Lenore Frigo wrote:
... this semester I've been doing general psych online, and have allowed the test to be open book/notes for the online students only. Although I give them 10 extra minutes (60 compared to 50 in class), many students complain that it is not enough time. I think they are trying to look up too much. But the students who do best take only 25-40 minutes--I suspect they are not treating it as an open book test and are well prepared.
I would appreciate more advice from Lenore and others about how to handle testing with on-line courses. I have been grappling with this problem for two courses that I will be doing entirely on-line (except for the final exam) next fall. I realize that testing for memory of terms and concepts is almost impossible with on-line testing. There is little to prevent my students from gathering in groups to help one take the test. Their combined knowledge is certain to result in a high score (I've tried this in class as an experiment). Then each takes his/her notes to a computer and logs on to get the same high score. (The best I can do here is set up the test so they can't back-track after entering a response for a given item.)
One idea is to make the multiple-choice portion of the test timed (I was thinking of 60 seconds per item but this is probably too much time, maybe go with 50 seconds). Then have them logon separately for the short-essay part of the test--with a different time limit, say 10 minutes per question?
Another idea is to give up on any requirement for them to commit anything to memory, and simply give them essay items of the "apply this concept to this real-life situation" type. But then this will tend to favor those with higher "verbal intelligence" and will prevent those of more modest mental aptitude from getting a good score by grinding out the extra hours of study. I hate to end up with tests that favor the quick-minded mental elite.
I really need good advice here. I'm almost resigned to accept that any on-line testing is doomed to be badly flawed and make the in-class comprehensive final exam count 50% of the course grade, or maybe even 60%.
--Dave
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David E. Campbell, Ph.D. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Department of Psychology Phone: 707-826-3721 Humboldt State University FAX: 707-826-4993 Arcata, CA 95521-8299 www.humboldt.edu/~campbell/psyc.htm
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