Hello test-takers!! With everything going digital from attending classes to giving exams, the standardized test – ACT – has also gone digital. In May 2023, ACT CEO Janet Godwin announced that the ACT exam is going digital.
Does that mean the test-takers stopped giving the ACT exam in pen and paper mode? No, that is not the case here. ACT is giving an option to students to choose which mode they prefer to give the ACT exam.
In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about the digital ACT, including its structure, how it is different from the pen and paper mode, what has changed, what is still the same, and much more.
What is digital ACT?
The ACT exam has gone digital while still allowing students to give the ACT exam in pen and paper mode, if they prefer that.
According to Janet Godwin, the , “their decision to offer the students the choice to take the ACT their way (online or using pen and paper) means that students have a choice in testing experience that best suits their unique learning style and preferences.”
Digital ACT exam has been introduced to focus on equality and inclusivity of testing style for all students.
For those who are not aware, for state and district test-takers, ACT Inc. has been offering the option of taking the ACT exam online since 2016 and for international test-takers since 2018.
So, to make the ACT exam online for national test-takers as well, online testing of the ACT exam started in December 2023. It started with a limited pilot of 5,000 test-takers at selected U.S. test centers. The registration for the pilot program started in July 2023.
The reasons behind conducting the pilot testing before making it widely available are
Test Functionality: The pilot testing helps in ensuring that the digital platform used to perform the exam is functioning as intended. It also helps in checking whether the digital platform offers a smooth testing experience and is compatible with the systems present in the test center.
Gather/Consider Feedback: Since the pilot testing involves a smaller group of students, it helps the ACT gather valuable feedback from students on their experience, comfort level with the digital format, and any kind of technical glitches.
Refine the Process: Based on the feedback received from the students, the process of conducting the digital ACT can be refined by fixing the technical glitches, making adjustments to the interface, etc. This helps in making the format of digital ACT better for future test-takers.
After analyzing the response from the pilot testing, the digital ACT exam started in 2024 for a larger audience.
The concept of digital ACT focuses on providing students with more choice, flexibility, and accessibility, along with maintaining the valid standards of the ACT exam.
Structure of digital ACT
The structure of digital ACT is the same as the pen and paper mode. So, the digital ACT also has 4 compulsory sections consisting of a total of 215 questions. The 4 sections are:
English. This section has 75 questions.
Mathematics. This section has 60 questions.
Reading. This section has 40 questions.
Science. This section has 40 questions.
The optional writing section is also there in digital ACT, same as the pen and paper mode of ACT, where you have to write 1 essay.
However, the digital ACT is not adaptive, which means it does not adjust the difficulty level based on your performance in previous section(s).
To know more about the structure of ACT in detail, you can refer to our blog on the same.
How is digital ACT different?
The following aspects are different in digital ACT from the pen and paper version of ACT:
With digital ACT, students get the choice between testing formats. They can choose whether they want to give the ACT exam digitally or using a pen and paper version based on their preference.
Introduction of accessibility features for students. This includes support for screen reader users, text-to-speech functionality, zoom, and answer masking. These features help students meet their goals and achieve academic success.
What things are the same in the digital ACT?
The following aspects of digital ACT are the same as those of the pen and paper version of ACT:
The structure of digital ACT is the same as the pen and paper version of ACT.
The fee for digital ACT is the same as the paper and pencil version of ACT.
Students are still allowed to bring their own permitted calculator for digital ACT. Although, in digital ACT, a built-in calculator application will be available for them.
ACT’s fee waiver program is still applicable for qualified students who are choosing to take the digital ACT exam.
Score reporting and the release of score reports are the same for digital ACT and the pen and paper version of ACT.
The MyACT portal is used to register for digital ACT.
The digital ACT still measures the knowledge and skills that students are learning in high school and that matter most for college and career readiness.
How can students register for digital ACT?
To register for digital ACT, visit the ACT’s official website and follow the same steps that you follow while registering for the pen and paper version of ACT.
To know more about the steps of registration for ACT in detail, you can refer to our blog on the same.
However, in one of the steps, you will be asked a question, “Would you like to test on paper or computer?”
If you select “Computer” for this question, you will be able to find the test centers which offer digital ACT exam.
There is also an option to change the format in which you want to take the ACT exam after registration. Until the late registration deadline, you can change the test format (digital or using pen and paper) by paying the required fee.
For the digital ACT, the exam is delivered to students in TestNav. TestNav is an online test delivery platform which provides engaging and interacting testing to students. This will be used by students to take the ACT exam.
