PHB level?? I'm curious what that means. ;-) I think the process at Cisco has degenerated even beyond what you describe. It's not just that instructional designers (IDs) rather than subject matter experts (SMEs) write the questions and answers. The new breed of IDs also seem to have limited experience with logic, rational thinking, and the English language. :-)
In another thread we talked about junior CCIEs (code word for low-paid CCIEs). I think Cisco is hiring junior IDs maybe. Test-writing is very difficult. Sylvan Prometric actually offers classes in it. When I was involved in the now-defunct CNX program, we took classes in how to write tests before we were allowed to write any questions. There are some advantages for the test-taker if a test is written by an inexperienced test writer: 1) If an answer such as "none of the above" or "all of the above" occurs rarely, it's probably the right answer when it does occur. Newbies forget to ever make those the wrong answer. ;-) 2) The right answer is often the longest. Test writers spend more time writing the right answer. 3) The right answer is the one least likely to have a typo. Test writers do more checking and editing on the right answer. 4) Double negatives occur more often in the wrong answers. Test writers really struggle with the wrong answers and often have to make them wrong by making them negative, even though the question might have already been negative. 5) When in doubt, the right answer is probably C. ;-) Priscilla At 05:02 PM 3/13/02, Howard C. Berkowitz wrote: >I'll admit the quality of Cisco tests (other than perhaps the CCIE >Written) leaves a good deal to be desired. But unless things have >radically changed, this is, in part, a result of the process used to >create them, and the fact that "instructional design professionals" >are in charge. > >When I knew definitely how tests were written, what happened is that >a completed (perhaps beta) course was sent to a generally >non-technical instructional designer who was a specialist in writing >test questions. The good news is that all the questions and answers >came from the course materials; the bad news is that all the >questions and answers came from the test materials. > >If the course was obsolete or wrong, the test writer wasn't qualified >to recognize the problem and fix it, or realize that a question would >be ambiguous to someone in the field. > >Now, don't get me wrong. Instructional design is a legitimate >discipline and I use principles from it in developing lots of my >material. But when instructional designers rise to the PHB level, and >see themselves as managing what they sniff at as "SME's" -- Subject >Matter Experts -- the process loses quality. Instructional designers >and technical experts that respect each other and work together >effectively are not from the world of Dilbert. > >It isn't easy to write good questions. We've found that's one of the >toughest skills for CertificationZone writers, given that as well as >asking a good set of choices, the question writer also needs to write >a technically accurate and succinct explanation. >-- >"What Problem are you trying to solve?" >***send Cisco questions to the list, so all can benefit -- not >directly to me*** >******************************************************************************** >Howard C. Berkowitz [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Chief Technology Officer, GettLab/Gett Communications http://www.gettlabs.com >Technical Director, CertificationZone.com http://www.certificationzone.com >"retired" Certified Cisco Systems Instructor (CID) #93005 ________________________ Priscilla Oppenheimer http://www.priscilla.com Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=38154&t=38063 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
