2003 IMTA Proceedings - International Military Testing Association

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digitized answer files (saved to Secure Digital (SD) cards) back to the Center, in a manner
similar to the way completed machine-scoreable answer sheets are sent back now. These answer
files will be formatted so the results can be processed and item statistics evaluated without
requiring any modification to current procedures.
HARDWARE ISSUES
Hardware Platform Selection
Any shift to an electronic advancement exam process would be predicated on the
availability of a sufficient number of appropriately located and configured computing devices to
support delivery of the exams. A fundamental issue addressed by the Team was that an
insufficient quantity of suitable computers currently exists in the fleet. Since this meant that
equipment procurement was required, and because there have been advances in technology and
decreases in equipment costs in the year since Baisden and Rymsza (2002) performed their
original Phase I study, taking another look at the suitability of various devices for use in exam
delivery was justified.
At the start of Phase II, the latest models of Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) were
reviewed. A major concern remained that, in delivering multimedia questions, the small screen
size would require the test taker to toggle between two screens or scroll to see the content of each
question. Also, testing to determine maximum useful battery life indicated an operating duration
of just slightly over two hours - insufficient to deliver a three-hour exam. The PDA was
therefore eliminated as a delivery vehicle for the foreseeable future.
Another potential exam delivery platform evaluated in the Phase I effort was a tablet
computer. The recent release of Windows XP Tablet Edition, with its integrated support for
stylus operation and handwriting recognition, raised the possibility of delivering exams in a
manner that closely replicated the “pencil and paper” approach so familiar to Sailors.
Additionally, the extended screen height of tablet computers permitted questions with larger
content (like graphic alternative choices) to be viewed on-screen without requiring the user to
scroll. Evaluation of the Electrovaya Scribbler indicated that it has sufficient battery life to
deliver a three-hour exam with an adequate reserve capacity. However, at almost $2,800 per
unit, this unit was determined to be too costly to acquire in the quantity necessary to support
deployment of an electronic exam system.
While brief consideration was given to the idea of using desktop PCs due to the very
aggressive pricing available (typically half the cost of a similarly equipped notebook computer),
shipping costs and other logistical issues associated with deploying desktop systems and
returning them after the exam cycle left notebooks as the most promising option. Management
determined that, due to budgetary constraints, $1,000 was the target price for the initial Phase II
transition systems. After surveying the offerings of the major computer vendors with whom the
government has purchasing agreements, the Gateway M305E notebook computer was selected.
System testing identified that, when outfitted with a high-capacity (4400 mAh) lithium-ion
battery, the system delivered a 3 hour and 40 minute battery life when running BWS
BatteryMark (Version 1.0) set to simulate usage similar to that expected when delivering an
45 th Annual Conference of the International Military Testing Association
Pensacola, Florida, 3-6 November 2003