded by two independent evaluators for the same candidates' performances on the tests, one CBT and the other PBT. Further, the effect of computer familiarity on how one performs in CBT is negligible. So, is it going to be PBT or have we convinced you enough?