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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 and colleges
- Two exciting new Assessment Innovation Fund pilots launching in 2026: Body Swaps (soft skills VR training for construction and motor vehicle) and 60 Second Learning (psychometric soft skills assessment)
Dean provides a comprehensive update on NCFE's Assessment Innovation Fund, which has now run seven funding windows with thirteen projects, over a thousand applications, and engagement with more than three thousand learners. He shares insights from the recently completed Metaverse Learning project, which tested VR scenarios with accessibility features like voice recognition and subtitles, alongside an embedded AI chatbot to support in-the-moment learning. Dean discusses the technical and ethical challenges encountered, particularly around implementing guardrails for AI use in educational settings.
Looking ahead, Dean introduces two new pilots set to launch in early 2026. Body Swaps will work with 500 learners across five colleges, focusing on soft skills development in construction and motor vehicle sectors. Meanwhile, 60 Second Learning will engage 1,000 learners across ten colleges and ITPs, using psychometric assessments to measure soft skills development. Dean highlights opportunities for training providers, colleges, and subject matter experts to get involved in these pilots, and discusses additional grant funding available through NCFE's partner, UFI.
Connect with Dean Blewitt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-blewitt/
Connect with Tim Burnett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tburnett/
More about the innovation fund: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/help-shape-the-future-of-learning-and-assessment
Active Grant from the Ufi: https://testcommunity.network/content/voctech-activate-grant-fund
Metaverse Learning: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/help-shape-the-future-of-learning-and-assessment/aif-pilots/metaverse-learning/
Body Swaps: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/help-shape-the-future-of-learning-and-assessment/aif-pilots/bodyswaps/
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
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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 why the user interface should be "invisible" to allow content and candidates to take centre stage
• The importance of discovery, personas, and validating assumptions when designing assessment platforms
• How universal design principles and accessibility features benefit all users, not just those with specific needs

Anna and Richard explore how user experience fits into an assessment company's mission, emphasising that candidates should always come first. They discuss practical approaches including using personas (archetypal users) to guide design decisions, leveraging both quantitative analytics and qualitative research, and the critical importance of providing context to development teams. Anna shares a memorable analogy about giving developers a picture of a car without explaining it needs an engine – highlighting why discovery and context matter. Richard emphasises reducing candidate anxiety and cognitive load to help test-takers flow through assessments with ease. The conversation also touches on accessibility, with Anna noting how features like closed captions, originally designed for deaf users, now benefit millions of everyday viewers.

Elsewhere in the episode, Tim covers the latest industry news including Ofqual's principles on AI in marking and ATP's new human oversight of AI in assessment document. He also invites listeners to contribute to Edition 2 of the AI Adoption Playbook for Awarding Organisations.

Connect with Anna Kate Phelan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annakatephelan/

Connect with Richard London on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-london-b12b563/

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

This week's news: https://testcommunity.network/collections/15th-january-2026

Share your AI experience for Edition 2 of the AI Adoption Playbook: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tburnett_test-community-network-assessment-industry-activity-7417223982359228417-zQcr?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACzbLUBiBi_Dw-B29-jmWrd8QKkhPZkia4

Download the AI Adoption Playbook for Awarding Organisations: https://testcommunity.network/download/KX4GMA

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 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 LinkedIn profile to stand out

With the new year often sparking thoughts of career changes, Joe shares his insights on what's driving both hiring decisions and candidate expectations. He notes a cautious optimism for 2026, with organisations increasingly seeking candidates who bring not just skills, but intention and a desire to help grow the business. Candidates, meanwhile, are being more considered in their moves—weighing up culture fit, hybrid working arrangements, and whether an organisation is investing positively in its future.

Joe offers practical advice for anyone contemplating a change: refresh your CV to focus on achievements and impact rather than just listing duties, keep your LinkedIn profile current as a credible shop window, and don't underestimate the value of in-person networking at industry events. His key message? Even if you're not actively job hunting, it's worth reviewing where you are—because the right opportunity might land in your lap when you least expect it.

Connect with Joe James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephjames1/

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

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 discuss:

• The impact of AI on language assessment and the challenges of keeping assessment methods current with workplace requirements
• The importance of selecting authentic assessment tasks that reflect real-world language use and mediation skills
• Technology adoption in Turkey and considerations around digital equity and access in education

Zeynep shares insights from the Assessment Now conference in London, where professionals across various fields grappled with similar concerns about AI integration. She discusses the mismatch between traditional assessment methods and modern workplace requirements, particularly for students at English-medium universities in Turkey who need B2-level proficiency. The conversation explores promising developments in AI-assisted assessment, including chatbots for spoken language evaluation and AI scoring comparisons with human raters.

