Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference
Teaching, Learning, & Technology
Transforming the Learning Environment
April 4-6, 2004
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Mary Jane Lavender Pam Roesler Janice Harris Barbara J. Draude Track 1 - Effective Technology-Based Learning Resources |
Abstract
This presentation will highlight how faculty can statistically evaluate test questions and student responses to test questions using the data collected by WebCT (version 4.0 CE). With test questions created in Respondus and then published to WebCT, students take tests online and evaluations can be determined. Faculty can collect item and summary statistics including individual responses and group data for students. Faculty can then use that data to evaluate and refine exams.
Description
Each semester, faculty struggle with the challenge of writing effective exams. With the advent of WebCT, these instructors have begun to use the information collected by WebCT’s online quiz/survey tool to refine and evaluate test questions.
In the fall 2003 semester, these instructors began a process of redesigning their methods of assessing student knowledge in a junior-level web-enhanced course. Using a combination of on-ground and online methods, they revamped their methods of delivering and evaluating exams. their intent of converting the testing method to online was to save time in the testing process and to better prepare students for online licensure exams, but they discovered that the data collected by WebCT provided them with a great deal of statistical data that allowed them to more critically determine the strength or weaknesses of individual questions.
This presentation will demonstrate to participants how to collect details, summaries and reports from WebCT and use them to critically evaluation tests. WebCT will be demonstrated to show whole group statistics, upper 25%, lower 25% statistics, discrimination difficulty of the questions and frequency of choices by the student of the distracters.
This information helps instructors determine the level of difficulty of the questions and their appropriateness in determining student level of understanding. These instructors plan a longitudinal study of students who fell in the lower 25% of the class in an effort to provide academic support for at risk students.