In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Jim Holm, an education technology expert with nearly 30 years of experience who now works at Stukent. They discuss:
- How simternships provide students with practical, hands-on experience that bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world job skills

- The impressive results of simternships in reducing drop-out rates and increasing student engagement

- The future of performance-based assessment in the age of AI
Jim Holm explains how Stukent's simternships offer technology-based internships that complement traditional coursework. These simulated experiences help students understand what their first job experiences will be like, focussing on practical skills rather than just theoretical knowledge. Simternships teach students the tools they'll need, how to communicate effectively in a workplace, and how to identify and work toward professional objectives.
Using the example of an accounting simternship, Jim describes how students might spend 24-40 hours working through realistic scenarios where they make journal entries, track products, and coordinate communication between different teams—all in a low-stress environment that makes learning engaging. Unlike many business simulations that focus on high-level executive decision-making, simternships prepare students for entry-level positions they're likely to encounter after graduation.

Currently, Stukent offers around 40 different simternships primarily focussed on business topics, from digital marketing to social media and accounting. While the technology could potentially expand to other fields like chemical engineering or nursing, the company currently concentrates on business-related courses.

Looking to the future, Jim believes that as AI continues to advance, proving what you can do rather than just what you know will become increasingly important in education and assessment. He envisions simternships evolving beyond learning tools to become sophisticated measurement instruments that evaluate how well individuals can synthesise information, communicate effectively, and make business decisions.

Stukent currently serves over 1,000 universities worldwide, with about 80% based in the US and the remainder in English-speaking countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia. While they're primarily focussed on higher education, they're expanding into high school-level career and technical education programmes.
Connect with Jim Holm on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimholm/
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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Join me this week to take a look at online and hybrid events taking place over the next week in the Assessment community plus an insight into my interviews with Jim Holm (Simternships) and Bradley Emi (Ai Dection Tools).

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Tom Ashmore, Digital Assessment Designer, and Elliot Spence, Senior Digital Assessment Coordinator at Birmingham City University. They discuss their award-winning hybrid assessment model and initiatives to boost digital literacy amongst students.

They discuss:

BCU's innovative hybrid assessment model that allows students to choose between on-campus or remote exams

The Digital Kickstart programme to enhance digital literacy skills for new students

The challenges of digital literacy among today's students and how BCU is addressing them

Tom and Elliot share insights about their award-winning hybrid assessment model, which gives students the flexibility to take exams either on campus or remotely using their own devices. This approach has proven particularly valuable for BCU's diverse student population, many of whom are commuters. The model ensures assessment quality remains consistent regardless of location, with remote students being proctored via live recording and on-campus students supervised traditionally.

The conversation also explores their Digital Kickstart initiative, designed to boost digital literacy skills for new students. Contrary to assumptions about younger generations being digitally savvy, they've found many students struggle with basic computer operations and software like Microsoft Office. These skills gaps cut across age groups and backgrounds, including school leavers, mature students returning to education, and international students. The team offers tailored sessions ranging from 15 minutes to an hour to help students develop essential digital competencies.

They also discuss how their digital exam platform has helped address concerns about AI in assessments, with the recording element making AI use during exams easily detectable. This has increased confidence in exams while concerns about AI in coursework have grown, leading some courses to shift from coursework to exams. Despite nearly doubling their exam submissions in recent years (from 15,000 to approximately 20,000), their team of five has managed the increased workload efficiently, demonstrating the scalability of digital assessment systems.

Connect with Tom Ashmore on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-ashmore-1a18a5169/

Connect with Elliot Spence on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-spence-330964181/

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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In this week's episode, the first in our mini-series "Digital Frontiers in Higher Education," Tim Burnett chats with Lesley O'Keeffe, former Registrar at Brunel University London.

With over 16 years of experience in higher education, Lesley shares insights from her extensive career in academic registry and student services.

They discuss:

• The evolution of digital examinations in higher education, including Brunel University's successful implementation of a "bring your own device" approach that reached 90% digital exams post-COVID

• The growing importance of student welfare considerations in examination settings, including the impact of recent case law that's changing how universities accommodate students with additional needs

• How assessment methods are evolving to balance academic integrity with student wellbeing, exploring the tension between summative examinations and more frequent, authentic assessment approaches

Lesley shares fascinating insights about the operational challenges of managing examinations on a large scale, including infrastructure considerations for digital assessments.

She discusses how universities are responding to the increasing number of students requiring specific accommodations for exams due to disabilities or mental health conditions.

The conversation explores the complexities of balancing the need to reduce assessment burden on academic staff while providing students with regular feedback through more authentic assessment approaches.

Having recently transitioned from a permanent role to working as an interim professional, Lesley offers a unique perspective on how different universities structure their academic services and student support functions.

Connect with Lesley O'Keefe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-o-keeffe-ba7b26111/

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

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Subscribe to the Test Community Network here: https://www.testcommunity.network

In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Ben Smith from Gordon Associates. Ben is the chair of the upcoming AO Forum event and works with awarding organisations across the UK.

