Working together...
Working together, iSTARTOnline and EDUTEST provide a smart online solution for schools and agents. iSTARTOnline manages and facilitates the service delivery while assessment is undertaken by EDUTEST. International school students applying for entry into schools in Australia, New Zealand or United Kingdom no matter where they are in the World can be easily tested online. This smart online methodology of educational assessment testing meets the needs of this IT-savvy student generation.
iSTARTOnline is proud to be associated with an outstanding school student educational assessment test designed for international school students - EDUTEST.
iSTARTOnline and EDUTEST jointly provide a fast delivery of reporting and EDUTEST outlines the segregated areas of ability across: English, Mathematics and Abstract Reasoning. Schools can make informed decisions regarding a student applicant and determine an appropriate pathway into the School should they accept the student enrolment.
AGENTS are now able to conduct and supervise their client students. They no longer need to send their clients to a competitor deemed to be a 'test centre'. This avoids unnecessary delays because a 'test centre' has no available space to test a student or cannot 'book' a student into the 'test centre' for the next week or more! Schools are able to extend the trust already placed in their appointed agents enabling them to test promptly under their supervision and within their own premises. It equates to fast results and decision-making for schools.
iSTARTOnline delivers EDUTEST Accreditation Training to agents worldwide, provides support and guidance and facilitates the registration process for EDUTEST. Once testing is completed, iSTARTOnline receives the resulting report results from EDUTEST to distribute back to agents and schools. Support for any troubleshooting or explanatory components of EDUTEST is never far away as EDUTEST is also maintaining a watchful presence as each student is tested. iSTARTOnline are taking EDUTEST to the World. iSTARTOnline is working with schools in Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom to introduce these schools to the accredited and trained agents worldwide.
The EDUTEST is the perfect testing platform for schools in Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom for on-shore testing of international student 'walk-ins'.
Online Testing...
Computer-Based Testing (CBT) Vs. Paper-Based Testing
On the 25th of February 2011 the BBC Today Programme invited Isabel Nisbet, the outgoing chief of the UK based qualifications watchdog, Ofqual, to discuss the issue of computer-based testing (CBT).
Ms Nisbet felt the topic an important issue. Her exact words were: "In the future, how things are tested should match how people learn and how they act."
This echoes back to one of the most important issues with language testing,as raised by Bachman and Palmer (1996) that tests should resemble the real thing for which they are testing. This was one of the criteria for test usefulness; authenticity. Because the way people, especially younger generations, interact with the world is largely going to be through a computer, testing and assessment should reflect that.
CBT allows for more accurate, secure, rapid and controlled test administration: from students sitting the test, to tests being marked and results being published, all the way through to researching those data and evaluating the test.
This is perhaps something critics of CBT would argue against, but it is believed that any scepticism on this part would be aimed at a mistrust of technology rather than a genuine belief that paper-based testing (PBT) is actually better in these respects. As long as the computers are reliable and secure there is no reason to doubt the claim that CBT is far superior in these respects.
Working with...
Our team.
Where a school may require a personal interview to be conducted iSTARTOnline appoints only qualified interviewers trained in interacting with students where English is not their first language. Should school staff wish to conduct their own speaking/listening interview, iSTARTOnline are able to provide support and guidance for remote interviewing procedures using various technologies available.
CELTA qualified Interviewers and trainers
Younger interviewers relate very well to younger students. Students relax more readily and overcome their nerves or shyness. The interview is more effective.
CELTA qualified Interviewers and trainers
iSTARTOnline's mature and experienced interviewers also assist with agent certificate accreditation training and provide support as required.
CELTA qualified Interviewers and trainers
For families anxious about their child undertaking an assessment test our mature interviewers are able to provide needed reassurance.