Studies examined student performance when given paper-and-pencil versus computer-based math and writing tasks from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The study results were released this month by the National Center for Education Statistics, which oversees the federal testing program. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In the mathematics study, nationally representative samples of 4th and 8th graders in 2001 took a computer-based mathematics test and a computer skills test, among other measures. Additionally, at the eighth grade, a control group of randomly selected students took a paper-based exam containing the same mathematics items as the computer-based test. The average scores of eighth graders who took the computerized test were about 4 points lower than those of those who took the paper version, a statistically significant difference. On average, 5% more students answered individual questions correctly on paper than on the computer. At both grade levels, students' ease with the computer, based on practice measures of input speed and accuracy, predicted their performance on the online exam. The writing study compared the performance of a nationally representative sample of eighth graders who took a computer-based writing test in 2002 with that of a second nationally representative sample of eighth graders who took took the same paper test as part of regular NAEP administration that year. Results showed that mean scores on the computer-based written test were generally not significantly different from mean scores on the paper-based exam. But, as with the math test, individual students with better practical computer skills tended to have higher online scores, after controlling for their level of writing ability on paper. NEWS Impact of paper-and-pencil and online tests compared by Lynn Olson Education Week of August 30, 2005. How students perform on computer-delivered tests depends, in part, on how familiar they are with the technology, concludes a series of studies conducted by the Princeton, N.J.-based Educational Testing Service.Arnold A. Goldstein, the director of reporting and dissemination for the NCES Division of Evaluation, said the findings suggest a possible problem in managing national online assessment, but that further research is needed. “I think we would need a larger field test in a more traditional NAEP testing context to determine that,” he said. Goldstein added that although this was a one-time study, the NCES, a branch of the U.S. Department of Education, may do additional work in the future to explore online assessment administration. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay No difference in reading speed and comprehension for online test takers. Many people assume that reading speed and comprehension on a computer will naturally be slower than reading on paper. However, several recent studies, such as the one conducted by psychologists Garland and Noyes in 2004, have concluded that there is no significant difference in reading speed, regardless of whether a.