Date: 08/12/2008

The Third “International Seminar on Testing Methodologies and Technologies” was held in Beijing International Hotel on December 5, 2008. Sponsored by ATA, the seminar has become an annual event and the only one of its kind for China’s testing community since 2006. Over 200 representatives from test sponsors of high-stake exams attended this year’s seminar, among them are Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Communications; and industry associations such as China Banking Association, China Securities Association, China Futures Association as well as enterprises such as Bank of China, China Industrial and Commercial Bank, China Life Insurance, China Mobile and many others.

This year’s seminar focused on the issues on test security, which has become the focus of attention for test sponsors in China for the last few years. During the seminar, Mr. Ray Nicosia, Education Testing Services (ETS) Test Integrity Executive Director, shared with the audience the best practices of ETS in maintaining the security and fairness of ETS exams. Dr. David Foster, Chief Executive Officer of Kryterion, introduced the latest technologies in secured online test delivery. ?ATA psychometrician and system architect, on the other hand, introduced to the audience the latest methodologies and technologies applied by ATA in prevention of cheating and the role of performance-based testing in effectively enhancing the integrity of test administrations.

Computer-based testing has made significant progress in recent years in China. CBT is being accepted by sponsors throughout industries and fields of certification and licensure tests. In early November, the nationwide China Banking Professional Test taken by over 400k candidates was another landmark in test volume and indication of the scale and level of CBT outsourced services in China. Advanced testing technologies including secured delivery platform, online monitoring system, onsite bio-identity verification were applied in the bankers test to ensure test integrity.

As the sponsor of the seminar, ATA wishes the event serves as a vehicle to exchange ideas on the latest development and best practices in testing between Chinese and overseas counterparts and to promote understanding and sharing of knowledge among Chinese and overseas testing communities.