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This report presents student perspectives of the pilot test, providing insight into taking an essay-based exam in digital format and factors that influence readiness and fairness. The findings will inform AQA’s strategy to lead digital change and support the transition to digital delivery of high-stakes exams.  \nKey findings and recommendations  \n• Students generally responded positively to the digital test.  \no Continue to refine the digital platform based on student feedback.  \n• Not all students are equally prepared to take advantage of digital assessment.  \no Provide targeted support for developing typing fluency and ensure equitable access to appropriate devices.  \no Support the adaptation of exam techniques for digital formats, including provision of rough paper for essay planning.  \n• Differences in device familiarity affect students’ readiness and sense of fairness.  \no Align exam delivery with the devices students typically use for learning.  \no Offer opportunities to familiarise students with digital exam conditions.  \n• The digital exam environment presents additional challenges for some students.  \no Prepare students for the digital exam environment, including managing typing noise and physical comfort.  \nIntroduction  \nAQA’s Research and Evaluation team have undertaken several projects exploring the transition to digital exams. Previous studies focused on subjects with multiple-choice and short-answer questions, such as GCSE Polish and GCSE Italian. To build on this work, we conducted a pilot in A-level Philosophy to explore the feasibility of delivering essay-based exams in a digital environment. Philosophy was chosen because it involves extended written responses and two 3-hour papers, with several candidates already typing their exams. Findings from this pilot will inform AQA’s strategy to lead digital change and support the transition to digital delivery of high-stakes exams.  \nThe project adopted a multi-method approach to explore readiness for digital exams across centres, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data sources, including test performance data, surveys, focus groups and classroom observations. It comprised four strands:  \n• a comparative study examining potential mode effects between paper-based and digital delivery  \n• an exploration of exams officers, IT leads and invigilators’ experiences of preparing for and supporting digital exams  \n• a classroom-based study to understand the relationship between pedagogy and assessment, as well as teachers’ perspectives on preparing for digital exams  \n• an analysis of student feedback on the digital test-taking experience.  \nThis report focuses on the fourth strand – student feedback. Immediately after completing the digital test, students shared their initial impressions through an online survey. We then conducted focus groups with some students from each centre to explore their experiences in more depth. This approach enabled us to capture broad trends in digital exam readiness – such as confidence in typing speed and device use – while also helping us understand the reasons behind students’ responses.  \nMethodology  \nTwelve centres took part in the digital exam pilot, which ran from May to July 2025 (see Appendix A for centre characteristics) . On completion of the digital test, students were invited to share their views in a short online survey (see Appendix B for survey questions) . In total, 142 students responded: 62%(88) were female, 35%(50) were male and 3%(4) preferred not to say. Information on free school meal eligibility was also collected: 11%(16) reported being eligible, 80%(113) were not eligible and 9%(13) were not sure. To explore whe","cbCaimKFai99yMcb","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimKFai99yMcb","pdf",386080,22,"English","# Executive summary\n# Key findings and recommendations\n# Introduction\n# Methodology\n# Findings","[{\"question\":\"What was the focus of the digital exams pilot in A-level Philosophy?\",\"answer\":\"The pilot explored the feasibility of delivering essay-based A-level Philosophy papers in a digital environment, with emphasis on student feedback about the digital test-taking experience.\"},{\"question\":\"How were students’ views collected and analysed?\",\"answer\":\"Students completed an online survey immediately after the digital test, followed by focus groups with students from each centre. Survey and focus group themes were combined and refined to identify trends in readiness and the reasons behind responses.\"},{\"question\":\"What factors influenced students’ readiness and perceptions of fairness?\",\"answer\":\"Differences in device familiarity affected readiness and students’ sense of fairness, alongside the need for typing fluency and adaptation of exam techniques for digital formats.\"}]","A-level Philosophy digital exams pilot - Executive summary - Student perspectives | PDF",1792464935,55]