Book (2022)/Interoperability of Test Tools

If we consider the situation where the creation of test items can take place in one environment (e.g. in an item bank) and the administration of the test in another environment, it is important to ensure the portability of test items between platforms. Simple exchange formats often support transfer between only a few specific programs, or support only a few test job formats. On the other hand, these formats are clear and understandable (e.g. Aiken). At the opposite end of the notional scale of complexity are generally accepted standards of interoperability of educational systems, of which QTI is the most widely used.

Standard QTI

Question and Test Interoperability (QTI) is an open standard for the exchange of test items created by the IMS Global Learning Consortium. The QTI question exchange standard was created in an effort to prevent the work that went into item preparation from being devalued when testing technology changes. QTI is based on the XML format and defines test interoperability formats and protocols, from paper to digital, adaptive to proctored. Developers then integrate these standards into their solutions.

To integrate testing tools with the learning environment, the IMS consortium also develops data exchange standards with LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) e-learning tools. LTI standards enable the transfer of data, e.g. grades from a testing program to the learning environment. LTI complements QTI by providing a way to integrate a testing system with a learning platform such as an LMS or learning information system.