There’s an old adage, often attributed to Benjamin Franklin, that failing to prepare is preparing to fail. The 6P Rule conveys a similar message, that Prior Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
Anyone who has ever had to take a test, exam or assessment will know this is sound advice. That’s why test preparation is such a fundamental stage of the test taker journey for any certification program. Getting test preparation right will support your test takers – and your testing programs – to succeed!
Flexible preparation options
Testing has become more flexible and convenient than ever with a multitude of options available to both testing organizations and test takers alike. The tools available to help test takers prepare have also transformed in line with these changes. For example, online courses and study materials with accessible practice tests offered anytime, anywhere. All supported by interactive resources in different formats to suit different learning styles
But how can testing organizations make decisions about the most appropriate and effective test preparation options for their certification programs and their test takers? Again, proper planning and preparation is the answer.
What the test will look like
The experience of taking a practice test comes with numerous benefits for test takers. Practice tests provide the opportunity to preview the test day experience:
- Under test conditions in a controlled environment
- In a limited time that replicates the actual test
With the advent of secure remote testing and online proctoring, practice tests now also give test takers the chance to get used to the:
- Test delivery platform and how to navigate around their online test
- Online proctoring technology and the processes involved
The increased familiarity and ease with technology that comes with practice tests goes a long way to reducing test taker anxiety. It also minimizes issues on test day and makes it far more likely a test taker will achieve their full potential. With the opportunity to take multiple practice tests, these benefits will be realized even further.
Developing your test prep strategy
For testing organizations thinking about adding practice tests to their portfolio, or enhancing their practice test offering, it might be useful to consider some key questions:
- Is the primary purpose of your practice tests to enhance the test taker experience?
- Are you hoping to reduce the administrative burden by decreasing test taker queries and issues on test day?
- Do you want to make practice tests more of an interactive experience that contributes to learning, with explanations and rationale for test results?
- Do you need your practice tests to engage test takers with content and appeal to different learning styles? For example, with audio or video?
The answers to these questions will help you identify the type of practice tests you need to achieve your objectives. From standard practice tests that provide test takers with a last-minute confidence check, to more advanced alternatives that feature a test readiness indicator, item rationale and a comprehensive scoring report, there are numerous practice test options for you to choose from.
Are practice tests a marketing tool for your programs?
Practice tests can be an effective marketing tool for your certification program. They are a vehicle to help you get the word out about your program content and benefits.
Learn more about marketing to your test takers here.
Practice tests have been shown to support the conversion from training to testing. For example, encouraging increased testing in industries such as IT where certification may not be mandatory. Micro-credentials are also worth considering, as they serve a similar purpose by providing an accessible introduction that often leads to further training and testing.
Learn more about Micro-credentials here.
Test Prep for the future
Practice tests are improving all the time and they are increasingly becoming an integrated part of the learning experience. Continue reading our guide Test Prep Options for Test Takers to learn more about the benefits of test preparation and how it can support your test takers and organizational goals.