They discuss:

1. The upcoming AO Forum event on 30th April in London, bringing together professionals from the awarding organisation sector

2. Gordon Associates' software solutions for awarding bodies, including their flagship Parnassus system and other specialised tools

3. Industry trends towards digital transformation, compliance requirements, and potential AI applications in the education sector

Ben shares details about the AO Forum, an annual event that brings together people from awarding organisations and endpoint assessment organisations to network and learn from regulators and industry peers. This year's event will feature presentations from Skills England (formerly iFate), a panel session with regulators from Ofqual and Qualification Wales, and discussions on compliance and operational challenges. Tim will be closing the conference with a presentation on AI applications in the sector.

Ben also discusses Gordon Associates' suite of software solutions for the education sector, including their flagship Parnassus system for managing regulated qualifications, Talus for endpoint assessment organisations, Monarch for compliance management, and Endeavor for training companies. He highlights how they've adapted their offerings to meet the changing needs of the industry over their 30-year history.

The episode concludes with a discussion about the potential applications of AI in compliance management and back-office operations within the education sector.

Book tickets for the AO Forum here: https://www.awardingorganisation.com/

Connect with Ben Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-smith-15a448144/

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

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In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Kavitha Ravindran and Rajeshwari Iyer, the founders of sAInaptic. Kavitha brings over 15 years of teaching experience, while Raj offers deep expertise in AI and data science. They discuss:

• How sAInaptic automates marking and feedback for free text responses, going beyond traditional MCQ assessment
• The innovative hybrid AI approach combining language models with algorithmic marking for exceptional accuracy

• Their expansion from school-based solutions to vocational qualifications and professional certification

Kavitha shares her experience as a teacher spending countless hours marking, only for students to receive feedback weeks later when they'd already forgotten what they'd written. This frustration led to the creation of sAInaptic, which provides instant, accurate marking and feedback for free text responses – something that wasn't previously available in the education sector.

Raj explains their technical approach, which combines language models with algorithmic marking to create a cost-effective, highly accurate solution. The system can be trained with minimal data points while maintaining high accuracy levels, making it accessible for institutions at different stages of digital transformation.

Connect with Kavitha Ravindran on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kravindran/

Connect with Rajeshwari Iyer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajiyer26/

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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In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Jeremy Carter, CEO of Sentira XR, a virtual reality and artificial intelligence company specialising in healthcare training and assessment simulations. With over 25 years of experience in assessment technology, Jeremy brings valuable insights into the intersection of VR, AI, and medical education.

They discuss:

• The evolution of medical training from traditional methods using medical actors and mannequins to immersive VR environments with AI-driven patient interactions
• How Sentira XR's technology combines virtual reality with artificial intelligence to create authentic, interactive medical training scenarios
• The future of immersive learning technology and its potential impact on communication skills training across various industries

Jeremy shares how Sentira XR emerged from the University of Manchester's Faculty of Health to address training bottlenecks in medical education. He explains how their technology has evolved, now allowing them to create new training environments and AI-driven patient scenarios in just a couple of weeks, compared to the six months it took initially. The discussion highlights how their platform enables students to practise both technical skills and patient communication in a safe, repeatable environment.

A particularly interesting insight was their approach to creating authentic patient interactions, where AI-driven virtual patients have complete personal and medical histories, can engage in natural conversation, and display different personality traits that challenge learners to adapt their communication style appropriately.

Connect with Jeremy Carter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycarter72/

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

⚡Beyond Assessment - AI Quarterly Updates⚡

https://www.testcommunity.network/-beyond-assessment-ai-quarterly-updates

Test Community Network Webinar ⚡AI Superpowers for Research⚡ - Thursday 27th February, 4pm GMT | 11am ET

Register: https://www.testcommunity.network/test-community-network-live

Leadership Webinar: Riding the AI Wave Negotiating the Hype & Fear in Assessment During the 2025 Conference Season - Tuesday 4th March, 7pm GMT | 2pm ET

Register:

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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In this week's episode, Tim Burnett chats with Dean Blewitt, Senior Innovation Investments Manager within the Research and Innovation Directorate at NCFE. Dean leads technology testing initiatives in assessment contexts, including the Assessment Innovation Fund and internal Sandbox Pilots at NCFE.

They discuss:

- The launch of NCFE's Assessment Innovation Fund's seventh window, offering grants up to £125,000 in partnership with UFI VocTech Trust

- Previous successful projects, including VR implementations at Calderdale College and Sheffield College, and innovative digital credentialing solutions

- The three-stage application process and eligibility criteria for UK-focused vocational and technical education projects

During their conversation, Dean shares insights about NCFE's commitment to advancing assessment practices through technology. He explains how the fund, established in 2021, has already supported twelve projects impacting over 3,000 learners and 200 educators. Dean highlights the fund's focus on deployability rather than development, emphasising their interest in projects that can scale to reach up to 1,000 learners. The discussion also covers the growing role of AI in assessment innovation while considering sustainability factors.

https://www.ncfe.org.uk/help-shape-the-future-of-learning-and-assessment

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/

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

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