Hi Eva - thanks for your post to the forum. I'm glad that you found this course useful! After almost 30 years as an educator, I still find new ideas that I can use and that keeps me excited about teaching. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Prior to taking this course my criteria was to create an exam that I felt would allow students to show what knowledge they have gained. After reveiwing this course, I have reconsidered my tests and will strive to make exams that still allow students to show the knowledge gained, but will reconsider how I ask questions.
I try to mix-it-up and use different types of questions. (This section really focused on using 1 type or another, but that is not what I do.) I often use a combination of multiple choice, matching, true/false (I don't use T/F often), fill-in-the-blank, and short answer. I think the tests are fairly rounded and fair.
I routinely use Multiple Choice since most textbooks supply them. I am not a big believer in objective testing. I subscribe to Dr. Demings theory that most tests are not objective and are not statistically valid and reliable. Add to that the fact that cognitive retention is usually less than 10 percent after six weeks and the only reason we use tests is to satisfy accreditation requirements (IMHO). I prefer to spread my grades over a wide variety of exercises, individual projects, group work, participation and rely on grades for only about 20 percent of my course.
I select testing formats based on the material being taught (Anatomy and Physiology vs. Office Procedures).
I do find that when students have the opportunity to apply the lesson taught in a hands on kind of setting, they tend to remember the subject matter much much better.
HI Michelle- Thanks for your post to the forum. I'm glad that you found this module useful! Each instructor must decide what assessments work for them so you are wise to choose what works for you. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
HI Mark - Thanks for your post to the forum. You describe a strategy for assessment that is really well suited to your discipline! Best wishes for continued successin your teaching career. Susan
I teach Accounting and use a combination of testing formats. They include multiple choice and completion questions to measure knowledge of principles and concepts. Others are short answer and skill applicaton questions to demonstrate students ability to accurately create financial statements and worksheets using industry standards and practices.
Each format helps provide valid, reliable evaluation of student knowledge and skills.
Because I am a language teacher, I need to assess many different skills; speaking, listening, reading, writing and culture. Depending on the skill I have different formats. The biggest challenge is always to make sure that a grammar test does not become a reading test. Are the students not responding to the questions because they do not no the grammar or because the reading was preventing them from understanding the question? Are the responses in a listening comprehension wrong because the student did not understand or could not read or write the choices he / she had?
Making sure the assessment is measuring the right objective is the biggest challenge to me.
Hi Ajani - Thanks for your post to the forum. I'm glad that you got some useful content from this module! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Edward- Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree- in a discipline such as yours, application is really important. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Since my courses are studio classes, such as drawing and design, I find that testing the "hands-on" method is the most effective way of determining what they have learned. For example, if we have discussed certain design principles, and I ask them to compose an asymmetrical design versus a symmetrical one, it is easy to determine if they have understood the opposing concepts.
I've noticed this as well. Students who take true false and multiple choice in certain areas seem to be so busy trying to "load" the "correct" answer that application goes out the window. I also prefer tests in which they can show me their thought process.
This was a good lesson. Having the pros and cons of each format all in one place was particularly useful.
Yes, one of the most fundamental things is that the tests reflect the course material taught and reflect the schedule on the syllabus.
It depends on the class if it is hands on or class lecture.
Same here. This was a great lesson. I can't believe there is so much to figure out before testing our students. Since I teach graphic design the students need to know how to apply what they are learning. It seems to me when I give them test where they have true and false or multiple choice they don't do as well. I prefer giving them completion and short answer. This way I can evaluate them and see what I need to go over again.
Hi mariela- thanks for your post. Your assessment methods are excellent! Best wishes- Susan
As a cultural diversity instructor, the main criteria for selecting a testing format is to make it possible for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills that they have acquired throughout the course. I give my students a Midterm and a Final of 100 questions each. In each exam I use multiple choice, true and false, matching of definitions, and several paragraphs which they must fill in the blanks with terms provided.This way I cover aspects of validity and reliability while testing for mastery of the material in its broadest form.
Making sure it covers everything we talked about in class!
Hi Janine - Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree that for most tests mixing up assessment types is a good strategy. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
