With the increase in demand for technology-enhanced items (TEIs) for large-scale e-assessment that are interoperable (to enable sharing assessment items among various jurisdictions), two leading e-assessment organizations, Vretta (Canada) and Wiquid (France), have entered into a collaboration to deliver a unique solution that meets this need.

They are creating an innovative catalogue of Portable Custom Interactions (PCIs), that are essentially interoperable TEIs, for examination bodies, research institutions, and ministries of education to provide students with truly engaging and meaningful e-assessment experience. The Vretta-Wiquid partnership brings 20+ years of experience, delivering large-scale e-assessment solutions through data-driven strategies that focus on student-success.

The benefits of the interoperability of assessment items are more evident than ever before. The trend at a growing majority of examination bodies, research institutions, and ministries of education around the world has been steadily leaning towards collaborating and sharing large-scale e-assessment items for use in their jurisdictions.

PCIs are designed to follow best practices in interoperability, adhering to IMS Global Assessment Custom Interactions standards. Designed and developed to be inherently interoperable, PCIs allow for the creation of interactive assessment items without the need to worry about ensuring compatibility standards during development or transforming items later.

PCIs allow for a high level of customization in order to meet the needs of an institution or ministry looking to create custom e-assessment items, while providing deeper insight into student interactions which can inform teaching and learning decisions, as well as guide the development of future e-assessment items.

This feedback loop of a student’s interaction, to data collection, and then to item development, is an essential feature of PCIs. But it is wholly dependent on one element: engagement. It does not matter how much data the PCI has the potential to gather if students are not motivated to make the interaction in the first place. If student engagement is not front and centre in the development PCIs, the core feedback loop becomes less effective and could even potentially lead to incorrect assumptions about student behavior.

Given the benefits of PCIs and its increase in demand, Vretta and Wiquid have entered into a collaboration to deliver this solution on a large scale. At the heart of these developments is the focus on motivating student-interaction by creating PCIs that not only maintain the engagement of TEIs, but significantly increasing it.

To learn more about transforming the large-scale e-assessment experience in your jurisdiction, email info@vretta.com.