Aggies Voice Opinions About Testing Centers

Utah State University students take exams in their classrooms during scheduled class times, while those at other Utah colleges and universities take exams in a testing center.

Associated Students of USU Academic Vice President-elect Karla Petty included in her platform she wanted to get a testing center at USU.

Stephanie Strasser, a senior majoring in public relations, said she previously attended a school that used testing centers.

"I would like a testing center if I was given an exact date and time to take the test," she said.

Strasser said she did not like being given an option of three days to take a test at the other school she attended. She said she would procrastinate studying until the last day the test was given.

BYU requires that students take exams in a testing center. The university wants to give professors more flexibility and students more time to take an exam, according to its Web site, http://testing.byu.edu.

The site gives conditions on waiting in line and estimates on how many students will take an exam on a certain day. The center administers about 800,000 tests every year, returning more than 1 million hours of teaching time to instructors and students, according to the Web site.

Hunter Checketts, a junior majoring in business, said, "I would not like the idea of a testing center. I think you take tests better in the environment you learned the information in, because it is easier to recall the information."

David Stein, department head of psychology, said, "Most students study for exams in the library or dormitory," so it does not make a difference where the exam is taken.

A testing center could have its advantages, he said, explaining that it may allow use of case examples on video tape and better cater to the individual student. Faculty would like the center, because it would improve the efficiency and quality of testing, Stein said.

Keeping students from cheating is not a likely problem at testing centers.

Strasser said students are required to sign in with an identification card, are assigned to a specific desk, and are watched by cameras.

Stein said, "Cheating would more likely happen in a classroom. If the testing centers had proctors, students would have a hard time cheating.

"When developing a testing center, it is important to ask how it would improve validity and reliability on testing," he said.

A testing center that could be set up for students to take exams over and over until mastery is achieved would be great for learning, Stein added.

By Lindsey Parrott; lindseyp@cc.usu.edu