Innovating for exam programs facing an ever-evolving industry

Speaker(s):
Erik Meyer, Pearson VUE
Liberty Munson, Microsoft
Marc Weinstein, Marc J. Weinstein, PLLC
Pat Ward, ITS

Session description:
Since the release of Generative AI (GAI), the conversation has evolved in many directions. This panel of industry experts will continue the discussion that began in 2023, examining the changes over the past year. They will share detailed insights, impacts, and examples of these changes due to GAI.

The panel will address the comprehensive impacts on the test development process, including legal, human, programmatic, and technological aspects. Each expert, a key influencer in their field, will help programs understand the following elements:
What has changed?
What are the current views?
How are programs adapting?
How has the legal landscape shifted?
Are there new outcomes or tools to consider?
What are the major shifts in test development?

This session aims to provide a thorough understanding of the evolving landscape in test development due to GAI

Speaker(s)
Dr. Casey Marks, ICS2
Harry Samit, Pearson VUE

Session description:
The pandemic compelled many testing programs to swiftly adopt online proctoring, with some later abandoning it while others continue to offer it alongside in-person options. This session provides a balanced view of online proctoring's impact on the testing industry, featuring insights from organizations that have embraced this technology as well as those that have discontinued it. You'll explore its advantages, such as increased candidate reach, and drawbacks, including potential integrity risks. Ideal for professionals navigating online proctoring decisions, this presentation showcases the industry's adaptation to unprecedented challenges. Through real-world examples, discover how testing programs balance innovation with integrity, and strategies to enhance your program's resilience in an evolving assessment landscape.

Speaker(s)
Kirk Becker, Pearson VUE
Russell Smith, CompTIA
Mingqin Zhang, AWS

Session description:
Natural Language Processing (NLP) offers methods for understanding and quantifying the similarity between written documents. This session presents research from three organizations on the use of NLP for the identification of enemy and duplicate items to improve the maintenance of test item banks. Similar pairs of items can be identified using NLP, limiting the number of items content experts must review to identify enemy and duplicate items. Results show that previously unidentified enemy pairs can be discovered with this method with a high degree of accuracy.

Speaker(s)
Matt Robinson, Pearson VUE

Session description:
Exam programs strive to reach as many aspiring candidates as possible. Cognitive or sensory constructs that are unaccounted for during exam creation can impact the validity and reliability of the assessment and can inadvertently exclude otherwise qualified candidates with disabilities from obtaining licenses, certifications, or otherwise demonstrating mastery of a content domain.

This session will explore the process of creating an accessible exam by considering the accommodation and accessibility needs of test-takers during exam development and will focus on accessibility considerations across two broad categories: 1) the accessibility of exam platform(s), and 2) the accessibility of exam forms.

While this session is not intended to move you from novice to expert in accessibility, it will provide you with a broader perspective on the topic of exam accessibility, and to encourage your efforts in creating a more accessible and equitable exam experience for all test takers.

Speaker(s)
Debbie Bergtholdt, Pearson VUE

Session description:
Join other disability specialists for a valuable networking opportunity where we’ll explore current accommodations-related trends affecting testing organizations – most notably, the intersection of diversity and inclusion with test integrity and test security. We will discuss your experiences assisting candidates with their accommodation needs and learn best practices from policies other programs have implemented. Newly trending topics will be added to the discussion as they arise.

Speaker(s)
Debby Formica, CCMC
Russ Stroud, NCCPA
Samantha Sappington, DRC
Tracy Gernentz, Pearson VUE
Vicky Vander Woude, DRC

Session description:
Innovation in the RFP process is not just about using new tools, but also about adopting a mindset that values collaboration, flexibility, and strategic thinking. Through a blend of best practices and lessons learned, our panel will share key learnings over a combined 80 years of RFP experience in the testing industry.

It’s important to ensure clarity in the RFP document, set realistic timelines, establish clear evaluation criteria, and approach vendor selection without bias. Yet perhaps the most integral component of the RFP process is communicating and collaborating to help ensure successful implementation and delivery. Our panel will share real world experiences and recent examples of collaborating for success.

Participants will leave with a robust toolkit of best practices, including: crafting thoughtful, relevant questions; creating clear evaluation criteria; mitigating risk; and streamlining the RFP process.

Join us for an engaging discussion on RFP best practices for practical application, offering a comprehensive roadmap for professionals seeking to refine their approach to creating, responding to, and evaluating RFPs for sustained success.

Speaker(s)
Bob Blackwood, Pearson VUE
Ann Chacko, BSCP
David West, BSCP

Session description:
The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and Pearson VUE partnered to offer a new testing modality for BCSP candidates – an alternative to taking exams at testing centers. This innovative modality, called “Client-Proctored” (CP), features the ability to administer any combination of BCSP’s eight exams to a sponsor organization’s (SO) group of 5-30 candidates. BCSP provides the proctors, while the SO provides the testing room and computers. Exams are taken on computers that must meet defined technical requirements.

In its first two years, the CP program saw significant growth, with no sign of slowing down. BCSP launched the program in 2022. Two years later, in a single month (June 2024), there were more exams delivered by CP than there had been in all of 2022 and 2023 combined. In the first half of 2024, over 25% of one of BCSP’s exams were delivered by CP.

BCSP and Pearson VUE will present details on how/why the modality was developed, how it works, and how it has played an important role in BCSP’s growth year over year.