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In this week's episode, Tim Burnett presents his talk "Code Without Coders: What the Rise of Vibe Coding Means for Assessment," originally delivered at the AI Symposium during the EAA Conference in London. He discusses:

🔹 What vibe coding is, how it works, and why it was named Collins Dictionary's word of the year — from tools like Lovable, Replit and Cursor through to coding agents like Claude Code and Codex

🔹 The "SaaS Apocalypse" of February 2026, the $300 billion drop in SaaS valuations, and what it means when a CNBC journalist can clone Monday.com in an hour on air

🔹 A moat analysis of 29 assessment platform vendors — examining which providers are best protected and which are most vulnerable to disruption from AI-native competitors

Tim walks through the current vibe coding landscape, explaining how non-technical professionals can now build full-stack applications through natural language alone. He explores the implications for the assessment industry, arguing that whilst SaaS isn't dead, we're about to see a fundamental mutation in how platforms are built and delivered. Through his "demo, don't memo" philosophy, Tim showcases an AI-native item bank he built in Lovable in around two hours — complete with AI-powered item generation, multilingual duplication, and a chat interface for interacting directly with the bank. He also introduces new thinking around AI-native platform DNA, the concept of malleable software, and the idea that small, expert teams augmented by AI could soon do the work of organisations ten times their size.

Connect with Tim Burnett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tburnett/

If you would like to join Tim on a future episode or sponsor the Test Community Network then get in touch with Tim to schedule a call: https://calendly.com/educationtech/15min-teams-chat

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This week's global news collection brings together 21 stories from across the assessment and education technology landscape. Test security dominates, with CBSE's On-Screen Marking crisis in India unfolding across a coordinated cyberattack, a vendor under scrutiny, and a sharp argument that the real failure is one of governance rather than technology. Leaked Cambridge International papers, glitches in Pearson's SATs marking system, and a look at how China, India and South Korea defend their high-stakes entrance exams round out the integrity theme.

Artificial intelligence runs throughout: Surpass Assessment's ISO/IEC 42001 certification, Ofqual's concluding webinar on AI in awarding organisations, fresh thinking on assessment design for an AI-enabled future, and a CoSN report capturing how K-12 IT leaders are weighing AI adoption against cybersecurity risk. Elsewhere, the collection examines declining student literacy and attention, the "devices down" debate, the STEM versus STEAM question, the human cost of Kenya's exam culture, Portugal's move to digital assessment, AQA's new e-marking partnership, and three podcasts exploring integrity, security and safer digital learning. Together, the stories trace a single thread — how assessment protects its integrity, embraces technology, and keeps learners at its centre.

Disclaimer:

The links in this collection direct to external, third-party websites that are not owned or controlled by the Test Community Network. We share them for information and convenience only; their inclusion does not imply endorsement of the views, products, or services they contain. We are not responsible for the accuracy, content, or availability of external sites, and summaries are our own interpretation of the original sources. Please refer to the original article for the full and definitive account.

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Richard Gott, Chair and Founder of the MemberWise Network — a professional network for over 8,000 membership and association professionals across the UK and EU.
They discuss:
Why membership organisations are moving from piloting AI to needing proper integration — and why only around 20% have got there so far
The gap between AI adoption and AI strategy, with only a minority of membership bodies having digital, data or AI strategies in place despite growing usage
How organisations can create a "Netflix Plus" personalised member experience — using AI to surface the right content, cross-sell services and turn passive subscribers into active advocates
Richard shares findings from the MemberWise Digital Excellence Report, including the statistic that properly integrating AI into a membership department can increase capacity by around 35%. He explains how organisations like the Institution of Engineering and Technology are already using bespoke AI tools to inform decisions — from where to hold conferences to how to optimise content — while many smaller bodies are still taking a more DIY approach. The conversation also explores subscription fatigue, the importance of evidencing member value, and why the shift from transactional to relational engagement is critical for growth.
Connect with Richard Gott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/memberwise/
Connect with Tim Burnett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tburnett/
If you would like to join Tim on a future episode or sponsor the Test Community Network then get in touch with Tim to schedule a call: https://calendly.com/educationtech/15min-teams-chat
Events: https://www.testcommunity.network/upcoming-events
Podcasts: https://www.testcommunity.network/podcasts
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Subscribe to the Test Community Network here: https://www.testcommunity.network 

This week's collection brings together 18 items from across the assessment world. AI continues to dominate the conversation, with research warning that generative AI overuse may deskill graduates, a striking statistic showing student AI use in exams has risen to 92%, and several voices calling for a fundamental rethink of assessment design in response.

