This is part II in our blog series on Test Prep Options for Test Takers
Last week, we discussed different options and methods to consider when developing a test prep strategy for your program. While it’s critical for organizations to develop a strategy to prepare test takers for how they will be tested, its equally important to provide test takers with information about what they will be tested on.
Best practice in this area starts with your test taker information bulletin. As well as information about test booking and delivery, your test taker information bulletin should contain the test content outline – a list of topics and subtopics that will be covered in the test.
Additional Study materials
There is huge potential to add value for your test takers by offering further test preparation materials during the test taker journey. This might include additional study materials – such as books, textbooks, workbooks, online courses, and other resources – as well as practice tests. Your practice test strategy will determine the most appropriate materials for your program.
Study Materials in different formats
An individual’s learning style should not impact their chance of achieving a successful test outcome. Providing study materials in a variety of formats is a way to improve the equity and fairness of your tests. For example, a visual or auditory learner will find it harder to study from a traditional textbook than a reading / writing learner.
“Video is increasingly popular with all audiences. YouTube is now the second largest search engine and the global number of YouTube users is forecast to increase to 1.1 billion in 2028.” I Statista
- Support Visual Learners
- Study materials that use diagrams and images, for example flashcards, are helpful for visual learners. Visual learners also often use educational videos as a learning resource to understand key concepts and topics.
- Support Auditory Learners
- Study materials that use video will be helpful for auditory learners, along with audio recordings and educational podcasts.
In 2022, 62% of the US population over 12 years of age has listened to a podcast and 79% are familiar with the medium. 73% have listened to online audio in the last month. Ii
Test Taker Communications
When it comes to study materials and practice tests, it’s not a case of build it and they will come. Make sure your test takers are aware of the test prep materials available to them – and that they are easy to find.
It’s a good idea to start offering test prep options as early as possible in your test taker’s journey, before a test taker has completed the booking process. Signpost and create links from your website to where test takers can purchase test prep materials online. And include links to test prep resources in your test taker emails in the lead up to test day. It’s the perfect time, as your test takers are gearing up for test day
The team at PSI has created a range of email and webpage templates that can be adapted to suit your needs. For more advice about test taker communications download our guide: How to make the test taker experience exceptional.
Discounts and Bundles
Some organizations choose to give discounts on study materials, as well as practice tests, when they are added to a bundle with a test booking. The most popular bundles we see are a built-in retake, a bundled practice test, or a prep bundle that includes practice tests along with the additional training materials.
Online Store
We’re all used to shopping online – and we expect that anything we want to buy will be available on the internet. Test preparation materials are no different. Not only do your test prep materials need to be available to purchase online, but they also need to be easy to find, with a smooth and seamless purchasing process. The PSI Online Store brings together the test prep materials for our clients in one place, with dedicated areas for specific professions, industries and sectors. On the PSI online store, test takers can search for and easily purchase practice tests, textbooks, manuals and other training resources.
Conclusion
Test preparation materials offer myriad benefits for both your organization and your test takers. And PSI has already delivered over 100 million practice tests to test takers around the world.
- For certification programs, practice tests are a potential revenue raiser, marketing tool and opportunity to gather valuable data to inform future strategy.
- For test takers, they are an opportunity to get familiar with test content and testing technology, be more prepared, and reduce anxiety on test day.
Your test takers want to gain a certification in their chosen profession, and you want to give them the best possible opportunity to succeed. Learn more about how test preparation options support your test takers, your organizational goals, and future program growth by downloading our new guide Test Prep Options for Test Takers today.