Zeynep emphasises the need for more holistic, skills-blended approaches to language assessment, moving away from siloed testing of reading, writing, speaking, and listening towards integrated tasks that mirror real-world communication. She highlights how Turkey is embracing innovation in educational technology, with institutions conducting various AI-related projects, whilst acknowledging ongoing challenges around internet connectivity and the global digital divide. The discussion also touches on lingering effects of the pandemic on education and the rapid pace of technological change in the assessment field.

Connect with Zeynep Urkun on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeynep-urkun-36056015/

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 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 Zealand, having just completed the country's largest research into generative assessments. Miia is a Fractional General Counsel and legal consultant advising on the intersection of technology, education and law. Neil is Director of Product and Innovation at Certiverse, bringing extensive experience from creating high-stakes assessments at Pearson. They discuss:

• Legal implications and copyright challenges: ownership of AI-generated items, liability considerations when items prove flawed, and the evolving regulatory landscape
• Quality assurance and the human element: how AI is transforming item authoring workflows, the critical ongoing role of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and why treating SMEs well remains essential despite automation
• Test security vulnerabilities: pre-exposure risks specific to AI-authored items, benchmarks and rational expectations for LLM capabilities, and the importance of testing non-deterministic AI outputs multiple times

The panel explores the practical realities organisations face today as AI tools are already being deployed in classrooms and examination halls worldwide. Karl shares insights from his 114-page research report on generative assessments, whilst Sergio emphasises the importance of understanding LLM training and benchmarks to set realistic expectations. Miia highlights that legal frameworks are still developing and these conversations will continue for the foreseeable future as case law evolves. Neil stresses the value of breaking down AI tasks into smaller, focused prompts rather than creating massive verbose instructions, and advocates for using AI in review roles alongside human authoring. The discussion emphasises that this isn't about replacing humans but augmenting their capabilities, with the human remaining firmly in the loop for validation, construct validity and cultural fairness considerations. Tim introduces the Research Sprint platform where the assessment community can continue the conversation asynchronously, share insights and collaboratively develop practical guidance on AI authoring impacts.

Connect with Sergio Araneda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergio-araneda-13994a16/

Connect with Karl Hartley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlhartley/

Connect with Miia Nummela-Price on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miianummela-price/

Connect with Neil Wilkinson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-a-wilkinson/

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

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Join the Research Sprint: https://research.testcommunity.network/

Karl's Research on AI-Generated Assessments: https://concove.ac.nz/discovery-hub/ai-generated-assessments-for-vocational-education-and-training/

AI Adoption Playbook: https://testcommunity.network/landing/aiplaybook

Special thanks:

Stuart Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sgamartin/

Episode Sponsor - Vretta: https://www.vretta.com/

Connect with the Test Community Network:

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 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

Cross-Sectoral Learning and Collaboration - The value of bringing together schools, higher education, and professional qualifications sectors to share challenges and opportunities, breaking down industry silos

Digital Transformation in the Exams Industry - The rapid rate of change in assessment over the past 10-15 years, the role of organizations like the EAA in providing thought leadership, and how examining bodies can navigate innovation while managing risk aversion

Tim provides a recap of the Assessment Now conference organised by the British Council in London, featuring about 100 delegates from awarding organizations, higher education institutions, and assessment experts. Catherine shares insights on the British Council's unique position as both an assessment provider and exam deliverer for over 140 organizations, and discusses their new AI-powered speaking assessment bot with 90% positive feedback. Louella discusses the importance of best practice and guidance as the industry navigates uncharted waters with new technologies, and the balance between innovation and the cautious approach many organizations take.

Connect with Catherine Whitaker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-whitaker/

Connect with Luella Morton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louellamorton/

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 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 education in 2017, years before ChatGPT, including creating robust safeguarding protocols to ensure concerning conversations were properly flagged to appropriate college teams

The critical gaps in the DfE's AI guidelines for education—why most EdTech companies don't fully comply with the recommendations and the fundamental challenges around data governance, privacy, and institutional oversight

Second Mesh's mission to provide locally-hosted, open-weighted AI models that give schools and colleges complete control over their AI services, moving away from risky third-party commercial platforms that handle sensitive student data

Aftab shares his unique journey from putting Business Studies materials online in the 1990s to addressing the growing complexity of multiple information systems in colleges. He explains how his team at Bolton College pioneered safeguarding approaches for AI interactions that are only now becoming mainstream considerations. Through Second Mesh, he's combining product development with applied research to create AI solutions specifically designed for educational institutions—focusing on affordability, sustainability, and ensuring that education leaders maintain proper governance over AI services rather than surrendering control to external providers.

The episode also features Wall Street Journal bestselling author Sheena Yap Chan discussing her upcoming presentation at Beyond Multiple Choice 2025. In "Visible Confidence," Sheena explores how confidence, visibility, and authentic leadership must remain at the core of equitable assessment design as AI revolutionises assessment practices. Drawing from her books The Tao of Self-Confidence and Bridging the Confidence Gap, she shares how assessment designers can centre empathy and clarity whilst leveraging AI innovations, ensuring that assessment tools remain not just efficient—but fair, transparent, and human-centred.

