Talking digital exams with Jesse Dvorchak

As digital exams become more of a reality for students around the world, it’s never been more important to ensure this technology is implemented in a way that helps students and schools – and OCR is helping make this a reality in the UK. 

OCR has been pioneering the use of new technology to improve assessment by going beyond the limits of paper-based exams and reflecting the nature of a subject in a more authentic way. But it’s students and teachers, not just the technology itself, that are central to this project. Jesse Dvorchak has been one of those leading this work for Cambridge University Press & Assessment and its UK exam board OCR, and explains why this is fundamentally a project about people in a new video.

Jesse is Deputy Director, Digital Products and Services Innovation for Cambridge University Press & Assessment. OCR’s plans for digital exams are part of a wider project on digital assessment taking advantage of the unique extensive experience and knowledge at Cambridge. As Jesse explains: “We’re lucky enough to have the Assessment and Research Department (ARD) here at Cambridge, which offers a huge wealth of knowledge that is supporting our digital exam research overall.” This is supplemented further by the global experience of the organisation, delivering assessments to millions of learners in diverse contexts internationally.

Years of research

OCR is working towards something that would be a first for the UK – the option of a fully digitally assessed GCSE in Computer Science, which more authentically reflects the nature of the course itself. Digital exams would not be mandatory – the option of paper exams will remain – but Jesse believes that it will better reflect the world that students will be learning and working in. As Jesse explains, it can help “prepare students for the 21^st Century workplace.”

Introducing the option of digital exams is not something OCR is doing lightly – it is based on years of research, including continual and ongoing consultation with schools and students. This year alone, hundreds of students around the country have given their feedback on the digital exams.

On top of this feedback, Jesse and her colleagues have been analysing the performance of students in digital mocks, and comparing this with paper-based exams, to ensure the move to digital will not impact on student performance. The data from the latest round of digital mocks, December – March 2024, is currently being analysed along with over 200 student responses.

Improving the experience and integrity of exams

The reason for this meticulous planning and consultation is simple: assessment is about supporting students, and improvements should always be focused on how to authentically measure subject content, and improve the experience and integrity of exams for those students.

This is at the heart of OCR’s digital assessment work, and the reason Jesse is so passionate about it: “It’s a gift because fundamentally we’re changing students’ futures. It’s an opportunity to support the future of education by providing this option to schools.

“It’s just such an exciting opportunity to be really thinking about how we can do this differently and better and really be progressing the future of assessment.”

Watch the video