Pruebas de ubicación, clases de inglés, CEL UTP

Current Practice, Placement Test for English Classes, CEL UTP

Test procedure and format
-students call office to hold "cupo" for test, administered 1-2 weeks prior to start of new session
-am test begins at 10:00, pm test begins at 3:30
-approximately 50 students are accepted for each testing period
-test has two parts, one is written, and the other is oral (listening and speaking):
*written test (given on paper)
-100 discrete point items, multiple choice (a-d)
-students answer as many as possible, no set time limit
-teachers manually grade the results, number correct is matched to a chart showing corresponding level
*oral interview (student with teacher)
-questions begin with "what is your name", "spell your last name"
-students answer as they are able and their responses are rated by interviewer as "0= incorrect answer", "1= correct answer, grammar incorrect", and "2= correct answer and grammar is correct." A "0" is given when students say "no entiendo", and the teacher stops the test when the student has three consecutive "0's."
-as interview continues, question become more complex (past tense, future tense, giving advice...)
-questions 1-15 test oral comprehension and production on general topics
-questions 16-27 involve photos (drawings, time line), and questions are more grammatically complex

Observations
-teachers sign up for test administration, spend approx. 3-4 hours conducting interviews and grading written portion
-EE would like to streamline the process so that teachers are not spending so much time grading written portion / oral interview should be shortened
-possible solution = online written test
*advantages = computer grades written portion
*considerations
-how many computers are available for students
-what platform is compatible for existing computers in lab

Alternative #1, CD "mm publications"

Description
-opens in Macromedia Flash Player
-contains two versions, American English and British English
-there are two parts, 50 items in each part (multiple choice, "a", "b", or "c")
-40 minutes alloted for each part
-option to click "skip" if answer unknown
-advised not to answer at random because points are deducted for wrong answers
-listen to audio file and decide correct answer
My comments
-no contextualization
-themes are random and quite strange, speakers are "forced" (acting)
-would not recommend

Alternative #2, CD-rom from Oxford University Press, "Quick Placement Test"
http://www.oup.com/us/corporate/publishingprograms/esl/titles/tests/qpt/?view=usa