Our students are preparing to become Cardiac Sonographers. In order to become a Credentialled Sonographer, the student/graduate must pass 2 national standardized exams. Because these are all multiple-choice, I try to make all of my exams in that format. IN ADDITION, to be employable, the graduate must master scanning skills. This portion of the program is totally Skill Application Tests (Competencies.)
Hi Forrest, That's a good mix of assessments!
Susan Polick
In my opinion, each exam should contain an element in which each learning style can shine. In didactic classes, it can be difficult to cater to the Kinesthetic Learners in the group on tests, but for all others: short answers and essays, labeling diagrams and objective questions.
In our case the prefered method is multiple-choice testing due to the ability to cover a fairly large information base.
Hi Eugene, Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree that we have to choose assessments depending on what we have taught. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I wrote my own daily assessments as well as a mult-choice midterm and final for my business classes. When I first started a few years ago, I included essay or short answer tests in the daily assessments, but because of the arguments from students regarding their grades, I had to switch to tests that had only one correct answer, like matching or multi-choice.
Depending on the information/material we went over during that week it differs from completion testing to essay questions to practical exams.
I choose different formats to test the student's knowledge so different learning style students can all get a fair chance to succeed and show the outcome of the knowledge.
Hi Naomi, No question that multiple choice = less grading work!
Susan Polick
I also use completion testing because I teach Math. During final I give multiple choice test. I hate creating multiple choice testing but love grading them.
I agree, I think the test should depend on the delivery of the information.
We have zero input on how student are tested.
Test are done by our PM who doesn't teach and doesn't know the students.I would love to combine different testing methods to accomodate more students.
Hi Angela, That is a good strategy for choosing assessments!
Susan Polick
Hi Jennifer, Good point! That should also be the guide to our lesson planning. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Hi Rick, Thanks for your post to the forum. Depending on what we teach, application assessments may indeed be the best choice. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
I totally agree with you on this one. As a Massage Instructor, they have to adapt to different types of learning and testing. As our field requires licensure exams, I feel compelled to structure tests that will be in the same format.
It depends on the class I am currently teaching. As a massage therapy instructor most of the courses tend to me hands on class so most of the time the tests end up being skills test or essay exams. The students need to understand what it is that they are doing as well as be able to perform the task set ahead for them.
I think when testing students, teachers should stick by the syllabus so the students know what they are expected to know.
Due to time constraints and a wide variety of topics to cover, I utilize multiple choice questions and a few True-false to break it up. Lately, I have utilized multiple response multiple choice questions.
when selecting testing formats I think the subject matter and level of student comprehension of the content should be considered. For instance if You are covering anatomy of the human body you probably would want to stick more to objective formats, because the body is what it is. where as If you were teaching an English comprehension course a subjective format would work because theres room for interpretation in that area.
