DIGITAL QUESTION BANKING: A COMPARISON OF MANUAL AND ELECTRONIC QUESTION PAPER DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Educational assessors are adopting automated test development tools to reduce examination paper leakages and to increase efficiency in their work. In this regard, the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) has adopted the Grademaker, a digital Item bank. This study adopted an experimental design approach to review the efficiency of the software in comparison with an existing manual development process. The intervention was then evaluated to test its effectiveness in solving the problem during which time pertinent observations were made in various forms. Instruments used to collect data were questionnaires and interviews. Subject managers at ZIMSEC, Item writers, Vetters and Proof readers were the main respondents in this survey. Results show that electronic systems are user friendly, interactive and more secure because they have security features that ensure the security of Question papers and non-leakage. The tracker within the software ensures that papers are not predictable from one year to another. They are also friendly to the environment by reducing the amount of paper used. This study recommends that examination boards adopt the technology to ensure credibility of examinations. Manual systems are easier to use but require more manpower.