I usually use test that I have been in the past with student and update them according to the learning style my current students have now.
Hi John, Thanks for an excellent discussion of effective skills assessment! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Katrina, Thanks for your post to the forum. I also think we learn a lot when students must "show their work"!
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I do not have a choice. Standardized testing seems to be the preferred method of my employer. This seemingly benefits the student because of the material that is covered with the utilization of their text and provided books. Additionally, there is often tines when there are different instructors teaching the same course.
I like skills demonstration tests best, but they are extremely time consuming when you get to higher level tasks. Our field also requires recall of lots of factual information and good research (reading and comprehension) skills. I use written tests for assessing this, with a mix of completion, multiple choice, and true/false questions. The tests are generally learning activities as well as assessments, as I grade each student's test as it is completed. We then discuss the questions when everyone is finished. There is a tendency of students to regard an incorrect answer due to misreading of the question as not really a legitimate miss. In the post-test discussion we investigate the dire consequences which could result from a similar failure in the field.
Being a math instructor, I usually examine what concepts the students are working on and how much application is necessary to solve them. Most of math is application anyway but I do like varying the types of question formats I use. It gives me a chance to reach every type of learner and also to create a reasonable range of difficulty. I'm a big "show your work/explain" type of teacher no matter if its multiple choice, true/false or skill application problems. When I'm testing I think its important to remember I'm not trying to over test my students or set them up for failure but trying to determine if there is true mastery there and if not what I need to do differently.
Where I teach the curriculum committee formulate the test. But what I find is that if the test doesn't have an question that I feel is relavent to the lecture I provide an extra credit question at the end of class for the students.
Hi Kathy, Thanks for your post to the forum. You are using a very appropriate rationale for your assesssment choices. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
The main determinant for my testing is based on the subject matter. I test very differently for an advanced Anatomy & Physiology class than I do for a hands-on skill test.
Student aptitude is also considered. When aptitude is low, I tend to stay on the lower end of Bloom's taxonomy, rather than getting to the analysis level too quickly.
Multiple-choice exams are my typical way of testing.
Kathy
I agree with Rick, I teach echo-cardiology and it is imperative that the students not only display an understanding of the anatomy but also how to visualize said anatomy in such a way it can be useful to the cardiologist. No amount of lectures can prepare you for the actual hands on ability needed to do your job effectively.
I use all the testing formats that have been discussed. Different materials in a Pharmacy technician class require all of these testing formats.
Multiple Choice to cover the objectives and then
add skill application for procedures.
I am a fairly instructor and realize that the most challenging part of being an instructor is selecting a method of assessment that will correctly demonostrate the knowledge and skills of my students. Therefore, when assessing my students I use utilize a combination of objective testing methods such as true/false, multiple choice and completiong test. However, I found that the true/false and completion are the most difficult.
Hi Robert, Yes, When our students understand what their learning style preference is, they can adjust their study strategies. It also enables them to appreciate the efforts we make to reach the diverse learning styles.
Susan Polick
First acknowledge the students different learning techniques
It is best to select testing formats to fit each individual with their knowledge content.
I must use both skill application testing in my clinical practica class and written exams for my course work. For the practica exam it is a kinesthetic, hands on skill exam where the students show case their abilities with specific skill sets. In the written exams of the course I generally use multiple choice as my preferred method of examination coupled with test banks from our text providers. With that being said, I go through personally every item on the exam and am able to use the test banks to edit or change a question to the method it was covered in class with.
talk to the class to an understanding of the classes learning tecniqes.
Hi Ed, Thanks for your post to the forum. You are using a great mix of assessment formats! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Thomas, Thanks for your post to the forum. As you state, skills application assessment is essential in many of the disciplines that we teach! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