Elsewhere, a teenage researcher's disclosure of critical vulnerabilities in India's CBSE marking portal raises urgent questions about exam system security, Pearson Edexcel has apologised for errors in a GCSE Computer Science paper, and there are calls for proposals from conferences in Kuala Lumpur and Sydney.

On the professional side, the FAB Awards are open for entries, the e-Assessment Association is running its 2026 Online Proctoring Survey, and RCS England is recruiting a Director of Education. Podcasts this week cover serious games in credentialing, human-centred academic integrity, and whether AI literacy is substance or marketing.

Whether you work in higher education, vocational assessment, professional certification or K-12, there is something here for you.

The collection in full: https://testcommunity.network/collections/28th-may-2026

Assessment & Testing Updates

1. Oxford seminar exploring how AI could transform examinations, personalised learning, authenticity, surveillance and inequality.
   https://testcommunity.network/a-new-examination-era-ai-and-the-transformation-of-educational-assessment

2. Surpass Conference 2026 heads to Manchester with sessions on AI, digital assessment, skills and the future of qualifications.
   https://testcommunity.network/surpass-conference-2026-speakers

3. IACAT invites proposals for its 2026 conference in São Paulo, covering CAT, IRT, AI in psychometrics and modern assessment research.
   https://testcommunity.network/iacat-2026-call-for-proposals

4. Dr Luca Longo argues AI reveals deeper questions about what education and assessment are really measuring.
   https://testcommunity.network/e-atp-2026-conference-opening-keynote-cheating-or-revealing-what-ai-exposes-about-education

5. Integrity Advocate explains why human-reviewed ID verification creates stronger evidence than automated confidence scores alone.
   https://testcommunity.network/why-automated-identity-verification-isnt-enough-for-high-stakes-exams

6. A discussion on building academic integrity culture, Ireland’s education-first approach, AI, trust and transparency.
   https://testcommunity.network/the-opposite-of-cheating-the-opposite-of-cheating-podcast-season-2-episode-60-loretta-goff

7. Charlie Burley shares why school wellbeing strategies fail and introduces the Six C’s framework for tackling teacher burnout.
   https://testcommunity.network/edufuturists-why-your-school-wellbeing-strategy-isnt-working-and-what-to-do-about-it-with-charlie-burley-343

8. This episode examines why more students are enrolling in college but failing to complete their degrees.
   https://testcommunity.network/education-insight-what-20-years-of-data-reveals-about-college-success

9. UPESSC used AI-enabled surveillance and real-time monitoring for large-scale lecturer examinations in Uttar Pradesh.
   https://testcommunity.network/upessc-lecturer-exam-conducted-smoothly-under-ai-monitoring

10. Indian students and educators raise concerns about cognitive fatigue in the revised CUET UG 2026 exam format.
    https://testcommunity.network/students-worried-over-no-break-3-hour-cuet-ug-exam-format

11. A look at how classroom.cloud supports classroom management, safeguarding, BYOD and AI-driven risk analysis in schools.
    https://testcommunity.network/the-edtech-podcast-325-unlocking-the-power-of-classroom-cloud-the-ultimate-edtech-solution-for-schools

12. Dr Ghulam Nabi Shakir argues that AI-assisted assessment could improve fairness, transparency and efficiency in Pakistan’s exams.
    https://testcommunity.network/from-e-assessment-to-ai-assisted-assessment

13. Türkiye moves vocational qualification exams to digital e-exam centres, supporting national education and workforce transformation.
    https://testcommunity.network/vocational-qualification-exams-shift-to-e-exam-system-in-trkiye

14. Two people were arrested in Kerala for alleged high-tech cheating using Bluetooth devices during a PSC exam.
    https://testcommunity.network/psc-exam-cheating-two-arrested-in-thiruvananthapuram-for-high-tech-malpractice

