I prefer multiple choice, we have to ask at least 50 or more in nursing.
It is important to create different types of questions to assess student learning.
In the general education levels of basic sciences where I dwell, the essay questions are not practical. The T/F, multiple choice and matching questions are most commonly used due to the large volume of information that needs to be learned at the knowledge and comprehension levels. As the students' progress to pathology or a course on public health, they will then need to reach into the application, analysis and synthesis levels, so essay questions become most effective.
I've learned in when giving completion questions to expect to be flexible and understanding that there may be more than one answer to the question. Be prepared to accept and discuss the other answers.
I had a great professor that would incorporate various ways a question could be posed during the lecture (true/false, multiple choice, etc). He had a very distinctive accent, and I would literally hear his voice while taking the exam and remember the examples he gave in class. He emphasized important points in his power points in red, and then gave those variations on the ways that point could be seen on a test. He really made an impact and I'll never forget him or his teaching style.
I had a teacher once who wrote awful multiple choice questions on exams. The questions were clear, but the answers were so close in nature that it was hard to be confident in responses. I would often cover the answers while I was reading the question, then formulate a response and find my response as one of his possible answers. Long rant for how assessing students doesn't need to be torture.
From this module, I’ve learned that each test question type—true/false, multiple choice, matching, completion, and essay—has unique strengths when designed thoughtfully. I plan to apply this by crafting varied assessments that align with learning objectives and promote both recall and higher-order thinking. Using strategies like clear language, logical formatting, and rubrics will help me evaluate student mastery more effectively and fairly.
While time consuming, I like the idea of reading all essay questions first before grading the students
Before asking the question figure out what you are looking for in the response. Consider asking a follow up question to dig deeper and truly test the understanding of the student.
I learned that if you ask students a variety of questions, you are able see their mastery of the topic.
Always best to be clear with all questions and for multiple choice don't be obvious with incorrect answers or long-winded answers for the correct ones
Choosing the right type of question given the material and what we want students to be able to accomplish are critical when creating student questions.
These are all good examples of test questions. Hand-written essays - as we did in old-school - will thwart the use of AI too.
Consider the purpose behind the questions you pose. Do you aim for memorization? Are you seeking critical thinking? Is your goal mastery of concepts? Or do you want a grasp of processes? Each of these considerations should shape how you frame your questions, whether in class or in formal assessments.
It's important to take into consideration the end goal of the questions you're asking. Are you looking for rote memorization? Are you looking for critical thinking? Are you hoping for a mastery of terms? What about an understanding of a process? All of these questions should influence the way that you ask questions (both in class and as part of a more formal assessment).
Asking a variety of questions to the students will give you a better sense of mastery of the students.
The discussion on the different types of test questions were detailed and easy to understand. This module has a lot to offer and instructors will be able to incorporate these in their day to day teaching and testing methods.
Questions should be varied in style to assess the various levels of learning mastery sought.
I found the tips for each type of assessment question very helpful. The information on language comprehension was especially valuable, as it plays an important role in understanding the needs of the students in the class.
This lesson taught me the value of continuing to use multiple-choice questions. Other versatile forms when using multiple-choice questions are incorporated in your quizzes are also called matching problems. When matching problems are used make sure to include the following: cause and effect
parts and the function of that part
principles and the situations in which those principles may apply
procedures and operations
symbols and names
terms and definitions
In addition for using multiple-choice type questions grouped are completion questions "fill in the blank" be sure to provide directions that let students know if a single workd i sought or if phrases are appropriate.
