Constraints in Teacher Training for Computer Assisted Language Testing Implementation

Abstract

Many ELT examinations have gone online in the last few years and a large number of educational institutions have also started considering the possibility of implementing their own tests. This paper deals with the training of a group of 24 ELT teachers in the Region of Valencia (Spain). In 2007, the Ministry of Education provided funds to determine whether it would be possible to implement an online University Entrance Examination (P.A.U.) in Spain at the national level. The project was to address three main areas: the technology, the students and the teachers. In relation to the teachers, the focus of this paper, the project was to investigate whether there were any changes in their routines, teaching methodology and attitudes towards assessment using technology. This brief study focuses on one of the last tasks in the preparation stage for implementation of the computerized exam, and it is intended to predict and observe the teachers' reactions towards computer assisted language testing, the new test and the new test design. The findings shed light on the teachers' internal changes and their changes in attitude throughout the process.