Pupils sit paperless exam
GCSE pupils in Northern Ireland have scored a first by sitting paperless exams on computers.
Nearly 300 schoolchildren from seven schools across the province took part in a unique experiment - sitting mock science exams delivered electronically to computer screens in their classrooms.
The trials are part of a ground-breaking project being run by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessments Northern Ireland to develop paperless exams.
Half the children sat on-screen tests in biology, chemistry and physics while the rest sat them by the traditional pen and paper method - and were given 15 minutes less to complete each paper.
The trial could provide the path to the future but there are problems to be ironed out.
They include the length of time pupils can sit in front of a computer screen without taking a break, differing access to technology between schools and differing keyboard skills among pupils and that of children overlooking each other's screens.
But Roger McCune, CCEA qualifications manager, praised the role played by all the pupils taking part.
He said schools entered their pupils via e-mail and the night before the exam test papers were sent down the line to schools.
As pupils logged on to their computers for the exam the same test paper appeared on screen as was sat by pupils being tested by pen and paper.
The exam was completed on screen and at the end of the allotted time the online exam papers automatically closed on screen and were returned electronically to the CCEA.
