multiple choice testing
i think that multiple choice testing is good for a teacher with alot of students but it also is not good for the students because they want keep information they learned in thier mind they will just know things by recalling what they see.
Hi Heather, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, there is no question that essay tests evaluate higher order thinking skills. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
I agree, with larger class sizes grading can be an overwhelming task when using short answer or essay questions. I format most of my exams as mutiple choice, because the state licensure exams follow that format, and the ultimate goal is preparation for successful examination. The bimodal multple choice questions often used in the examination really show if the students have grasped the material and can apply it. (ie). A. The first statement is true/ the second statement is false. B. Both statements are true. C. Both statements are false D. The first statement is false/ the second statement is true. I find these very useful to tie concepts to one another.
I recently gave an essay exam to a group of students used to getting multiple choice exams. (same class, same instructor, similar content) The performance on the essay exam was dismal. They were also informed it would be an essay exam so that they could prepare. Their poor performance helped me to realize that they understood the material at the superficial "recall" level by scoring well on multiple choice and not the in-depth level I had expected. Most of my exams are a mix of multiple choice, matching, fill-in the blank, and short essay. With a large group of students, grading is very time-consuming, so I understand why people use multiple choice with the scantron grader machines.
I agree. I feel like they just memorize what they need to know for the test. I try to do a review game or some the day before just for the info that they may have missed.
I like the multiple choice and matching questions. The matching demonstrates an understanding of the vocabulary, which is a significant in the course content and understanding. I also like crosswords to reinforce the vocabulary, but the students dislike them the most. Is that a common for all?
I typically use tests with a combination of multiple choice, true/false, and short answer. I have found that the short answer questions are very effective in showing me how the students think, although they are more time-intensive for me since I have to consider every response and there is often no set-in-stone correct answer. This may not work well for large classes however. My class size is typically 10-15 students.
I completely agree with this statement. I give exams that have both multiple choice and true/false questions. My students consistently do better on the multiple choice because they study to the answer. They have consistently asked for me not to have true/false questions on the test, but I'm not sure that would be the best course of action in helping them to learn the material.