15. Tim Burnett speaks with Lee Fawcett about cheap hardware, AI apps, online proctoring vulnerabilities and red-teaming assessments.
    https://testcommunity.network/test-community-network-7th-may-how-a-7-webcam-a-vibe-coded-ai-app-could-be-a-test-security-problem-with-guest-lee-fawcett

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Lee Fawcett, a counter-fraud and investigation specialist supporting the UK qualifications and assessment industry.
They discuss:
- How a £7.36 USB webcam and a vibe-coded cheating app scored 8 out of 10 on a GCSE algebra test — with almost no technical expertise required
- Why online proctoring platforms still can't detect the full range of concealed hardware and AI-assisted cheating methods available today
- The case for "red teaming" your assessments — thinking like a criminal rather than an exam owner to uncover vulnerabilities before bad actors do
Tim starts by demonstrating a live proof-of-concept: a tiny USB camera taped to a keyboard, feeding exam questions to an AI app built with Lovable, which reads the screen every ten seconds and whispers the answers back through audio.
Lee shares his reaction and his experience investigating cheats and criminals who exploit test security vulnerabilities.
The pair discuss the limits of remote proctoring, the commercial cheating industry, and why organisations need to start by assessing the real-world value of what their qualification represents — not just the security of the delivery method.
They also flag the Conference on Test Security coming to Cambridge in November as a must-attend for the community.
Connect with Lee Fawcett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leefawcettuk/
Connect with Tim Burnett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tburnett/
If you would like to join Tim on a future episode or sponsor the Test Community Network then get in touch with Tim to schedule a call: https://calendly.com/educationtech/15min-teams-chat
Events: https://www.testcommunity.network/upcoming-events
Podcasts: https://www.testcommunity.network/podcasts
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Subscribe to the Test Community Network here: https://www.testcommunity.network

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Hugh McNeela, Sales Account Manager for Corporate Learning (UK & Ireland) at ReadSpeaker.
They discuss:
- Why text-to-speech in assessments isn't just an accessibility tool, and how a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach benefits all candidates, including the 70% of people with neurodiversity challenges who never disclose their condition to employers
- How ReadSpeaker integrates directly into assessment platforms, from LMS environments like Moodle and Canvas through to high-stakes exam delivery, without compromising the security or integrity of assessments
- The real-world impact of TTS on learning outcomes, including how Penn Foster improved their 30-day course completion rates by 54% simply by adding text-to-speech to their content
Hugh and Tim explore what happens when accessibility is built into the design of an assessment from the start, rather than bolted on as a reasonable adjustment.
From reducing the logistical burden on teachers during exam days, to eliminating the stigma that stops learners from asking for help, ReadSpeaker's approach treats voice support as a core part of fair assessment — not an optional extra.
The conversation also touches on why deterministic TTS rendering matters in high-stakes exams, and how ReadSpeaker handles secure environments, including compatibility with safe exam browsers.
Connect with Hugh McNeela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughmcneela/
Learn more about ReadSpeaker: https://www.readspeaker.com/?utmsource=testcommunitynetwork
Connect with Tim Burnett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tburnett/
If you would like to join Tim on a future episode or sponsor the Test Community Network then get in touch with Tim to schedule a call: https://calendly.com/educationtech/15min-teams-chat
Events: https://www.testcommunity.network/upcoming-events
Podcasts: https://www.testcommunity.network/podcasts
Marketplace: https://www.testcommunity.network/marketplace
Subscribe to the Test Community Network here: https://www.testcommunity.network

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Mary Pitoniak, Assessment and Measurement Expert and President of Pitoniak Educational Measurement.
They discuss:
Why reliability, validity and fairness are the three pillars of good assessment — and how they connect, reinforce and constrain each other

Whether personalised assessment powered by AI is really ready for prime time, especially for high-stakes tests like licensure and certification

