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5 Useful Ways to Prepare for Online Tests This Year

With students in and out of class and the end of the school year rapidly approaching, we wanted to take a minute to share some tools and techniques to help you whilst you prepare for online tests, whatever they may look like this year.

The last year has proven more than ever that teaching and learning is about more than just a test. It is about ensuring that your students have built up – and have retained – the right knowledge throughout their school years, and have the skills to progress to whatever they want to do next. 

1. Formative testing

Formative assessment is crucial for identifying knowledge gaps early on, and providing accurate and early interventions.

  • Utilise the built-in formative assessment tools of your online teaching platform, like Yes and No buttons, or have students hold up coloured sticky notes in a traffic-light system. These can help you to assess understanding before moving onto to a new topic.
  • Track student data as they progress through the set topics, by tagging quizzes to curricula and standards. The Quizalize library contains thousands of pre-tagged quizzes you can assign to start getting Mastery data today! Can’t see your curriculum on our site? Let us know!

2. Personalise learning

To keep up motivation and engagement, it’s important that students feel involved in the direction of their learning as they prepare for online tests.

  • Make time for one-to-one conversations with students which allow them to share how they feel they are progressing, or use an online forum for personal assessment reviews.

3. Introduce competition to online test preparation

The word ‘test’ can insight fear, dread, or just plain boredom. 

Introducing gamified testing into the classroom transforms assessments from a scary task to a fun opportunity to prove your knowledge.

Gamified learning helps students prepare for online exams

4. Make sure your students are confident with the tech

Most classes are now taking place in the virtual world, and your students may have already reached a pretty high level of tech literacy. 

However, from website navigation to countdown clocks, online testing can still be a daunting experience.

  • Incorporate regular timer-based exercises, to allow students to become more confident with online testing.
  • If possible, show the students a demo of the testing platform before their assessment day. If they know what to expect, they can focus on their subject knowledge rather than the test site itself. 
  • Put a clear system in place for if things go wrong on assessment day. Shakey wifi or a web link not working? Make sure they know who they can talk to on the day so they are reassured that circumstances outside of their control won’t have an impact on their results.
Help students prepare for online tests by familiarising them with the right tech

5. Look after yourself!

This April marks stress awareness month

In the run up to test season, we (quite rightly) focus on the stress that our students are facing. However, teachers also experience a huge amount of pressure as we prepare for online tests! 

This year more than ever, a huge range of factors will affect the performance of your students, and it’s important that you are gentle with yourself. 

  • Connect with colleagues. More than likely, you’re not the only one feeling the pressure of test season. Chat with other teachers and share tips on how to deal with the pressure.
  • If you’re teaching online all day, make sure you schedule regular breaks away from your computer screen. 
  • Take some time out to do something you enjoy! From exercise to craft, or a zoom call with friends, make sure you take time out for yourself.
  • Any tips you share with your students, remember to apply them to yourself! You could even introduce some stress-busting activities into the classroom. For example, try a 2 minute meditation at the beginning of class. 
Don't forget to take care of yourself as well as your students as you prepare for online tests!

SIGNUP HERE for UPDATES of new pre-tagged content to help you track mastery through your standards throughout the year.

How are you preparing for tests this year? We would love to hear your tips in the comments below!

4 thoughts on “5 Useful Ways to Prepare for Online Tests This Year”

  1. Nowadays, online tests are more and more popular. I’m still not familiar with online tests, so the results are not good. The tips you shared may be helpful to me. I will apply them to prepare for my upcoming test. Thanks for sharing.

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