I. Introduction: Educational Assessment in the Digital Age – An Inevitable Revolution

Amidst rapid globalization and the Digital Transformation of Education, the concept of assessing learner competency has moved beyond the traditional framework of paper-and-pen tests. The question is no longer whether we should transition, but how to execute this transformation to be more accurate, more flexible, and more humane?

Technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), is redefining how we measure student progress and potential. This change not only affects testing methods but also shifts the educational philosophy: Assessment is no longer the end of learning, but a continuous part of the learning process.

At the esteemed Education Vietnam 2025 (EDUCON 2025) forum, the panel discussion "The Evolution of Assessments – From Paper to AI: A Case Study of Singapore Education" provided specialized insights (Expertise) and practical evidence of this challenging transformation journey.

II. The Expert Panel: The Importance of E-E-A-T in the Discussion

The credibility (Trustworthiness) and authority (Authoritativeness) of the panel were guaranteed by top-tier experts representing various facets of the digital education ecosystem:

• 👨‍🏫 Mr. Michael Klemm - Managing Director, Singapore Education Network
• 👨‍🏫 Mr. Alwyn Huang - Marketing Manager, Canon Singapore
• 👨‍🏫 Mr. Thanan Suwannapist - Regional Account Director, Coursera
• 👩‍💼 Ms. Puravina Periasamy – Solutions Engineer APAC, Inspera
• 🎤 Moderator: Ms. Norhidayah Rahim – Senior Sales Executive APAC, Inspera

With the participation of experts from Singapore, a global leader in education and technology, the discussion provided a highly reliable blueprint for Vietnam.

III. The Inevitable Shift: From Paper to Digital Platforms

The speakers unanimously agreed that the transition from paper-based assessment to digital platforms is an essential step in modern education.

1. Reducing Repetitive Workload for Teachers

One of the most practical benefits of technology is its ability to reduce repetitive administrative workload. Digital assessment systems and AI automatically grade multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and even simple essays.

• Impact: Teachers gain precious time to increase one-on-one interaction with students, focusing on mentorship, resolving deeper academic issues, and developing creative curricula. This is a shift from the role of "grader" to "learning coach."

2. Enhancing Flexibility and Security

Using digital platforms ensures high flexibility in organizing exams (online, at home, or in school) and significantly enhances the security of exam papers and answer sheets. AI-integrated online proctoring tools can detect cheating more effectively and transparently than traditional surveillance.

IV. Lessons from Singapore: Transparency and Personalization through AI Assessment

The Case study from Singapore was a key highlight, demonstrating how AI can improve assessment quality:

1. Making the Assessment Process Transparent (Transparency)

In Singapore, digital assessment platforms are used to provide detailed and instantaneous feedback to students and parents.

• Mechanism: AI not only provides scores but also analyzes errors, pointing out specific skills or knowledge gaps. This assessment transparency helps students understand why they received a certain score and what steps they need to take to improve, creating a continuous improvement loop in learning.

2. Personalized Assessment (Adaptivity)

AI enables adaptive assessment, meaning the difficulty of the questions automatically adjusts based on the student's previous answers.

• Benefit: This method measures a student's true competency more accurately than standard tests while reducing unnecessary pressure. With personalized assessment, every student is challenged at the level most suitable for their current ability.

3. Comprehensive Soft Skills Evaluation

Experts also emphasized technology's role in assessing skills that are typically difficult to measure, such as critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. New platforms use AI to analyze open-ended responses, group interaction data, or learning portfolios (e-Portfolios), offering a more holistic view of future generations' learning capabilities.

V. Opportunities and Challenges for Vietnam in Digital Transformation

The latter part of the discussion featured an open debate on the challenges and appropriate approaches for Vietnam.

1. Infrastructure and Cultural Challenges

Vietnam must overcome challenges related to uneven technological infrastructure across regions and cultural resistance to new assessment methods (which often remain focused on grades). Building trust in the objectivity and fairness of AI in assessment is paramount.

2. Appropriate Approach (Authoritativeness)

The speakers proposed that Vietnam should begin with gradual digitalization:

• Phase 1: Focus on formative assessment on digital platforms to familiarize teachers with data usage.
• Phase 2: Pilot summative assessment with AI support in well-equipped schools, then replicate practical experiences.
• Training Priority: Invest in training teachers on Digital Pedagogy and how to utilize assessment data to improve instruction.

VI. Conclusion: Building an Equitable and Effective Assessment Ecosystem

The panel discussion at Education Vietnam 2025 not only delivered specialized knowledge but also created a networking space between administrators, EdTech experts, and the international education community, jointly promoting an equitable, effective, and future-oriented assessment ecosystem.

The transformation of educational assessment is a long journey but brings profound humanistic value: helping students learn better, helping teachers work more effectively, and helping the entire education system achieve sustainable development.

🙏 Education Vietnam sincerely thanks the speakers, especially experts from Inspera, Canon Singapore, Coursera, and the Singapore Education Network, for contributing to an inspiring and practically valuable discussion.

The education community is ready for the next step!

Education Vietnam 2026 will continue to be the hub for the most pioneering solutions and trends:

📅 Education Vietnam 2026

• Time: 06 - 08.05.2026
• Venue: SECC – Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, HCMC

⏳ Follow our fan page for the latest updates and register early for exhibition before December 31, 2025, to receive a 10% Early Bird discount!

👉 Register now to join the community shaping the future of education in Vietnam: educationvietnam.com.vn