Managing testing and following the proper protocol for students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams in May has been something MHS has prepared for over many years. Students have grown accustomed to taking the test using pen and paper, but as a result of changes to AP exam administration rules in 2021, students can now take some of these exams on computers. Although administrators may be hesitant to take advantage of digitized testing out of fear that these tests will not have the same credibility or procedures as paper exams or because of the difficulty of managing more than one testing format, more schools, including MHS, should use these changes to their advantage and provide their students with the opportunity to take AP exams online.
According to College Board, digital exams will be available this year for AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP European History, AP Seminar, AP U.S. History, and AP World History, all of which are lengthy because of extensive writing portions. Allowing students to take these exams digitally would give them the opportunity to focus more on their writing skills and the execution of the prompt and less on the tedious process of handwriting full-length essays and other responses within a short period of time. Typing writing portions of exams will be more efficient for students and will prevent ineligible handwriting from impacting scores. Digital exams will also allow schools to make exams even more accessible through the use of resources that involve less waste, as fewer paper booklets will have to be shipped out if more schools allow their students to take the digital version.
Districts across the United States have been given the option to administer both digital and paper exams, with the decision being left up to individual schools. There is no application process for schools to participate in proctoring digital exams, making it easy and convenient for administrators to decide whether they want to provide digital versions in addition to the traditional paper format. Schools also have the option to offer both, meaning that students will be able to decide which version of the exam best suits their personal preferences and needs. AP tests can be taken on school computers through secure programs, ensuring the privacy of information and easy accessibility for AP exam administrators and allowing schools a better way to prevent cheating.
The exam will consist of the same number of sections and questions, and students will be given the same amount of time to complete the test. Additionally, the digital exam will set students up for success, as it will allow them to go back and forth between different sections of the test to check their answers and ensure they haven’t made any unintended mistakes. Having directions given to students through a digital platform will also help both students that struggle with comprehending certain parts of the exam and those that process information faster and want to finish their exam. If schools allow students to take these AP exams digitally, those that decide to take the exams online will gain these advantages that they wouldn’t have had with traditional paper exams.
Digital testing offers many advantages to schools and students alike, increasing the amount of writing students will be able to accomplish in a short amount of time and fast-forwarding the entire process. The introduction of digital AP exams exemplifies the fact that online learning has become an inevitable part of many developing plans to increase student accessibility to an enriched education.