We had a question today at our conference that I thought maybe someone here would know.

One of our members asked if any linguists had done research on the the ability of people taking computer tests in another language versus paper and pencil tests. Any thoughts?

We do computer assisted testing, and some of our members thought that ESL students have a harder time with computer tests than with penicil and paper ones. Frankly, I'd think it would be the opposite.

K., you might try asking your question over at the Linguist List. I think they have a ask a linguist option.

It depends on how you think, really. I have been writing all of my papers for school on a computer since 4th grade, so I write my best work when I am at a computer. That and I can type much faster than write and I think quite fast, so I tend to forget my train of thought more often with pen and paper.

Of course, I've almost never done math/science with a computer. When I try to type up math assignments, I can't think at all. I find it much easier to solve the problem with pen and paper and then later type it. This is because I'm not used to thinking through math problems on the computer.

I can think analytically on a computer, because I'm a programmer, and spend much of my time doing high level thinking on a computer screen, but for some reason math problems elude me.

you might try asking your question over at the Linguist List. I think they have a ask a linguist option.

Thanks, jheem, I did send them the question.

The questioner at my conference thought they'd do worse on the computer exams because the stress of using a computer would cause them to begin to think in their first language. I am wondering why that wouldn't happen as easily on the paper and pencil exam.

And, if the person passes the nursing exam, I really worry that a stressful nursing situation, then, might cause similar thinking.

It is obvious to me, with the world becoming more global, that we need a lot more study in communicating in other languages.

I'm certainly no expert on this, but I would have thought that students with ESL would have used computers as part of their language lessons anyway, so they should be fairly relaxed about the basics. Bob (if his college's Cyberninny will let him read this thread) may well correct me on this. I can't see, therefore, that they should be under a special pressure.

Of course, if they were to have just come from another country and had never used a computer before, things would be different. Also some people are technophobes (or persuade themselves that they are) but that applies to all - native English speakers included.

I have never done a scientific study on this. However, as part of my years as a linguistics prof I watched students take tests in both venues: P&P and computer. Hands down they were more stressed with the P&P tests. This is especially true for those non-native speakers whose alphabet was not Roman.

I believe there is the additional factor of the uninvolved observer. The computer doesn't praise or criticize. A reader is assumed to do both.

There are advantages to the computer that make it faster than P&P. An average typer can type faster than anyone can write. Also, if mistakes are made, erasing, editing, cutting and pasting, all such things are trivial on a computer, where as with pencil you can to erase, leaving smudges all over, and it you want to move a sentence, you're SOL.

Often people run out of time with tests, so if they are confident with the computer software, they will have more time to work on the material. Of course, if they are new to computers, or the specific piece of software, they lose this time bonus and are probably hurt by it.