Muko City, Kyoto, Online "Hometown Examination" with learningBOX

Release Date :November 17, 2023

• IBT/CBT

Release Date :November 17, 2023

Muko City, Kyoto Prefecture, is the smallest municipality in western Japan and is famous for bamboo shoots, a specialty of the city, as well as for its rich history, with many historic sites from the former capital of Nagaokakyo, The city has been making efforts to form attachment to the city and expand recognition of the city. We asked them about the difficulties they faced in changing to a web-based test and how they specifically use learningBOX.

Utilizing the "Hometown Test" to promote the city

First of all, please tell us about the efforts of the Planning and Public Relations Division and the duties of the person in charge.

The Planning and Public Relations Division of the Hometown Creation Promotion Department is responsible for PR and public relations related to Muko City.
The city of Muko City also puts a great deal of effort into tourism, and the bamboo path is a particularly popular attraction.
I am in charge of the "Muko City Hometown Test" as part of the city's PR efforts.

What is the Muko City Hometown Test?

The Muko City Hometown Examination was started in 2017 and will be held for the seventh time in 2023. The test is conducted in the hope that people will learn more about Muko City and become more attached to it, as well as to increase the number of visitors to Muko City.

The test is open to everyone, not just citizens, and we have already received applications from people outside the city. There are three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. We have prepared textbooks to prepare for the test, and we hope that more people will take the test and learn more about Muko City.

We want to increase the number of examinees by making it a web-based examination.

What prompted you to hold the certification test online this time?

On-site testing was never convenient for examinees because it required them to coordinate their schedules and could cause problems such as sudden absences due to inclement weather, transportation delays, or the spread of infectious diseases on the day of the test.
The main reason was that we wanted to make it possible for examinees to take the test at their own time and place, even from distant locations.
In addition, it has always been difficult to appeal to younger people, and we felt that a web-based certification would broaden our target audience.

What were the benefits of switching to the Web Certificate?

We believe the greatest advantage is that examinees can take the certification test whenever and wherever they want during the period. For the management side, it also reduces labor costs for staff engaged in paper printing, sending out certificates of acceptance, venue costs, supervision on the day of the test, and so on. There is no simple comparison, but the benefit of having less of these hassles is also significant.

Could you tell us why and how you chose learningBOX from among the many systems available?

First of all, it had a complete set of functions. We were able to do almost everything we wanted to do. What we had been doing with paper-based testing could be done directly on the system. The screen interface is easy to understand and intuitive. There are many elderly examinees, so it is important to have an easy-to-understand screen for operation. I am not very good with computers, and I am not very knowledgeable about IT-related matters, but when I had problems, the support staff would carefully teach me how to use the system, so I was able to give it shape.

LearningBOX handles everything from acceptance to testing and survey collection.

Please tell us how you operate the web-based certification test at learningBOX.

learningBOX handles everything from issuing accounts for test takers to applying for the certification test, taking the test, issuing certificates, and administering questionnaires. Recruitment is done through the city's website, but everything else, from acceptance to completion of the certification test, is done within learningBOX. The logo image and menu text can also be changed, making the screen settings easy for examinees to understand.

 Register for an accountthe...Training course buildingI understand that you have been using the "K" Line service. Are there any points that you would like to see improved in the actual operation of the system?

Currently, for paid examinations, after application, a payment form is prepared and sent to the city office, payment is confirmed, approval is made, and the examination begins, but I would appreciate it if this could also be completed completely on the web. Right now it seems that the payment part is not available in the system due to plans, fees, etc.

We are currently working on making the payment function easier to use, so please wait a little longer. So, have you received any feedback about the introduction of the Web certification test?

Since the web-based certification test is a new initiative, we may encounter other issues in the future, but we will continue to make improvements as we move forward. We will continue to make improvements as we move forward.

Finally, do you have a message for those who are considering implementing the web-based certification test?

Even though I am not very good with computers and not very knowledgeable about IT-related issues, I was able to create the certification easily. The support was also very generous and I was able to proceed with confidence.

Thank you for your participation
!