PSI has partnered with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) since 2020, successfully transitioning music theory exams from paper-based to computer based testing. Moving from in-person testing to record and review online proctoring and from limited testing windows to on-demand testing, this partnership delivered over 78,000 exams in 2023 compared with just under 68,000 in 2021.
The facts and stats only tell a part of the story. While ABRSM wanted to modernize the way they deliver music theory exams to a global audience, a key driver was the need to put the learner at the center of the testing experience. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) were fundamental to this project at every stage of the assessment lifecycle.
DE&I considerations
Having been a very traditional pen and paper format in an exam hall setting for many years, we needed to focus on the benefits of accessibility when working with ABRSM to create their online exams. This included:
1. Test location and time
Before ABRSM moved to remote online assessments, exams were held at pre-determined in-person sessions up to three or four times per year. Test takers needed to go to a venue which was rarely their own school or music center and exams were often held on week days.
These factors all added to test taker anxiety, inconvenience, and expense. The infrequency of exam sessions also restricted learners who wanted to progress to more advanced practical grade exams. In addition, the administrative load on the ABRSM team of securely managing hard copy exams across the world was high.
Now test takers can take their exam anytime and anywhere, whenever they are ready. They can take an exam in the environment that works best for them, they don’t have to interact with others and there are less barriers for people with specific needs. Test takers can progress at their own pace and the administrative burden on the ABRSM team has reduced, freeing up time to focus on other priorities.
2. Test design
The design of the exam is staggered. Test takers are gently introduced to the assessment material to build confidence before the exam ramps up in complexity through each of seven sections. The questions drop back at the beginning of each section to ‘re-introduce’ test takers to the exam content.
In addition, there is only one rubric per screen page and there is virtually no scrolling required. To support test takers, there are screen prompts and helpful reminders for un-attempted rubrics and flags. And as the exam questions are objective, ABRSM no longer rely on a team of markers and so the potential for marker unconscious bias is removed.
3. Test delivery
ABRSM use PSI’s record and review online proctoring service for music theory exams. The majority of their global test takers are minors and this is a less intrusive approach. It’s also important as many of these exams are taken at home, rather than in an educational setting.
Test centers can help to address issues of access to suitable devices, suitable testing environment, and internet connectivity. As ABRSM’s test set-up does not allow the use of test centers we needed to work to make these exams as accessible as possible in other ways.
Authorized schools and music hubs can run in-person proctored group exams, which removes the need for remote proctoring for these test takers.
In Hong Kong, a big market for ABRSM, test takers can attend the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority’s (HKEAA) own test center to take an exam. HKEAA is a statutory body of the Hong Kong Government.
4. Test taker communication
To support young test takers, the role of Responsible Adult was created. This allows an adult to be present in case of any issues during exam set-up and while an exam is accessed. This is important as ABRSM test takers predominately take exams at home, rather than in their school or an exam venue, and most test takers are between eight and 14 years old.
The predominantly young age of test takers and the role of Responsible Adult means that information must be communicated clearly for those completely unfamiliar with these exams and processes. This ensures that everyone involved understands what is required and the test taker experience isn’t negatively impacted.
5. Language considerations
Being a global provider, English is not the first language of many ABRSM test takers. Care was taken to ensure rubrics (scoring guides or criteria) are in plain and concise English. And objective exam questions were chosen to remove the ‘narrative’ style of the extended questions favored in previous pen and paper exams.
These steps ensured non-English test takers were not disadvantaged, or those whose cognitive demand of the English language is in development (such as young and neurodiverse learners).
Assessments are also provided in the language of ABRSM’s largest international cohorts to help increase accessibility for test takers outside the UK. This includes Chinese (both Traditional and Simplified), Spanish, Italian, and USA English.
6. Test accommodations
As a result of consulting with the British Dyslexia Association and a panel of neurodiverse users, test takers have a choice of colored screen backgrounds and foregrounds. Test takers can also use screen magnification and adjustment to aid reading and the placing of responses.
Additional accommodations include the ability to request extra time when booking an exam, alongside stop the clock breaks. Readers, scribes and prompters, as well as alternative formats, are also available.
Read more about how we moved ABRSM to anytime, anywhere music theory exams on demand.
Develop your DE&I plan
Since the beginning of this partnership in 2020, there have been continuous improvements and expansion into new regions, including China. Full on-demand testing has been available since August 2021 and specialist Mandarin speaking technical support since 2022.
Key to the ongoing success of this partnership is a comprehensive DE&I plan. This started with ABRSM and PSI aligning our vision of where we wanted to be, and committing the resources needed to get there. We built a fact base of where we were at the start of the project, and where there were any gaps. This contributed to the architecture of a plan that helped us achieve our goals. We’ve achieved our initial goals but there’s always room for improvement – we’re measuring progress at regular intervals and setting our next goals!
Read our guide to addressing DE&I throughout the assessment lifecycle.