testing
I fund testing in our format challenging and sometimes inefective to the subject matter.
Hi Yvonne, Thanks for your post to the forum. You have a very effective assessment strategy! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
The school where I teach, I run an analysis after every Exam and the questions that 40% or more miss are evaluated. We evaluate to make sure it was a good question, could there be more than one answer and was the topic covered in theory or as part of their assigned reading. We are human and have been known to make mistakes, when writing exams. It really does make the students feel better, when they know you take the time to do this.
Hi Becky - Thanks for your post to the forum. Although I know that preparing study-guides takes time and effort, as you mention , it pays off in terms of lessened anxiety and bteer performance by your students. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Thanks for reminding us that a lot of test anxiety comes from not knowing what to expect. I try to provide my students with study guides for my exams, to help relieve this fear. I find that it does a lot to lessen the anxiety of the students who underestimate what they know. I tell them that if they are comfortable with the problems on the study guide, they should do fine on the exam. And they usually do.
Some students do go blank during testing.Putting them at ease before helps a bit.
I've found that if you calm them down before the test it makes taking the test less of an anxious moment for them.
-Jeff
Hi Crystal- Thanks for your post to the forum. i agree with you that we need to inform students about expectations for a test. As you mention, much of the fear is of the unknown! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I agree, but I think that if you also explain what type of test it is that they are taking and what they care being graded for I think that will also lesson some of the anxiety that some of the students may have.
Sometimes you just may get a group of students that just really don't like taking test, so those would be the students that need to hear more about tutoring. Every student should be informed of tutoring to let them know that it is there, but there of those that just need to go to tutoring just to let some of the information sink in.
Students do get up tight when it comes to tsting ,when this happens in a class I teach I suggest tutoring as more knowledge about the subject helps ease anxieties
Hi Tim - Yes - the more confident we can coach our students to be, the better they will be able to perform in the workplace. Thanks for your post to the forum. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Louise - Thanks for your post to the forum. Your students do indeed respect you more for your diligence in maintaining the integrity of your assessments - great work! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I personally have always liked using testing as a subjective grading method. However, like others, I not only review the test before it is given to be sure that I understand the material, but to ensure that I have covered the material. I also review the exams after they have been grade and note if there were any particular questions that most students missed. If all students provided the same wrong answer, I evaluate the answer to see if it is or could be correct; therefore, was the question inartfully drafted. I have added points back on exams to the class, and have explained why "everyone has +2". I find that such actions also help strengthen student relationships as they see that as an instructor we don't always assume they are wrong, or are willing to just go beyond a quick answer.
Try letting you students know that in the professional world you are tested everyday. in any of the many types of careers we train people for they need to work well under pressure and get over their fears. While we teach them new skills we can also teach them to be stronger minded and confident. These lessons are just as important as technical skills.
The problem of tests is the time limit, usually students got a book and time and then they suddenly don't. I always have an opportunity for my students to finish up in the library assessment center
I too have to look over the tests prior to the test date. I have also started taking the test my self to see if I am able to understand what the questions are asking and the correct answer. This has also enabled me to add to my presentations to help make some things more understandable in a variety of ways.
Hi Denise - Does your schools have any resources to help with test anxiety? I would also consider adding projects or presentations as assessments in addition to tests.
I find that many creative, talented students have test anxiety. How do I test these students properly?
yeah, because they darn well find any discrepancies and surely bring it to your attention mighty fast.
For a bunch of students who think they don't know anything, they do sure find the errors!
I have actually found that out as well. I always have to go through our tests/quizes to make sure everthing was printed up correctly and if i need to give the students a heads up on anything they need to be aware of on the test.