Testing staff will use PearsonAccess which is a web application to manage participation, ordering of materials, and online testing.
Students have to physically present at the test center to take the digital ACT exam and they are not allowed to choose their own devices to take the ACT exam.
The digital ACT must be taken on a device given and managed by ACT Inc. at your chosen test center.
If you face any technical difficulties on your device on the test day which can’t be resolved by the testing staff, you will be given a new device to take the ACT exam.
However, if you face the similar or same issue on the new device as well, then your test date will be rescheduled by ACT Inc. and you will get informed about your new test date by them.
Devices which are supported at the test center for digital ACT includes Chromebooks, Windows desktops, and laptops.
Advantages of digital ACT
The option to take the digital ACT exam comes along with some benefits. Let’s have a look at them:
Familiarity with the online testing format
The test prep options for ACT include some practice exams which students have to take online. This helps students become familiar with the format of actual digital ACT exam.
Alignment of students testing experience with their test prep experience
Most of the test prep options include online components and students have to sit in front of the computers for that. So, this helps students to sit in front of computers for a longer time and make them feel comfortable with the digital mode.
Accessibility & Flexibility
The digital ACT offers accessibility features for students which includes text-to-speech conversion, screen readers, and zoom functionalities.
Additional Enhancement
With digital ACT testing, students can get to experience the enhancements like streamlined essay writing, seamless pacing, and improved efficiency.
Disadvantages of digital ACT
The following are the disadvantages of taking the digital ACT:
Technical Issues
With any digital platform, there is always the risk of technical glitches. In the case of digital ACT, students can face technical glitches during the test which can disrupt the testing process and impact their focus.
This could include internet connectivity issues, hardware malfunction, or technical crashes on the testing device.
Eye Strain
For digital ACT, students have to sit in front of computer screens for a long period of time. This can cause eye strain and fatigue.
Potential for Cheating
While the ACT implements all the necessary security measures, there is always a concern and possibility of developing new cheating methods in a digital format. This can highly affect the integrity of scores.
What to consider when choosing your format to give ACT?
The best format of ACT (Pen and paper or Digital) depends on what makes you feel more comfortable and allows you to perform to your full potential.
Consider the following factors to understand which ACT exam format puts you at ease:
Your Preferred Learning Style
Ask yourself. Are you comfortable sitting in front of computer screens for a long period of time and give the exam? Or are you comfortable with digital tools and technology?
If the answer to these questions turns out to be a “yes”, then you should go for the digital ACT exam format.
However, if you feel slightly confused, then you should think about sticking to the pen and paper format.
Test Anxiety
A new testing format can bring unwanted anxiety and the possibilities of technical glitches during digital ACT can add to that.
If you are okay with handling the anxiety level, then you can think about going for digital ACT or else, you should stick with pen and paper format.
Comfort Level with Navigating through Devices
Consider your comfort level with navigating through computers or other such devices. If it takes you too much time to navigate through devices, then you should prefer sticking with pen and paper format.
However, if you are comfortable with navigating through devices, then you can consider the digital ACT format as well.
Conclusion
Digital ACT is the transition of the ACT to digital mode along with still allowing students to give the ACT exam in pen and paper mode, if they prefer that.
Online testing of the ACT exam started from December 2023 with a limited pilot of 5,000 test-takers at selected U.S. test centers. This has been done for checking the test functionality, gathering feedback, and refining the process.
The structure and fee of digital ACT is the same as the pen and paper mode of ACT. It will continue to check a student’s knowledge in subjects like, English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science, which is essential for college.
The differences which are in digital ACT includes giving the choice to students between testing formats and introduction of accessibility features. Registration for the digital ACT exam can be done through the ACT’s official website.
Digital ACT has been introduced to give more choice of test format to students, so that they can pick one which aligns with their preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Is there going to be a digital ACT?
Yes, ACT is digital now. Online testing of the ACT exam started from December 2023 with a limited pilot of 5,000 test-takers at selected U.S. test centers.
How is the digital ACT different?
With digital ACT, students get the choice between testing formats (digital or using pen and paper). Apart from this, in digital ACT, students also get accessibility features, which includes support for screen reader users, text-to-speech functionality, zoom, and answer masking.
Is digital ACT easier?
The general consensus is that digital ACT is going to be easier than the pen and paper version of the ACT. However, it depends on students as well. Some students feel the pen and paper version of ACT is easy because of the familiarity with the testing format. On the other hand, some students might feel digital ACT is easy because of the introduction of accessibility features.
What is digital ACT?
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