Testing - I like the examples in the book related to tests should not just be a means for assigning grades and should be used to assess what the instructor hoped to achieve. I feel writing an exam is a skill and should not be taken lightly. In the future when I write an exam, I plan, for the most part, assess what the students have learned and if I will need to go back and reteach something if the students did not get it. Although tests are a way to assess learning, this is not the only way. I understand that many students do not test well, so oral reports, papers, and other assignments can and should be used. When teaching in the future, I am planning on not having many exams in a semester (maybe 1 or 2), but assess in activities, homework, and outside class projects. If possible, I also like having one-on-one conversations with students to assess learning. An excellent site on how to write tests to assess learning is from Indiana University (http://www.indiana.edu/~best/write_better_tests.shtml). This site breaks down a variety of testing options to get the most from your exams. I feel if a professor is going to administer an exam, it should be of top quality. True/False, essay, and multiple choice suggestions are provided.
Online Testing - I have used and plan on continuing to use online testing. As I mentioned in the above paragraph, I do not believe in administering a great deal of "formal tests" to assess learning. The 1-2 test a semester should not affect a student's grade too much since 75-80 percent of their grade will come from other sources. I understand that there are security and integrity issues related to online testing. I guess, I do not get too worked up worrying if a student is cheating or not on an online exam. Is that wrong? I hope not, since I like to look at the "big picture", and if a student needs to "cheat" to pass one of my classes, there must be other issues they are dealing with.
Constructing an exam - The strategy that was shared in the book that I really like is to pass out several questions a week before the test and tell the students that these are the sorts of questions I will use in the exam. Great idea, especially since students tend to study more efficiently for essay-type exams. Students then can study the 7-8 main essay topics, and be tested on 3-4. I would not use this on an online exam, but an exam in class, would be perfect. The only negative about this type of exam is the amount of time it would take to correct them. True-False exams are easy, but do not truly assess learning (in my opinion). If I would (but I don't plan to) use true and false questions, I would ask the students to state what the question is false. Lastly, when grading the essay exam, I like the tip of having a scale so student's know who their answers will be graded. I think I would include the scale in the course syllabus when describing the exams. This would help to prevent some confusion by students when they receive their exams back. The Center for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning proves an excellent sheet on why it is important to test students (http://www.indiana.edu/~best/write_better_tests.shtml). Although the information appears to be geared more toward the elementary and high school level, the understanding of why assessment is important can be carried onto the post-secondary level.
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