New Aspects of Test Security
Joyce C. Lambert, Carolyn L. Lousteau, Page T. Mochetta · The journal · 2001
Increasingly, standardized examinations are being used to measure the performance of both students and schools. However important these tests may be, the more routine teacher-designed, teacher-administered examinations may be better for early detection of student and curriculum deficiencies. But if routine examinations are good measures of performance and good detectors of weaknesses, then the confidentiality of these tests must be as good as that of the standardized exams. Before computer generation of exams, lock and key was the usual method for maintaining the security of tests from development through storage. Additional procedures were in place if tests were typed or copied by a secretary. But have you ever considered the new ways in which your tests are vulnerable to unauthorized access if you store your test files on an office or home computer? In an attempt to determine how much educators about the security of their test files, we conducted a survey of collegiate educators. You can test your knowledge of file security by answering the survey questions, and comparing your results with our explanations and the survey responses. Test Your Knowledge of File Security In responding to the following statements with yes, no or don't know, assume the operating system used by the computer is Microsoft Windows 95 or 98. 1. If a test file is deleted from a computer, it is permanently erased and cannot be retrieved. 2. If a test file is deleted from a computer and the recycle bin is emptied, the file is permanently erased and cannot be retrieved. 3. Test files are secure at all times on an office computer if it is not connected to a network and if the test files are password-protected. 4. If the Internet is accessed and test files are password-protected, they are secure. 5. Test files on a networked office computer are always secure if they are password-protected. 6. Test files on a home computer networked to another home computer are secure if they are password-protected. 7. Test files on a Web page, such as Blackboard, are secure. Answers and Survey Responses If you answered yes or don't know to any of the survey questions, you may be living under a false illusion of security. The following explanations spell out some of the more important issues surrounding file security, while Table 1 shows the results of the survey, which had a 52.5% response rate. Table 1 Responses To Survey on Test Confidentiality Responses Survey Question Don't No Combined Number No Know Yes Response DK/Yes Question 1 Number of Responses 28 5 7 2 12 % of Total Responses 66.7% 11.9% 16.7% 4.8% 28.6% Question 2 Number of Responses 13 12 15 2 27 % of Total Responses 31% 28.6% 35.7% 4.8% 64.3% Question 3 Number of Responses 17 12 11 2 23 % of Total Responses 40.5% 28.6% 26.2% 4.8% 54.8% Question 4 Number of Responses 20 17 3 2 20 % of Total Responses 47.6% 40.5% 7.1% 4.8% 47.6% Question 5 Number of Responses 24 16 0 2 16 % of Total Responses 57.1% 38.1% 0.0% 4.8% 38.1% Question 6 Number of Responses 22 16 2 2 18 % of Total Responses 52.4% 38.1% 4.8% 4.8% 42.9% Question 7 Number of Responses 17 19 4 2 23 % of Total Responses 40.5% 45.2% 9.5% 4.8% 54.8% Surveys were sent to 80 professors, instructors and adjunct instructors in the college of education at a metropolitan university. Forty-two responses were received for a response rate of 52.5%. Two respondents provided only demographic information because they do not administer exams in their classes. …