- Opinion
RM Compare Newsletter - November 2025
Another bumper edition featuring product updates, research reports and a number of opinion pieces.
The pace of change in assessment is exponential, driven by the impact of AI. Keeping up can be difficult. We prioritise speed of learning in everything we do to help you to get the very latest perspectives.
We are learning faster than ever and will continue to share as we progress. We build RM Compare to facilitate fast learning, and also support research partners around the world to drive things forward.
There has never been a more exciting (or important) time for assessment.
Swiping Right on Assessment: Mobile-First Lessons for RM Compare: What can a dating app teach us about assessment? Quite a lot, as it turns out. The dramatic difference in decision time across platforms, highlighted in the chart below, is at the heart of RM Compare’s mobile-first transformation. It’s also a bridge built by research that connects traditional marking assumptions to the new realities of digital assessment.
How to enjoy fries on the beach, undisturbed by seagulls: Surprising Truths from a recent ACJ Study: A recent study (2025) from Jeffrey Buckley (Technological University of the Shannon) and Caiwei Zhu (Delft University of Technology) set out to answer a critical question for anyone seeking fairness and efficiency in educational assessment: How feasible is Adaptive Comparative Judgement (ACJ) when deployed in real classrooms?
Turning Research into Action: The OODA Loop at the Heart of RM Compare’s Innovation: Innovation isn’t a straight line - it’s a dynamic cycle. Nobody grasped this better than John Boyd, the US Air Force Colonel and visionary strategist behind the OODA loop. Boyd’s model—Observe, Orient, Decide, Act—was developed to help fighter pilots out-think and out-manoeuvre their opponents. Over time, it became a blueprint for learning organisations everywhere: success comes from cycling through these stages faster and smarter
New 6 Part Blog Series - "All Judgements Are Comparisons”: The Human Foundation Beneath AI Assessment: At the heart of every debate around assessment, whether about student work, creative output, or performance reviews, lies a deceptively simple truth that all judgements are comparative. This insight isn’t just a philosophical curiosity, it is the key to understanding why trust and validity in marking are so challenging in an era of artificial intelligence.
Licence Centre Upgrades: In this short blog we will explain how upgrades to and within Licence Centres work.
Reflections from the RM Assessment 'AI in Action' Conference: Beyond bunkers : Billionaires are building bunkers. From luxury compounds in the depths of New Zealand to secretive estates far from prying eyes, some of the world’s wealthiest are investing heavily in “doomsday” preparations, hoping to insulate themselves from whatever crisis may come next. In a world fixated on uncertainty—whether from technological disruption, planetary challenges, or the unpredictable rise of AI—future-proofing is on everyone’s agenda.
How Caine College of the Arts used RM Compare to improve admissions: The Department of Art and Design at Utah State University’s Caine College is a dynamic community dedicated to excellence in visual art, design, and scholarship. Recognised for its nationally accredited programs, the department combines rigorous foundational study, creative innovation, and professional skill development within a supportive environment.
Help - I can't see any Items!!: Don't panic!!This happens rarely (very rarely) but for good reason. Let us explain...
New! RM Compare Training Centre: AI, and especially Large Language Models, have transformed everything. Training is no exception. Rather than offering passive lessons or static instructions, we empower you to become an active, self-sufficient learner—able to obtain clear, personalised answers, explanations and ideas for any part of RM Compare, whenever you need them.
