On May 16th, a malfunction occurred on the online Advanced Placement Psychology exam. It caused panic nationwide in the education system. Teachers were confused, and students became increasingly anxious and stressed, leaving everyone on edge. Some schools canceled it for the day and rescheduled it, while others allowed students to wait and resume it the same day at 2:00 p.m. According to Ars Technica, “The problem affected nearly 10,000 students, and several thousand more may have lost some testing time if they were asked by their room monitor to reboot their devices during the test to fix and prevent the auto-submit error.” Online testing is a useful resource, but we shouldn’t be dependent on it until the technology is more reliable.
Mr. Counsell
Mr. Counsell, the AP Psychology teacher at NBW, said the exam being delayed caused mixed feelings for students. He said some were relieved they had more study time, while others weren’t really stressed, but disappointed they couldn’t take the test because they were prepared for it. When something like this happens, he reminds his students to be patient and remember some calming techniques they learned in class. With there being online exams, Mr. Counsell plans to tell his future students that there is always a possibility for a delay or glitch in the system.
Should We Have Online Exams?
The recent nationwide delay of the AP Psychology exam raises an important question: Should the College Board move toward offering online AP exams more consistently? While digital testing offers advantages like greater flexibility for students, saving trees, and faster grading, it also brings significant challenges. Not all schools have reliable internet access, and there is a risk of a glitch or delay because of the College Board’s software not working. Still, the pandemic proved that online assessments can work when designed correctly. If the College Board invests in secure platforms and ensures that all students have the tools they need, online testing could become better, but not a replacement. The goal should be to make AP testing easier, consistent, and responsive to the challenges students face. As education systems develop more and gain better technology, exams should also evolve with them.
