International Teachers' and Advisers' Conference 2018

Advances in artificial intelligence are changing the way international students' English ability is assessed. Automated scoring technology is providing a faster, more objective assessment of English ability than traditional test methods. This session explores the use of artificial intelligence to assess international students, considers student perceptions, and explores what students think about having their English language skills assessed by computer, how this has impacted their test preparation practices for PTE Academic, and the implications for admissions teams.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of this session, delegates will:

• learn where and how artificial intelligence is used in English language proficiency assessment of international students
• gain insights into how international students prepare for English language tests, and how cultural differences and attitudes impact on preparation strategies
• explore evidence of how machine-scored English tests (PTE Academic and Versant English Placement) are radically changing the face of English testing in the world, both through examples of institutional use, and student behaviour