StatiSense ® - Wale Micaiah © UTME 2013 Testing Modes: PPBT, DBT & CBT

Testing Modes Paper & Pencil Based Test (PPBT) Compute-Based Testing (CBT) Dual(Computer/Paper) Based (DBT)

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) introduced Compute-Based Testing (CBT) and Dual(Computer/Paper) Based (DBT) for the 2013 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination. A pilot test was carried out on 600 Students in Abuja; According to JAMB Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde said it was a testimony to the viability of the e-testing in line with global best practices for such examinations. “The e-testing option which we have test run and found effective has many advantages”:  It ensures prompt delivery of raw scores,  It eliminates cases of incomplete results,  Eliminates result blackout and  checks examination malpractice.

This is an exploratory study to find out how candidates embraced the new testing modes across the Nation as well as extract some intelligence from their preference which would help future planning when the Computer-Based Test (CBT) will be fully implemented in However, available statistics show that candidates still prefer the traditional Paper & Pencil Based test, this, many have attributed to Lack of Awareness, Infrastructural Development & lack of operational Computer Education as part of our secondary curriculum.

Testing Mode & Allocation Testing Mode Allocation% Paper & Pencil (PPBT) 1,672, Computer-Based (CBT) 105, Dual(Computer/Paper) Based (DBT) 15, ,793, % of total allocation went to the traditional testing mode – PPBT. While both CBT and DBT shared the remaining with DBT having less than 1% allocation (15,008)

Advantages:  CBT being an innovation in the assessment system  the accuracy and time saving of CBT  ease of recording and changing answers  the richness of the computer interface  the Standardization of test environment  comfortable and enjoyable to take  checking examination malpractices  eliminating cases of incomplete results  prompt release of results – 30mins according to JAMB Disadvantages:  reading from the electronic medium is slower, about 20 – 30%  reading from computer is less accurate to paper  first unpleasant and uncomfortable CBT experience  Physical and psychological problems caused by CBT, such as eye fatigue and boredom  test indicator of time remaining affects students’ coordination  difficulty of page scrolling  unforeseen technical fault with computer hardware and software Advantage & Disadvantage of CBT

Candidates’ Preference Testing ModeAllocationUsedUnused PPBT1,672,9201,629,11143,809 CBT105,68591,61014,075 DBT15, ,793,6131,735,72957,884 Apparently, PPBT was candidates’ most preferred choice. First, for having the highest allocation. Second, for being the only mode Candidates have been tested in previous examinations in secondary schools.

Allocation & ‘Used’ Percentage Testing ModeAllocationUsed% Used PPBT1,672,9201,629, CBT105,68591, DBT15, ,793,6131,735,729 This shows that DBT was the preferred choice for Candidates as all slots allocated for the exam were used up. PPBT was almost exhausted, 97.38%. This shows that there is a shift from the traditional mode of testing.

13.32% of slots allocated to CBT were unused while PPBT got 2.62%. Testing ModeAllocationUnused% Unused PPBT1,672,92043, CBT105,68514, DBT15, ,793,61357,884 Allocation & ‘Unused’ Percentage Clearly, it shows candidates embraced DBT compared to other modes and this shows that instead of a sudden introduction and replacement of PPBT with CBT, a gradual introduction of CBT, manifested as DBT, would ease the shock for candidates and encourage acceptance as a mode of testing.

DBT as Preferred Choice JAMB should embark on a gradual change from PPBT to CBT using the DBT approach. We therefore need to answer the following questions:  Where (State/LGA) do we have highest acceptance of CBT as the preferred test mode?  Where are the concentration of DBT as the preferred test mode?  How best to introduce CBT seeing that it is a more cost effective testing mode?

The UTME was conducted in all the 36 States of the Federation, the FCT and some Foreign countries – Cameroun, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Republic of Benin and South Africa. In all, there were 43 test States. ModeLocationsTotal PPBT Held in all States except Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Britain and South Africa 39 CBT Held in all States except in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Cameroun, Taraba, Yobe 38 DBT Held in all States except in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Cameroun, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Republic of Benin, South Africa, Taraba and Yobe 33 Test Mode & Locations

A total of 589 centres were utilized for the UTME 2013, scattered across different locations (in the previous slide). ModeTotal%Preference % PPBT CBT DBT Test Mode & Centres Despite low preference for CBT, there are some areas where CBT is highly preferred, therefore it will be more beneficial to study the character /disposition of Candidates in these places in order to come up with suitable adverts and awareness that would most likely help them to embrace the new mode of testing.

The table above shows there are different perception to CBT, while allocated slots were totally used up in some locations, others were partially and fairly used. UsageLocations 100% Anambra, Delta, Imo, Lagos, Osun, Oyo 90 – 99% FCT-Abuja, Kano, Edo, Akwa-Ibom, Nassarawa, Plateau, Rivers 80 – 89% Cross-River, Ondo, Kwara, Abia, Niger, Kaduna, Enugu 70 – 79% Ekiti, Benue, Ogun, Sokoto 60 – 69% Kogi, Ebonyi 50 – 59% Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kebbi 40 – 49% Borno, Gombe, Britain 0 – 39% Ghana, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Republic Of Benin CBT Test Mode & Usage Percentage

This goes to show that the different awareness/education would be required in respect of usage percentages in these locations. For instance, little awareness would be required in places like FCT, Kano, Edo compared to Kogi, Ebonyi, Borno, Gombe and Kebbi States. CBT Test Mode & Usage Percentage Finally, since more Candidates preferred DBT to CBT, it is important to go through this route in the hope that a phase-by-phase introduction of DBT would eventually make us arrive at the final destination of using CBT as the preferred test mode for most Standardized Tests in Nigeria. It was also observed that in some States that could not achieve 100% usage, their were centres or areas where 100% usage was achieved. E.g. Abia state though achieved 86.94% usage, CBT centres in Aba and Umudike achieved 100% usage. Bauchi state, though with a 53.32% usage rate, achieved 100% in Bauchi and Yelwa centres.

A phase approach to CBT would help students accept it as a norm. Suggested Approach PhaseApproachAction 1 Ensuring that computer education is actively taught in schools from Junior Secondary Classes with the help of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Communication Technology Continuous – from Junior to Senior secondary schools 2 Partner with private sector to create testing centres (like Cyber cafes) where candidate can pay for testing time and practice mock exams Register & license interested centres 3 Engage the mass media actively with sensitization and education on the use of CBT Ministry of Information & National Orientation Agency 4 Conduct pilot tests in at least one state in each geo-political zone with at least 10% of last year’s total candidates as subject Use the 2013 application to know where this is needed 5 Evaluate the result and take an empirical decision based on its outcome PPBT and DBT

JAMB must understand that CBT is a sudden change to what candidates have been used to (PPBT), therefore a systematic approach - as itemized in this study - would need to be used in order to achieve the desired result. If Candidates are well informed and have the required capacity to take tests through CBT, very few effort would be required to convince them.

Freely share use and acknowledge the source – © Wale Micaiah Data source: -UTME 2013 applicant test mode choices, extracted from JAMB website. Analysis by: Wale Micaiah e: m: b: walemicaiah.blog.com w.