* Assessment Design: This involves defining learning objectives, choosing appropriate assessment methods (e.g., multiple-choice questions, essays, practical exams, projects), and creating assessment instruments (e.g., exam papers, rubrics).
* Exam Administration: This covers scheduling exams, providing a fair and secure testing environment, managing invigilation (supervision), and ensuring accessibility for all candidates. This might involve logistical planning, using specific software or hardware, and handling potential irregularities.
* Marking and Grading: This involves establishing clear marking schemes or rubrics, training markers to maintain consistency, and using methods to reduce bias in grading (e.g., blind marking). It also includes calculating grades and scores.
* Result Reporting and Feedback: This is the process of communicating results to students (and possibly parents or institutions) and providing feedback on performance, both individual and aggregated. This can be done through reports, individual feedback forms, and possibly data analysis to inform future teaching or curriculum development.
* Quality Assurance: This involves implementing procedures to ensure the reliability, validity, and fairness of the entire system. It might involve regular reviews of assessment materials, processes, and outcomes.
The complexity of an exam system varies greatly depending on the context, from a simple classroom quiz to a large-scale national examination like the SAT or GCSEs. They often include elements of technology, particularly in administering and grading exams, and often aim for standardization to ensure fairness and comparability across different students and locations.