The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has expressed concerns regarding the long-term negative impacts of personalized items in large-scale examinations during the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) conference.
This concern was articulated by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, who led a four-member delegation to the international conference focused on educational assessment agencies globally, held in Philadelphia, United States.
Prof. Oloyede highlighted that the adoption of personalized items could create issues related to equity and access, resulting in resource disparities, biases in personalization, data privacy risks, and an overemphasis on individualization, among other challenges.
The 2024 IAEA conference, themed: “How Can AI Help Improve Education Assessments,” provided a platform for assessment experts to discuss emerging trends in evaluation practices.
In her opening remarks, IAEA President Ms. Mary Pitoniak noted that the theme reflects a complex and rapidly evolving field: “This is a new development, and its application in educational assessment is equally complex.
“The use of AI to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities of students and other test-takers is a serious matter.”
The 49th IAEA conference, hosted by ETS in Philadelphia, examined not only the potential of artificial intelligence but also its impact on diverse assessment ecosystems worldwide, whether through foundational infrastructure or the integration of AI’s transformative capabilities.
The conference underscored the growing need for assessments that capture cognitive, social, emotional, and 21st-century skills as AI continues to reshape industries and roles.
Participants explored the crucial implications of AI on ethics, security, fairness, and the urgent necessity for assessments that genuinely reflect the diverse skills and competencies required for success in today’s world.
The event featured renowned scholars and practitioners who led discussions on topics such as “Validity Issues in the Use of AI in Assessment,” “What is Really Possible with AI? Real-Life, Practical Uses of AI in Assessment,” and “Will AI Help or Hinder the Development of Classroom Formative Assessment?” among others.
The four-day conference, which took place from Sunday, September 22, to Wednesday, September 25, 2024, attracted participants from around the globe, including representatives from Nigeria’s National Examinations Council (NECO), the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), and members of the Nigerian National Assembly, alongside JAMB’s delegation led by Prof. Oloyede.
The International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) is dedicated to fostering communication among international agencies involved in applying assessment techniques within educational processes.
Their goal is to establish a framework for cooperation among these agencies on various projects.
Accompanying Prof. Oloyede in Philadelphia were Doom Iyortyom, Director of Quality Assurance; Funmilola B-Usman, Director of ITS; and Dr. Fabian Benjamin, Public Communications Advisor.
