Hi Debra, Thanks for sharing some well formulated assessment strategies. Best wishes - susan
Susan Polick
I tend to use the test bank making sure that I have covered each question. I also combine it with additional questions of my own that include the use of graphs or tables if the material requires it.
My class mainly consist of Presentations and Powerpoints, due to the nature of the subject, as in business, they will be presenting more than testing.
I utilize different types of tests depending on the subject matter that I am teaching. For example, in Computer Applications I test on computer knowledge through multiple choice, T/F, and fill in the blanks. Then, I test for hands-on knowledge through typing up different type of documents. Of course this would change depending on the course taught!
I use different ways of testing depending on the students and the content of the class , for the clinical class is really good to use the performance tests.
One of the criteria I use for selecting testing formats depend on the subject that I am teaching. For example, I may use skill application testing for students to demonstrate how to greet and prepare a patient in a doctor's office setting. I use matching to test their knowledge of patient positions for certain examinations and completion for identifying medical instruments and medical devices.
If the majority of my students are learning the English language in addition to the language of medicine, I try to stay away from essay tests.
i personally like to limit the number of T-F, multiple choice questions as I feedl sI am not really testing the students knowledge as well as short answer. but overall i find that if i do short answer, fill in the blank questions, my students do poorly.
Is there any middle ground?
I pull from he text im taeching but its using multiple choice some true and false plus i add in some matching choices since im teaching medical asst. ireally want to make sure they understand the medical terms
Over the years I have based the type of assessment used on the number of students being tested. The fewer students being tested the more writing they would do. In my career school classes, with fewer than 10 students, short answer and completion work well. Once the classes get larger the more I lean toward multiple choice. In either case I make it very clear from the outset what it is my students can expect with regard to how they will be eveluated.
You have good examples. It really depends on what you are teaching.
I think that completion tests and multiple choice are great for making sure that the students really understood the material and course content. We use a sampling of all formats in a given test, and it seems to be a good assessment device.
Our exams are already made up for us and I do believe that the exams should be left up to the instructor to an extent.
Hi Lynn, Mirroring the format of the certification exam is an excellent strategy in your assessment choices! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Hi David,
I agree that you are using entirely appropriate assessments for the students in your programs. Susan
Susan Polick
I look at the objectives the course and I am expecting from the students. I create assessments based on what is the optimal way students can demonstrate his/her knowledge that is best suitable to the topic. I prefer a blend of skill assessments and multiple choice/short answer as most courses require mastery of both a cognitive and kinetic aspect.
Ultimately it depends on the course and topic, but I strive to use a variety of question types on all tests for many reasons. To name just a few: The certification exam for my field is 200 multiple choice questions and they often use negatives and exceptions in the questions. Therefore I feel it necessary to expose students to at least some of that format. True or false questions are formatted to make the student read carefully and pay attention to detail, a very important "skill" in the healthcare fields. There are identification skills that not only assess the ability to remember names of bones, for example, but enforce the importance of correct spelling.
This is important because you want to make sure the student will recieve a fair chance and you covered all the material on the subject. With the understanding that thier will always be a level of chanllanging questions. The student must study.
I'm a fan of multiple-choice tests for the most part, but certain other material is conducive to creating other types of tests. When I teach electronics or computer courses I always have at least a portion of the major exams be some sort of skills application, creating a circuit or document or program per given specifications.
Initially, questions are pulled from a test bank from the text book publisher. The questions are then revised for clarification. A variety of testing methods are used, matching, T/F and multiple choice.
Hi Kathryn, You are looking for higher level skills as your students progress in their programs which is entirely appropriate. Best wishes! Susan
Susan Polick
