Paper-based versus computer-based assessment: is workload another test mode effect?

The article focuses on cognitive workload as a key factor which influence paper-based and computer-based assessment of the academic performance of university undergraduates. Cognitive workload has been defined as the interaction between demands of a task that an individual experiences and a person's ability to cope with theses demand. Cognitive workload can be relatively easily measured using subjective, self-report measures. One of the most widely used measures of cognitive workloads is NASA-TLX. It assesses workload on a number of dimensions and has been shown to be more reliable than other subjective workload scales.