Computer Based Testing, Computer Based Assessment, E-Test, E-Examination or Computer Aided Assessment has been the buzz word used interchangeably in recent texts and scenarios to mean the use of information technology for many assessment – related activity. These phrases define a wide range of student activities ranging from the use of a word processor to on-screen e-testing. Furthermore, in definable term, Computer Based assessment  is a broad based scenario that encompasses a large variety of assessment types,  purposes, test delivery designs and items types appropriated for educational accountability and achievement  testing,  university and polytechnic admission testing, professional certification testing, intelligence testing, psychological testing, intelligence testing , adult education, recruitment and military use.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTER BASED ASSESSMENT.

As the delivery of computer based assessment has evolved over years, two major delivery modes has come to stay; offline mode ( standalone or networked system) and online mode ( Internet based computer assessment)

OFFLINE MODE: With this mode, computer based assessment is delivered without the use of internet. Thus, the question banks are provided locally through  a server which serves client computers in a networked system or locally available within the consuming personal computer. Examples of this include Avalanche PK 2014 student Version and Avalanche PK enterprise Version.

ONLINE MODE:  With this mode, computer based assessment is delivered with the use of internet. The end user are being served with questions from a remote server. The full administration and management  is done at the remote  server. Example of online mode is Avalanche Free test available at http://examtone.com

	ONLINE	OFFLINE
COVERAGE	This exam can span different  geographical location at a time	Spans only within the limit of the local network.  Preferably, limited within a building
RELIABILITY IN TIME OF POWER OUTAGE AND INTERNET CONNECTION	Student’s data and examination records are being synchronized immediately to a remote server. Thus, high reliability	Power outage may affect examination depending on the design of the exam software.
MAINTENANCE COST	It is relatively high. Cost of maintaining and hosting a remote server	It is relatively cheap except in cases where examination spans multi –physical location
SECURITY	It is relatively not secure as internet based applications are susceptible to different attacks .	Relatively secure in a closed network and can be  supervised appropriately
EXAM SOFTWARE AVAILABLE	Avalanche  Pk student Version Avalanche PK Enterprise Version Avalanche Flex	Avalanche Free online test
PLATFORM PORTABILITY	Can be used on most Operating System; whether Android, chrome Wimdows or Linux	You will to get device specific  version like Avalanche PK student version for windows PC

BENEFITS OF COMPUTER BASED ASSESSMENT PARTICULARLY OVER PAPER-PENCIL METHOD

1.    Significant  Cost Reduction

• Reduced Price in logistics and transportation of examination papers and   bank charges for securing exam papers
• No printing required

  2.   Secured examination

• No paper leaks or exam leaks
• No partial treatments as questions are mostly randomly selected irrespective of race on relationship or social status.
• Impartial marking of exam

 3.   Record Keeping

• Most computer based exam software provides an automated students exam record keeping functionalities

4.   Time Management

• Increased report delivery time as most  examination software  provide  instantaneous  result print –out
• Reduced time of conducting an examination as most users pre-examination requirements like registration of students are  automated

 5.  Going Green

• In an environment, where ‘green’ is highly appreciated, you will be saving large amount of paper  by using computer based test.