Hi Larry - Welcome to ED 103! Thanks for your post about selecting testing content. If we assign reading assignments we should, as you point out, include questions on that material. Otherwise students may not see the value in doing those assignments. Best wishes! Susan
The best method is to determine the course material that is being presented. Thus should include items from reading assignments as well as information covered in the class room setting.
Your course learning objectives should provide criteria for selecting testing content.
On a somewhat related note, this is the second exam in a row that I've been frusterated with the test questions. My last question asked about what kind of content is most appropriate for matching questions, and apparently the correct answer is who, what, where, and when answers. I didn't choose this option because the tip I remembered reading said specifically not to mix kinds of answers ie. dates and places.
Also, I'm still curious about the question I posted in the first unit. In case this post gets solicits a response, I'm very interested in hearing about the additional learning styles that the first unit references. I believe it attributed them to research done by a branch of the British military.
Hi Robert - Welcome to Ed 103! Thank you for mentioning the importance of identifying learning objectives. The learning objectives of every class should ideally be on the board at the start of the class and re-visted at the end of that class. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan
The learning objectives must be identified. I have a section in my class that specifically covers factual information, so I use a completion test format when I give their exam. I also incorporate a few multiple choice questions, and short answers when a description is needed.
Test content should be based on the students learning abilities. Test should be a wide variety of the chapters studied but never anything that wasnt covered.
Naturally it would be specific to each course content being covered. You would want to look at the content being taught within lectures/chats. I also think it is important to address the material in the text book that the student is responsible for covering.
What are the key concepts you want your students to retain and comprehend.
Having a variety of questions you can use to place emphasis on where you feel the students needed the most help, then reviewing with the class the next day
test that will fit into each students ablity
I have to say I have had my fair share of tests. I don't think that finding the non relavent things in the content is appropriate, but some love to throw the students for a loop. I think it falls to the objectives of the class. The objectives should be the focal point of the testing being given. While some questions are extremely important to build the students knowledge and also important to move on to the next level, the core should be the decisive point in selection questions.
I WOULD THINK KNOWING YOUR STUDENTS,THEIR KNOWLEDGE LEVEL SHOULD PLAY A PART IN SELECTING TEST CONTENT. IA ALSO AGREE THAT A SUMMARY OF THE CONTENT SHOULD BE REVIEWED AT THE END OF THE DAY BEFORE CLASS ENDS.
Hi Julia - Welcome to ED 103!Keeping reviews of your classes to aid in gtest preparation is a great idea. It might be a good idea to also share the reviews with your students to help in their test prep. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
It should reflect the content or the course material covered as well as the lecture or demo instructions given.It is a good idea to write a brief review of the info covered at the end of the day, so when you write a test you are sure it has been covered.
It would depend on the content that is being taught.
