Diane, great job with your review on test taking skills and tips. The wrong assumption to make is that all students know how to take tests they just fail because they do not know the information. Students can know the material very well and still fail an exam. Keep up the great work.
James Jackson
Mary, looks like you have a good structure in place. One other consideration are those students with some level of learning disorder. Not all students think alike and for some students they struggle to translate their knowledge onto various forms of exams. For some they may invert ideas and concepts which can result in selecting wrong answers even when they know the correct answer. For others they may struggle to put their thoughts in writing for essay type questions. The more you get to know each of your students the better prepared you will be in identifying which of your students study but may have difficulties still with exams.
James Jackson
I give the students plenty of time to prepare themselves for tests. Most of the tests occur in a clinical or lab setting which requires hands on. I will demonstrate how they will be tested and then watch and provide feedback as the students practice. This allows the students to know what they will be tested on and hopefully reduces their fear and anxiety of testing.
Many of my students have test anxiety. We have a lecture we give them at the begining of their course work that helps with test taking skills and tips. I also have the students review their exams and understand why they got the question wrong. Usually they mis read the question and DO know the answer.
I believe that much of the "fear factor" of testing originates from the students from the focus the student places on the grade. While it is desirable to achieve an A, this can also get in the way of the students' success. Many of my newer students will ask questions such as what kind of questions will be on the exam? I respond that no matter how the question is posed, if you have reviewed the material sufficiently, you will be able to answer correctly. My exams include multiple choice, completion, true/false & short answer. When I review for an exam, I try to address the tricks & tips to reading & answering. Then I try to calm those that are stressed by adding that I use the exams as a teaching tool. I would much rather have all of my students earn a "C" on and exam and actually know the material, that to earn an "A" because they memorized for the exam. After each exam we go through each & every question and I explain the correct answers. As I am explaining the answers, I refer to the tips and tricks that addressed with them during review.
andre, excellent explanation and one other instructors should consider. Thanks for sharing.
James Jackson
Well, I use analogies in my teaching extensively so I go through this routine before our first test together. I tell them to imagine today is the first day of art class. Then I hold up a plain green dry erase marker and tell them "class this is a green pen....go home and study, there will be a test on this tomorrow. Tomorrow comes and I say here is your one question. "2 students are discussing art class. Student A says the instructor was holding up a green pen." I pause long enough for them to all agree that A is correct. Then I read student B's statement. Student B says the instructor was holding up a MARKER of a color other than green.
At first they seem to agree that B is wrong but if i pause long enough they do the same thing they do during a real test. They start over analyzing the B statement. "Well it is an Expo MARKER not a pen, but it was definately green, so...but wait it kinda looked lime green to me so is lime green "a color other than green?" and so on and so forth.
I remind them that during my lecture what did I say it was? A GREEN PEN! If they thought it was something different then the time to question it was during the lecture not during the test.
Unfortunately I have seen test questions that were that absurd used at other schools. I do not understand the intent of that type of questioning.
andre, what conversations do you have with your students about test taking techniques? Such conversations may reduce their concerns of being tricked. It is also good to teach them how to breakdown a test question and how to eliminate the obviously wrong responses so they are left with the best choices.
James Jackson
Devon, do you share your own text anxiety issues with your students? Sharing such details may give them a stronger sense of security that they are not along and that you understand their concerns.
James Jackson
Barbara, thanks so much for getting back and sharing. Sounds like a great process. Keep up the great work.
James Jackson
I found that a fair amount of students taking our style multiple choice tests often won't select the correct anwer because it seems too simple. Usually it is not the struggling students that do this but the deep thinkers. They seem so affraid of being "tricked" I don't believe our test questions are written to be "trick". I have taken various tests over the years in which the questions were clearly written to "trick". I find this quite annoying and really don't they serve the purpose or motivate students to study more it only trains them to focus on answers that are clearly supposed to be distractors for fear of getting "tricked".
I my self have the test anxiety problem, so I try not to have trick or miss leading question on the test. Review all the questions on test during the whole week repeat 3 to 4 times.
James, Some of the students do complain; but after trying my suggestions about 90% agree and will use my method. Additionally, our text is on line and I assist each student in getting set up to use this resource. I find that between reading by themselves and using the on line book, which must be read, to complete the learning activities students are successful.
Barbara, great methodology. Do you encounter students that complain about reading the same materials more than once? Are there any other resources you can provide to your students that have reading challenges? Thanks for anything you can share.
James Jackson
Ty, great post. The more revision you can add to the overall course the more students will remember. It is also important to relate facts to story lines and help students build the mental pictures they need to assist in the recall of individual pieces of information.
James Jackson
Diana, case studies are a great way to prepare students to understand process. The more students can relate facts to stories the better they will recall the information later.
James Jackson
Javaid, well stated and the solution will take more than one dimension. First and foremost the instructor must invest in their students and take the time to get to know their strengths and weaknesses. This can take time so it is vital that the course design allows for some time to allows the students and the instructor to get to know each other. Some instructors will use a written survey instrument that in some way emulates a testing format. By allowing students to answer questions about things they know well such as themselves then the testing structure is obviously not an obstacle. This instrument can then be used as a bridge to show students that the testing format is not an obstacle. There are many other directions you can take but this one is provided just as an example. Great post and keep up the good work.
James Jackson
After completion and grading of the test, the materials are reviewed with the whole class. If the student"s" has not participated or has participated very little during lectures, videos, and hands on demos I will ask for a private appointment. I offer tutoring before class and there is tutoring available on Fridays. And oral exams are available.
My class make up is usually a variety of ages ranging from mid 50's to new high school grads. I recommend reading each chapter as a "story". Then answer as many of the questions at the chapters end as possible. Then re-read the chapter and repeat answering questions. At this point I encourage students to use the "key" at the end of the chapter to check answers. Any questions they missed to go back into the chapter and read about the correct answer. The next class we discuss any concerns students may have and provide examples or vignettes to provide better understanding.
Sharon, knowing the material is not always the issue. For some students it is just the pressure of taking the test. One methodology that can be used is to take some time and question your students that do not perform well on the exams. If you ask them questions that shows they know the materials but cannot produce during a test then you may need to take some additional actions to provide assistance. Of course if you talk with them and they simply do not know the material then it is obvious they are not taking the time they need to prepare or in some way they are not getting the information.
James Jackson
