Computer-based language testing: Perspectives of the past and the future

In computer-assisted language learning (CALL), language testing is one of the major areas of use. This paper is intended to give a brief review of certain issues involving computer-based language testing (CBLT) in terms of (1) historical perspectives embodied in development from the computer-based test (CBT) to CBLT then to Internet-based test (IBT) or Web-based test (WBT), (2) the peculiar advantages of the CBLT, as opposed to conventional or paper-and-pencil tests, (3) computer scoring and construction of the item-bank in the area of CBLT. Challenges still exist for us to employ this innovative approach for language learning assessment, for there are several areas where we are still in need of better understanding CBLT.