Duolingo English Test is a one-hour, take-at-home AI-generated assessment of English proficiency that the language learning startup launched in 2014. Today, it is accepted by top university programs such as Columbia and NYU. After gaining impressive momentum in the academia, Duolingo is now looking at the market of HR management.
Kyle Wiggers writing for the Venture Beat:
AI-generated tests like Duolingo’s could be a godsend for employers looking to hiring English-as-a-second-language (ESL) candidates during the pandemic. Proficiency assessments like Test Of English As A Foreign Language (TOEFL) require that examinees travel to a proctored location, a tough ask in countries where executive orders have mandated the closure of non-essential businesses. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a Duolingo spokesperson says that test volume is up 300% and 375% globally and in China, respectively, and that 500 new programs have begun accepting Duolingo English Test since the pandemic began.
Duolingo AI uses psychometrics to pick questions based on the examinee's dynamic performance, so that better performing candidates receive questions of progressive difficulty that matches their ability.
An iterative adaptive algorithm observes examinees’ responses to questions during testing and makes an estimate of their abilities. Based on a utility function of the current estimate, it then selects the next question, at which point the process repeats until the test is completed.
Read more on the Venture Beat.
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