At-home or In-Centre: Exploring English Test Security for International Admissions
Which English tests do we accept for international admissions?
How do we know they are secure and the results are reliable?
What criteria should we use to evaluate English tests?
If these questions sound familiar, we have videos from three days of stimulating discussions for you to view which address these and other issues.
The landscape of English proficiency tests has never been more complex. The proliferation of providers, tests and modes of delivery, especially with the accelerated adoption of online tests in post-pandemic higher education, can confuse and daunt even the most seasoned and experienced admissions professionals.
In these videos we aim to de-mystify all aspects of security concerning in-centre and at-home testing to bring transparency into the conversation around what actually makes a high-stakes test secure, reliable, and valid.
Prevention and Detection: Securing a Skills for English Test Centre
With over 70 years’ experience of testing, PSI has a legacy of expertise in securing in-person testing environments – and Skills for English test centres are no different. Two central pillars underpin key efforts in averting malpractice: prevention and detection. From ensuring centres pass stringent security vetting to deploying cutting-edge data forensics, all Skills for English tests are subject to the highest-stakes security measures. In this video, Tom Williamson is joined by Vipul Shah and Kevin Jolly to discuss all aspects of ensuring the security of Skills for English test centres. They give detailed insights into the policies and procedures used at PSI and share real-life case studies demonstrating how effectively evidence of malpractice is handled.
Making an English Test Secure: A panel from Skills for English
For government and education officials alike, having confidence in the security of English language proficiency tests is essential. Without the trust that a test was taken by the person whose name appears on the score report, for instance, stakeholders are left without reassurance in both the test’s integrity and the test taker’s identity. It is the test provider’s duty to ensure that their security measures be holistically designed and implemented to gain this trust – a duty that Skills for English takes seriously.
Our panel of experts, Kevin Jolly, Lilac Peterson, and Tom Williamson discuss what makes an English language test secure and how Skills for English tests exhibit gold-standard security practices.
Leading the way in fair, friendly and secure online testing
What is the online testing experience via PSI Bridge like for a Skills for English test taker? What is involved in live online proctoring? What are the quality assurance and security protocols implemented by PSI to ensure test takers are who they say they are and are taking the test in a fair and honest environment? Colleges and universities can rely on rigorous results obtained through engaging with PSI’s testing ecosystem. In this video, Lilac Peterson and Jonny Frank detail the Skills for English online test taker journey – covering pre, during and post-test stages. They share a range of user experience features, including proctoring infrastructure and procedures for special accommodations.
