The Test Community.Network

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Rosie Applin and Dr Simon Child from Cambridge University Press & Assessment about the upcoming Assessment Horizons Conference 2026. They discuss: The emotional science of feedback and why understanding learners' emotional responses is critical for effective assessment design — featuring keynote speaker Anastasiya A. Lipnevich How "pr...

What does the global assessment community need to be talking about right now — and who needs to be in the room? Dan Koenig, CEO of EQAO, shares his vision for the 51st IAEA Annual Conference in Toronto this September. From public trust and equity to AI and digital transformation, this is a conversation about why your voice matters. Visit: https://testcommunity.network/iaea-2026-why-we-need-your-vo...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Tim Cammack, a veteran of the exam and education print industry with over 15 years at SCD. They discuss: The myths around paper and sustainability – why paper is actually more environmentally friendly than many believe How digital and paper coexist in the examination world, and why paper remains essential for integrity and resilience The hidden en...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Ed Swift, Head of Philosophy and Religion at Wellington College in Berkshire, with fifteen years of teaching experience and a background as a Director of Teaching and Learning. They discuss: Implementing a traffic light system (red, amber, green) for AI use in the classroom to help pupils understand when and how it's appropriate to engage with...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Dean Blewitt, Senior Innovation and Investments Manager at NCFE. They discuss: - The findings from the Metaverse Learning feasibility project, exploring personalised VR simulations with adaptive questioning and AI chatbot integration - How the maturity of AI in education has evolved, including the growing due diligence requirements from providers...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Anna Kate Phelan, Head of Product at Eintech, and Richard London, Senior User Experience at Prometric. Both are experts in user experience design within the assessment industry, and they share insights from their popular joint presentation at the European Association of Test Publishers Conference in Dublin. They discuss: What UX research is and wh...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Joe James, Co-founder of Cannon James, a specialist recruitment firm working with awarding organisations, membership bodies, and organisations with education or examination functions. They discuss: Hiring trends and outlook for the awarding sector in 2026 What candidates are looking for in roles beyond just salary How to refresh your CV and Linked...

I'll help you generate the show notes for this episode. Let me first read the transcript to understand the discussion points. Based on the transcript, here are the show notes for this episode: In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Zeynep Urkun, a language assessment specialist with over 30 years of experience in English language testing and evaluation, based in Istanbul. They disc...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Sergio Araneda, Karl Hartley, Miia Nummela-Price, and Neil Wilkinson as they launch a groundbreaking Research Sprint exploring the impacts of using AI to author assessment items. Sergio is a Research Scientist at Caveon specialising in test security with a PhD in psychometrics. Karl is Director of AI Learning Strategy at Epic Learning in New Zeala...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Catherine Whitaker, Global Director Online Learning at the British Council, and Louella Morton, Co-founder and Co-CEO of TestReach. They discuss: Authenticity and Assessment in the Age of AI - How AI is accelerating the debate around skills-based assessment versus knowledge regurgitation, and what assessment should look like in an AI-enabled world...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Dr. Aftab Hussain, an education technology pioneer and founder of Second Mesh. Aftab has been a teacher since the mid-1990s and recently completed his doctorate researching AI in education at Bolton College, where he conducted groundbreaking work on chatbots and safe AI systems. They discuss: Aftab's pioneering work developing AI chatbots for...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with David Lay, founder of SkillSync AI and an expert in medical education assessment. With extensive experience in delivering and developing assessment software for both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, David shares his insights on transforming portfolio-based learning. They discuss: • The challenges with current medical ePortfolio sy...

This debate examines whether assessment organizations should rapidly transition to fully digital delivery or maintain paper-based or hybrid approaches based on evidence and risk management. Security Against AI Threats : With 88% of learners using AI for exam prep, paper offers no defense—only digital platforms enable keystroke analysis, browser lockdowns, and AI detection tools. Accessibility and...

Summary: The Online Proctoring Debate This debate examines whether increasingly sophisticated remote proctoring technology represents necessary security evolution or an invasive arms race that compromises candidate privacy and equity. Security Necessity : Escalating cheating threats, particularly AI-enabled tools, require multimodal monitoring (video, audio, device checks) to maintain certificatio...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Nena Hollis, Paddy McLaughlin, Hugh McNeela, and Anna Kate Phelan at the EATP conference in Dublin. Nena works in the ATP operations team, Paddy served as chair of the EATP conference, Hugh is a first time attendee from ReadSpeaker, and Anna is an ATP volunteer and eAA Director working at Eintech focusing on user experience design in assessment pl...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Jim from Surpass, discussing the upcoming Surpass Virtual Conference. They discuss:The evolution of the Surpass Conference format and the decision to alternate between virtual and in-person eventsThe impressive keynote lineup featuring John Weiner on AI and automation, Andreas Schleicher on global AI educational practices, and John Winkley with Sh...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Mark Gray, UK and Ireland Manager for Universal Robots. Mark brings 25 years of automation experience and 9 years with Universal Robots, where he's responsible for day-to-day operations across the UK and Ireland. They discuss:How collaborative robots are revolutionizing manufacturing without replacing human workersThe flexibility of robotics t...

Transform your ChatGPT trials into a strategic 2-year AI plan that maintains integrity while driving operational excellenceThis session transforms everyday AI experiments into a strategic advantage. Most senior and AI-forward staff at Awarding Organisations now use AI platforms like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google on a day-to-day basis. But are they maximising their potential, are they taking risks?...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett explores the latest AI cheating capabilities using Microsoft's Copilot Pro Actions feature. He demonstrates: - How Copilot Pro's new "Actions" feature can autonomously complete online assessments - Which question types are most vulnerable to AI infiltration (multiple choice vs matching questions) - The accessibility of this technology - ava...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Kristina Preston, Head of Awarding and Skills Appointments at Peridot Partners. Kristina specialises in executive search for awarding organisations, assessment bodies, and skills providers across the not-for-profit education sector. They discuss: The current impact of AI on recruitment within awarding organisations and whether it poses an immediat...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Romana Moss (eAA Board Member & Royal College of Emergency Medicine), Graham Hudson (eAA Chair) and Gareth Hopkins (Surpass Assessment and Volunteer), Shoeb Mozammel (Vretta), and Jeremy Carter (Sentira XR + 2025 three-time award winner). They discuss: The transformative role of formative assessment in supporting learning journeys and strength...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett answers a listener question about where organisations should start with AI implementation. He discusses: - Establishing AI policies and creating red, green, and blue team structures for AI adoption - Recommended starting platforms including Notebook LM, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and ChatGPT Teams - Data security considerations and the importance of p...

In this week's episode (Part 2 of 2), Tim Burnett continues his conversation with Rita Bateson, an assessment writer, curriculum developer, and Director at Eblana Learning. Rita has extensive experience working with the International Baccalaureate (IB) and specialises in the ethical evolution of assessment technology. They discuss: Cognitive offloading: How AI might be making us mentally lazy and...

In this first part of a 2-part episode, Tim Burnett chats with Rita Bateson, an assessment writer, curriculum developer, and Director at Eblana Learning. Rita has extensive experience working with the International Baccalaureate (IB) and specialises in the ethical evolution of assessment, particularly focusing on sustainability and environmental impact. In Part 1, they discuss: Dublin's energy...

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Allison Mulford, solo practitioner at Mulford and Associates. With extensive experience in the testing community since 2014, Allison now specialises in privacy, data protection, AI governance, and corporate legal services. They discuss: The shifting AI regulatory landscape in the US, EU, and globally Practical approaches to AI governance for organisat...