Local residents see higher passing rate on new computer-based GED test By REGINA DENNIS rdennis@wacotrib Linda Cunningham wanted to pace herself while earning her GED. The Mexia resident began taking prep classes at Navarro College in February, then signed up to take the five-part exam at the GED testing center at Texas State Technical College. But to avoid taking the full exam all at once and instead tackle the sections one at a time, the 66-year-old had to take the new computer format instead of the traditional paper test. “I’m not totally blank about computers. I know a little bit but not a whole lot on how to operate them,” said Cunningham, adding that she owns a tablet device. Cunningham passed each section on the first try, most recently completing the math test last Monday to earn her GED. Her success mirrors a statewide trend in which Texas residents are passing the new computer-based test at a higher rate than the paper format. About 83 percent of testers have passed the computer exam this year at Texas State Technical College’s testing center, compared to about 67 percent of residents who took the paper format, TSTC testing Administrator Karen Armstead said. Statewide, about 90 percent of GED testers pass the computer format, according to statistics from provider GED Testing Service. The company also said test-takers finish the computer exam at a faster pace, taking 90 minutes less on average to complete the full five-part exam. “They’re used to being on computers, lots of them,” Armstead said of the computer testers. “They think they’re able to focus better. ... Imagine with the paper-pencil test, you have that scantron that you’re bubbling and going back (to double-check). With the computer, you’re just clicking and moving through.” The switch to the computer format was sparked by an upcoming overhaul of the GED that goes into effect next year, which would include administering the test solely on computers. TSTC in March became the first testing site in Texas to offer the computer-based test. Armstead said the first computer tester, Kourtney Hamlin, passed on her first attempt and received her GED in a May graduation ceremony at Baylor University’s Ferrell Center. Easy to navigate Since then, 320 residents have taken that exam. Some, like Cunningham, had some initial reservations about using the computer for the exam, but later found the system easy to navigate. “Some of them do come in with a little anxiety about the computer, and so we tell them, ‘Think of the mouse as your pencil, and you’re reading and clicking versus reading and shading (on a scantron),’” test administrator Harriet Foreman said. “And that sort of helps them become more comfortable.” The greatest advantage of the computer test is testers learn their preliminary scores immediately, except for the essay portion. Armstead said residents usually have to wait up to three weeks for their paper test scores to arrive in the mail. “We have people trying to go to college (or) their jobs are depending on it, they want to know an answer quickly,” Armstead said. “And it helps motivate them for the next test, and they go, ‘Oh, that wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.’” TSTC is also able to schedule more students to take the computer exam in a given day. With the paper test, students all had to take the same test at once, which would limit testers on which days they could take or retest on certain sections. Since the computer test administers exams individually, test-takers can schedule to take any section at their convenience. There are some drawbacks on the exam, including cost. Students pay an extra $35 to take all five sections at once compared to the paper test, while individual subject tests cost $10 more. Through Aug. 31, GED Testing is offering students one free retest in any subject as a cost-relief measure. TSTC will administer the paper test for two weeks in September before phasing it out completely. Technology glitches But there are technology glitches to work out. Cunningham said during her math test, the on-screen calculator would not work, so she had to work out the problems in her head. Another tester, Christopher Jones, said the test does not display reading passages alongside questions, requiring testers to click open a pop-up screen instead. “It seemed like more of a nuisance, but I still liked it more on the computer than I did on that piece of paper,” said Jones, 24. Jones took the full test on paper but had to retake the reading portion on the computer last week. Jones was laid off from his department manager jobs at Walmart and H-E-B four months ago, just before his wedding and the birth of his first son, and needed his GED to enroll in the telecommunications technology program at TSTC. “I’m trying to get everything back on track,” Jones said. “As soon as I got signed up for my GED and took the first test, I started signing up (for classes) because if I’m going to do this, I want to jump full-force into it and get it done.” The new GED test that will debut next year will be geared more to college-minded students like Jones. Armstead said the test is designed to gauge students’ college readiness instead of just mastery of high school-level concepts. It will include four test areas instead of five, condensing reading and writing into one. Armstead said the new test will also include some writing in each section, such as fill-in-the-blank or open-ended questions. The test is expected to cost the same as the current computer model, she said. 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Posted on: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 21:45:39 +0000
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