NBGE Updates

Recent NBGE Updates

We've recently come out with version 4.0 of the NBGE, which is a complete restructuring of the entire website and exam. We liked our old site, but it was pretty difficulty to use, and we wanted to make things easier on our users, so we've reformatted everything. The changes to the user interface will be clear enough once you get to your account, but here is a list of all the changes we've made.

• Exams now have a cleaner format, displaying only one question at a time. Because incorrect answers are now penalized slightly (as in the SAT), we've also given examinees the option of skipping questions.
• We added a sliding difficulty scale to the NBGE. Instead of fifty random questions on the exam, the computer determines which questions an examinee receives as the exam goes on, based on how well the examinee is doing. This is similar in concept to the GRE and other computer-adaptive tests.
• Due to the new, adaptive structure of the exam, we also have a new scoring system, similar to the SAT. Examinees can score from 200 to 800 points, and students are penalized for wrong answers. If a student is unsure about a question, they may leave it blank.
• For custom exams, we've simplified question and exam creation.
• We created a new tagging system for questions. Since a single question may test a user in multiple ways grammatically, instructors can tag their questions with as many tags as they want. For example, a question about a third person plural aorist verb may be tagged as a question dealing with aspect, third person, plurals, verbs, vocabulary, and whatever else you may want to include. And, of course, instructors can create their own tags.
• We have a new, streamlined database structure. For the user, this means a faster website with fewer bugs.
• We simplified proctors. Now, a proctor is anyone who has an account with us.
• That new user interface we mentioned above; it's much more user-friendly, and incorporates newer web technology.