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Goals & Objectives:
The primary goal of a quiz is to assess student learning in a timed, closed
environment. Primary attributes tested are recall in multiple choice to more
complex thought processes in essay questions.
Prerequisites:
Quizzes are usually taken after a content module, however, some preknowledge
quizzes can be employed to serve as learning aids and also to help the instructor
plan instruction.
Materials and Resources:
What needs to be prepared in advance by the teacher? - The instructor should
have a large database of questions that have been verified against bias and
for attendance to actual course objectives and learning material content.
What does the student need to bring to the lesson? - A full mind.
Guiding Questions for this Activity:
Is quizzing the best option to assess the given materials? What are the
objectives for the given unit, and how does quizzing help to insure that
the students have met those objectives?
Typical Activity Outlines and Procedures:
Following a unit of activity, students are presented with a quiz using an
online quizzing tool. Quizzes are generally available for a set period of
time, and often the students are only allowed a brief period of time to finish
the quiz once started. Proctoring or other means of curbing academic dishonesty
may also be employed.
Teaching Strategies:
- Unless you plan to use a proctoring site, plan on the quiz being open
notes.
- Use question data banks so that all students get a randomized quiz and
can't copy from one another.
- Use random numerical values when possible so that each students gets
different numbers for numerical answers, even if the rest of the question
is the same.
- Create questions in many formats so that multiple choice guessing is
minimized.
- Insert at least one higher level thinking question in short answer or
essay form.
- Embed quizzes within other exercises. A pop quiz during a synchronous
session can keep students on their toes so to speak.
- Monitor IP addresses for quiz taking. If a student is always taking a
quiz at one IP address but completing other course content from another
IP address, there is a possible sign of cheating.
- Provide practice exams. In some cases, students can be provided with
a bank of questions before the actual quiz to work through. They will then
learn how to do every question, even though the actual quiz may only include
a subset of those questions.
- Use a login system with specific time constraints for the quiz. Provide
connection information when the quiz is ready to begin. This can make cheating
coordination more difficult.
- Beware the blank in a course management system. In other words, a student
may try to insert an image tag into a question answer, then complete that
image tag on a separate server at a later time, once they know the answer.
Viewing student answers in an unusual font can help detect blanks like
this.
- Consider having student check in via video conferencing prior to beginning
the quiz.
- Provide an honor code at the start of the course and make cheating policies
clear in the syllabus.
- Allow the students to write quiz questions that are then given to the
class. This can create student ownership over the process and increase
motivation to perform the work.
- For more resources, see http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/pointersclickers/2005_01/VarvelCheatPoint2005.pdf.
You can also do a Web search for "online" "quizzing" "academic" and/or "honesty"
as examples to receive a number of helpful resources.
- Sample Test Questions Addressing Bloom's Taxonomy, http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/assessment/bloomtest.asp
- Writing Tests (2000) Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Kansas,
http://iteso.mx/~ruth/01_tips/12_escritura/writingtests.html
- Building Better e-Assessments (2001, June) Margaret Driscoll, Learning
Circuits,
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2001/jun2001/driscoll.html
- Computer and Testing (1999) Tom Rocklin, The National Teaching and Learning
Forum, 8(5), http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9909/techped_1.htm
Accommodations:
What accommodations may be needed for students with disabilities or other
special needs? This lesson may require accommodations. Visual questions may
require assistance for the blind. Most text to speech and speech to text
programs can function within most tools, but you will have to test the given
system in the given context. Audio quizzes may need to be performed. Students
with reading disorders such as dislexia may need additional time. The bandwidth
requirements are usually low unless video questions will be used in the quizzing
or videoconferencing of some form will be performed to verify participants.
Timeline:
The typical quiz runs from 15 minutes to 3 hours. The questions difficulty
should be adjusted to fit within the given time frame.
Ideas for Activity Evaluation and Teacher Reflection:
How did the students like the lesson? End of semester evaluations should
ask about the usefulness and learning accomplished through such activities.
Addtional questions to ask include: How was student learning verified? Were
followup questions asked to verify retention of information following quizzing?
Quizzing Software: In random order
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