In the third of a series of at least 26 white papers on performance testing, Wallace Judd, Ph.D., discusses the benefits of audio testing. The paper is titled, “Benefits of Audio Exams.”
Judd defines audio testing as a conversation between the candidate and a phone or computer. The audio interview allows the candidate to demonstrate knowledge without the clues inherent in multiple-choice testing.
While audio testing might be seen as a form of short-answer constructed response, it has elements written short-answer tests do not have. Among those is the possibility of measuring response latency, or how long the candidate hesitates before answering a question.
The white paper mentions various contexts where audio testing is useful. Some of those contexts are:
• Can a crane operator immediately recognize signals given by a signalperson?
• Can a realtor identify a home type?
• Can a car salesman articulate the essential features of a car model?
The papers in this series are intended to be a resource for test developers, illustrating best practices in the performance-testing industry. They provide advice on performance testing topics from initial concept to test delivery.
These topics are presented in language that does not assume study in psychometrics.
The mathematics of any topics are expressed in abbreviated terms instead of the Greek alphabet, and all computations are illustrated in Excel examples.
The papers are published by Authentic Testing, leaders in the field of performance testing, in the hope that they will expand access to performance testing to a wider audience of practitioners, inspiring them to explore the possibilities inherent in performance testing.