make better objective tests
DESCRIPTION
Make Better Objective Tests. Bill Cerbin. “ Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010 Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl. Tip 1 – Create a Test Plan. A Test Plan keeps track of number of items - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
5 Ways to…
Make Better Objective Tests
Bill Cerbin
“Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl
Tip 1 – Create a Test Plan
A Test Plan keeps track of –number of items– content or topic of item– learning objective of item
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“Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl
Test Plan ExampleTest Plan
Subject Matterconcepts,
topics, ideas
Learning ObjectivesKnowledge
(recall)Analyze Apply Interpret Total
Topic A
Topic B
Topic C
Topic D
Why bother?
A test plan can help you– match what you test to what you
taught (content validity)– use items appropriate for learning
objectives– prevent over- or under-representing
topics
Tip 2 – Write Items After Class
Write items while the class period isstill fresh
Write matching pairs of items—two that test the same thing. Use one for the test and one for review or practice
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“Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl
Tip 3 – Ten Rules for Writing Good Test Items
STEM of the question 1. Short, sharply focused 2. A complete, direct question or a
statement that needs to be completed
3. Avoid negative construction, i.e., which one is not . . .
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“Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl
More Rules for Writing Good Test Items
RESPONSE ALTERNATIVES 4. Should be brief5. Grammatically parallel and consistent with
the stem6. Roughly equal in length7. Avoid no-exception words—all, none,
always, never8. Avoid all of or none of the above9. Vary the number of response alternatives
as appropriate10. Vary the position of the best answer
Tip 4 – Test Complex Learning Objectives
Items that test complex learning– Prediction– Identify a principle or theory– Assertion-reason– You-are-the-teacher– ConcepTests– Multiple choice + short written
justification
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“Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl
Prediction
Identify Principle or Theory
Assertion-Reason
You are the teacher
ConcepTests
Tip 5 – Use Feedback to Improve Test Items
Use feedback from– Fellow instructors– Students—review test results with
students and look for patterns of confusion or complaints
– Item Analysis– Item difficulty – Item discrimination
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“Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl
Summary/Questions
Summary1. Write a Test Plan2. Write matching items after class3. Follow rules for writing good items4. Use items that measure complex learning5. Use feedback from colleagues, students
and item analysis
Questions—anyone, anyone?
“Take Five: Strategies to Improve Teaching and Learning” - January 19, 2010Hosted by the UW-L Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning – website: http://www.uwlax.edu/catl
Resources
Workshop opportunities: Contact Bill Cerbin, if you want to schedule a presentation or working session about writing better objective tests (e.g., for a department, program, or a few interested instructors)
Writing Better Objective Tests, Bill Cerbin. Handouts from campus workshop http://catl.typepad.com/blog/2009/11/writing-better-objectives-tests.html
Revised Test Scoring Display and Item Analysis. This handout describes the item analysis available when you have your tests scored by UW-L IT. Ask for it at the IT Support Center 103 Wing.
How to Prepare Better Multiple-Choice Test Items: Guidelines for University Faculty Steven J. Burton, et al. Helpful guide that covers a lot of multiple choice test issues. http://testing.byu.edu/info/handbooks/betteritems.pdf
National Board of Medical Examiners Test Writer’s Manual http://www.nbme.org/publications/item-writing-manual-download.html This one is for fun—to boggle your mind.
ReferencesSlavin, R. E. (2000). Educational psychology:
Theory and practice, 6th edition. Allyn and Bacon: Boston, MA.
Davis, B. G. (2009). Tools for teaching, 2nd edition. Jossey Bass Publisher: San Francisco.
Stiggins, R. J. (1994). Student-Centered Classroom Assessment. Macmillan Publisher: NY.
Wiggins, G. (1998). Understanding by design. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: Alexandria, VA.
Revised Test Scoring Display and Item Analysis. Available from UW-La Crosse IT Support Center.