How AI is the "hot topic" at every conference right now, and why handing it to organisations without psychometric expertise is like "giving the keys to a Maserati to someone who barely knows how to drive"
Mary brings nearly forty years of experience in assessment, including twenty-four years at ETS working on NAEP and auditing programmes to the ETS standards. She and her long-time collaborator Linda Cook were recently named the first women editors of Educational Measurement — now in its fifth edition — and won the National Council on Measurement in Education's Award for Exceptional Achievement in Educational Measurement. In a refreshingly plain-spoken conversation, Mary makes the technical accessible, explaining why standardisation has historically meant standardisation to the dominant culture, why the question isn't really "is the test valid?" but "are the interpretations of the test score for the proposed use appropriate?", and why the most exciting developments in AI and assessment still need to be anchored to the same enduring principles.
Read the book: Educational Measurement (Fifth Edition) — Edited by Linda L. Cook and Mary J. Pitoniak (Oxford University Press, open access)
https://testcommunity.network/content/educational-measurement-fifth-edition-edited-by-linda-l-cook-and-mary-j-pitoniak
Connect with Mary Pitoniak on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-pitoniak-3560a691/
Connect with Tim Burnett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tburnett/
If you would like to join Tim on a future episode or sponsor the Test Community Network then get in touch with Tim to schedule a call: https://calendly.com/educationtech/15min-teams-chat
Events: https://www.testcommunity.network/upcoming-events
Podcasts: https://www.testcommunity.network/podcasts
Marketplace: https://www.testcommunity.network/marketplace
Subscribe to the Test Community Network here: https://www.testcommunity.networkFull Transcript here: https://testcommunity.network/download/6NGB7H

You don't need to be a developer to build software anymore — and this session proves it.In this hands-on webinar, Tim Burnett explores three game-changing AI developments that are reshaping how professionals work and build:🛠️ Vibe Coding — Learn how anyone can create functional apps and tools just by describing what they want in plain English. No programming experience required. We cover the real potential, the limitations, and why this trend is heading straight for the assessment industry.🤖 Claude Cowork — Anthropic's desktop agent that works alongside you to manage files, automate tasks, and handle complex workflows — all without writing a single line of code. Like having an AI colleague sitting right next to you.📋 AI Skills & Agent Workflows — Discover how reusable AI instruction files are turning assistants into specialist agents, and why this is a breakthrough for organisations looking to build scalable, repeatable AI workflows across their teams.Plus, Tim shares his regular Beyond Assessment AI Update — the latest AI tools, trends, and developments that matter most to the assessment community.Whether you're an assessment professional curious about AI's next leap, or someone who's always wanted to build tools but lacked the technical skills — this one's for you.🔔 Subscribe for more from the AI Superpowers series by the Test Community Network — the global platform for assessment professionals.

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Dr Lena Gray and Rebecca Frankum, a consultant assessment researcher and a policy analyst at the OECD respectively. They discuss:
The findings from the OECD's major new report mapping 71 upper secondary certificates across 38 education systems worldwide
Why polarised debates around exams versus teacher-based assessment don't hold up in practice, and the four principles, relevance, credibility, fairness and manageability, for evaluating fitness for purpose
How higher education, assessment culture and political pressures shape reform, and why there is no single "perfect" approach to certification
The report, The Theory and Practice of Upper Secondary Certification, is one of the most comprehensive international studies of high-stakes assessment at the upper secondary level. Rebecca explains how the OECD's mapping exercise revealed that the most common model worldwide is a blend of internal assessment and external exams working together, challenging the assumption that systems must choose one or the other.
Lena explores why continuous assessment, often seen as reducing pressure on learners, can in fact create its own burdens, with students reporting they feel constantly assessed. Both highlight the importance of context: what works in one system may not translate to another, and deeply held assessment cultures can prove remarkably resistant to reform. Looking ahead, future research will focus on marking, moderation and standard setting, as well as the often-overlooked student experience of these high-stakes systems.
Read the full report: The Theory and Practice of Upper Secondary Certification (OECD, published 28 January 2026)
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/the-theory-and-practice-of-upper-secondary-certification_b3fea5ba-en.html
Connect with Dr Lena Gray on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lena-gray-assessment-researcher/
Connect with Rebecca Frankum on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-frankum-81a444166/
Connect with Tim Burnett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tburnett/
If you would like to join Tim on a future episode or sponsor the Test Community Network then get in touch with Tim to schedule a call: https://calendly.com/educationtech/15min-teams-chat
Events: https://www.testcommunity.network/upcoming-events
Podcasts: https://www.testcommunity.network/podcasts
Marketplace: https://www.testcommunity.network/marketplace
Subscribe to the Test Community Network here: https://www.testcommunity.network