Join Sheena at BMC 2025: https://www.beyond-multiple-choice.app

Connect with Dr. Aftab Hussain on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aftab-hussain-phd-7145444/

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

Learn more about Second Mesh: https://secondmesh.com

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 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 systems and why 60-65% of trainees don't see value in them

• How AI can move beyond simple item generation to enable passive, authentic assessment approaches

• The future of medical assessment using technology like body cameras and voice-activated daily logs

David explains how medical assessment in the UK currently works, from formative workplace-based assessments and ePortfolios to summative exams and OSCEs. He highlights a critical problem: medical trainees often view ePortfolios as a chore rather than a valuable learning tool, with some even postponing their careers because of the administrative burden.

The conversation explores how AI offers opportunities to simplify assessment by allowing doctors to focus on patient care whilst passively capturing learning moments. David describes SkillSync AI's MVP, which lets trainees speak or type daily logs that automatically align to curriculum requirements and identify completed assessments. Looking ahead, David envisions using existing technologies like body cameras in A&E departments to analyse patient interactions across multiple data sources, creating authentic assessments without disrupting clinical practice.

Read the Vibe Coding Cheating Article: hhttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/creating-cheating-apps-vibe-coding-its-so-easy-tim-burnett--vtnke/?trackingId=OKm9%2Bo1%2BRBuABJIUJUdg%2BA%3D%3D

Connect with David Lay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-lay1/

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

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 Inclusion: Digital formats provide screen readers, adjustable colors, and adaptive interfaces that paper cannot match, making assessments genuinely inclusive rather than discriminatory.

Operational Sustainability: The massive logistical effort of printing, shipping, and storing millions of paper documents annually is environmentally and operationally unsustainable compared to digital efficiency.

Innovation Opportunities: Digital platforms enable interactivity, rich media, and the ability to modernize outdated assessment models for the 21st century.

Scalability: Full digital transformation is the only realistic path for large-scale, secure, and inclusive assessment delivery.

Construct-Irrelevant Variance: Rushing to digital risks measuring the wrong skills—the test format itself (typing speed, screen navigation) may interfere with accurately assessing the intended competencies.

Subject-Specific Validity: Certain subjects like advanced mathematics and physics require complex diagrams and working calculations that are better suited to paper; forcing all subjects onto screens compromises measurement integrity.

Privacy and Compliance Risks: GDPR concerns around biometric data collection and online proctoring are serious; AI detection tools need proven reliability and known false positive rates before high-stakes deployment.

Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: Digital systems introduce new risks—server failures, connectivity issues, and the need for specialized technical support that may not be universally available.

Environmental Trade-offs: The green argument isn't clear-cut; 80% of a laptop's carbon footprint comes from manufacturing, potentially trading paper waste for serious e-waste problems.

Need for Validation: Format decisions must be grounded in comprehensive risk assessments and validation studies comparing candidate performance across modes, not driven by technological enthusiasm.

The debate centers on whether urgency (security threats, accessibility needs, operational efficiency) justifies rapid digital transformation, or whether protecting assessment validity, candidate rights, and ensuring evidence-based implementation requires a more measured, potentially multimodal approach tailored to different subjects and contexts.

Key Arguments For Rapid Digital AdoptionKey Arguments For Evidence-Based CautionThe Central TensionTranscript:

https://testcommunity.network/debate-digital-vs-paper-assessment-delivery

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 certification credibility. Sophisticated cheaters use virtual machines and secondary devices, necessitating countermeasures like lockdown browsers and multi-camera systems.

Audit Trail Requirements: Without defensible, auditable evidence of test integrity, certifications lose their value entirely.

Usability Improvements: Providers are investing in low-bandwidth solutions and browser-native delivery to reduce technical barriers, while hybrid AI-human review systems minimize false positives and ensure fair outcomes.

Surveillance Overreach: Deep proctoring systems employ continuous facial recognition, microphone monitoring, and OS-level activity detection—this constitutes surveillance rather than mere integrity assurance.

Data Privacy Risks: Collecting biometric data, ID scans, and continuous screen captures creates a "data honeypot" with massive PII liability and GDPR compliance burdens.

Equity and Access Issues: Requirements for specialized equipment, high-speed internet, and modern computers effectively exclude disadvantaged candidates, creating unequal access to certification.

Candidate Stress: Constant monitoring generates anxiety and leads to false positives that force innocent candidates through stressful appeals processes.

The debate ultimately centers on balancing assessment integrity against candidate well-being, privacy, and equitable access—a challenge that will define the future of remote certification.

Key Arguments For Enhanced ProctoringKey Arguments Against Current TrajectoryThe Central Tension