ABSTRACT
Administration may not be much of an issue for informal, low-stakes, classroom assessment. But any teacher who has been asked to organise a more formal test or assessment for their institution will remember the painstaking effort that goes into making sure that everything goes smoothly. This is all in addition to actually designing the test, and producing the form to be used on the day. It includes everything from having enough copies of the test paper and answer sheets, ensuring that not a single copy is ‘misplaced’, and transporting the materials to a test venue that has been cleaned the evening before and set out according to written regulations so that desks are a set distance apart. Then there is arranging the correct number of invigilators/proctors for the number of test takers expected, ensuring that doors are unlocked, equipment (including lights, heating, air conditioning) is working properly, and that candidate identity can be checked and registered against a number that allows the matching of scores (following blind marking) to individuals. This means that databases have been adequately set up in advance, and candidates informed what they should bring to the test with them. In short, it is a complex planning process. When dealing with the administration of tests, it is always good practice to have a group of teachers working on these matters, each with their own particular responsibility, reporting to a group leader who will monitor task completion.
