Page 32 - StudyTravel Magazine September/October 2021 Issue

DIRECTION

‘Facilitating mobility’ market’ test. It is the agents with the
exposure, network and influence to let
As with all sectors in the interna- schools know more about the test and
tional education industry, study travel suggest it to schools. Agents love the
agents play a vital role in the language availability (worldwide) of the test and
testing environment. the transparency of the test, as well
“Knowing the important role that as the IDAT’s team keenness to work
study travel agents play to facili- with and incentivise agents.”
tate international mobility, Michigan At ETS, Srikant notes, “Agents
Language Assessment is implement- are an important part of the study
ing a series of new outreach activities abroad ecosystem and are often one
to develop relationships and increase of the most influential touchpoints
engagement opportunities with for students as they navigate the
study travel agents,” offers Fer- study abroad process, often being
nando, with more details avail- students’ first stop for recommenda-
able on the company website. tions on where to study and which
Heidi at IDAT says, “The tests to take. We value our relation-
agents have been crucial ships with agents around the world,
in spreading the word to and several years ago, the TOEFL
schools about the IDAT. The IDAT Program rolled out an agent support
launched in 2018 as a ‘new-to- and incentive programme.”

been in a position to start remote received hundreds of thousands of Francesca Woodward, Chief Execu-
testing using their existing experience registrations for this exam since its tive of Cambridge Assessment English
in this area. launch [not tests taken]. He says, https://www.cambridgeenglish.
Heidi notes, “Lockdowns have “Decisions regarding in-person testing org/, which offers Cambridge Eng-
meant that students are not able to for the TOEFL iBT test continue to be lish Qualifications, Linguaskill, and
attend a proctored site to take the made on a case-by-case basis to align Cambridge English Teaching qualifica-
test. In cities where IDAT does not with local guidance and recommenda- tions, and also co-owns IELTS, says,
already have a testing centre, we use tions on what is appropriate and safe “Working closely with our colleagues
external proctoring services of col- for test-takers and test centre staff.” at Cambridge University Press through
leges, universities and other schools. Fernando Fleurquin at Michigan the pandemic, we have concentrated
With most business limiting patrons Language Assessment https://michi- on providing a much richer digital
being allowed into their sites, this ganassessment.org/, which provides learning offer, from online and virtual
meant that IDAT needed to create a the Michigan English Test (MET) and a learning to game-based learning.”
secure way to deliver the test online range of other English language profi- Brano notes that TrackTest has
for cities in lockdown or where proc- ciency exams, says the most impor- offered optional online proctoring
toring was not available. This led to the tant change for the company this year since 2018, allowing the assessment
IDAT Secure 360 proctoring in homes.” has been the digital transformation of centres to be able to switch to remote
IDAT will continue with the IDAT two of its exams. He adds, “MET Go! testing almost immediately. “How-
Secure 360 scheme in 2022 and for as Digital was successfully launched in ever, we expect that most of them
long as required to help give students April 2021 as a new and flexible option will return to the in-class assessment
the ability to take the test remotely, for schools to offer to upper primary using the online platform once the
she adds. and lower secondary students. This situation allows it,” he adds.
ETS developed a solution for test- exam can now be offered at home or
takers and institutions, introducing at a test centre. MET Digital will launch Validity and value
the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition in October 2021. Test-takers have
remote test in March 2020, which has access to MET Digital, in person or Debates surrounding test
since been renamed TOEFL iBT Home online, almost anywhere in the world, security and the validity of
Edition. Srikant notes that ETS has any day of the year.” test results continue among

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