With expanding generations of Hawaii students "Internet native," to use a common phrase, it only makes sense that the Department of Education is exploring the idea of shifting at least some of its assessment testing to on-line.

There's money to be saved here, of course. But the real value might be that it moves testing into an environment that is increasingly familiar to young people. The idea would be to allow students to take an assessment test up to three times with only the best result counting toward measurement of the schools annual progress.

Some may wonder whether it makes sense to let kids take a test over and over again in an effort to improve their scores. But remember this: Tests are not simply a measurement of academic attainment; they are also a learning tool in and of themselves.

This quick turnaround, somewhat cheaper alternative simply opens the door to more learning in a real-world environment. What could be wrong with that?

And besides, unless you have recently returned from the Mainland and had to fill out that agricultural form, when was the last time you encountered that paper and fill-in-the-bubble technology that is so yesterday?