Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching (ABLE Proceedings)

Title:

What Effects Can Question Format Have on Our Ability to Assess Student Learning?

Url:

http://www.ableweb.org/volumes/vol-37/v37reprint.php?ch=37

Author:

Jean Heitz

Author's Address:

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Zoology, WI

Email Address:

jgheitz@wisc.edu

Description: This session presented the results of a study on the effectiveness of multiple choice versus multiple
true/false question formats in uncovering student understanding and misconceptions. We know it is
difficult to assess the effects of teaching modifications on student learning (Hake, 2002). This results in
part because any assessment requires agreement on what the key concepts and misconceptions are
(Klymkowsky et al. 2003). In addition, we feel that the format of the questions also affects our ability to
assess what our students do and don’t understand. To test this, we developed a set of equivalent questions
in standard multiple choice format and in multiple true/false format. The multiple true/false format is also
known as Type X multiple choice (Bandaranayake et al., 1999). Common student misconceptions were
used as distracters. The primary difference between the two formats was that the multiple true/false format
required the students to understand whether each of the distracters, on its own, was true or false. Time was
be provided for participants to evaluate the results of the study, to try converting some standard multiple
choice questions to multiple TF format and to discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of the
multiple T/F style of questioning. More information can be found at:
https://uwmadison.box.com/v/TFvsMultiChoice.

Keywords:

testing
assessment
student assessment

Topic:

Teaching Tools and Techniques

BEN Subject/Discipline Taxonomy:

Teaching Tools and Techniques

Learning Resource Type:

Teaching strategies & guidelines (DCMI Type Vocabulary)

Context:

Undergraduate lower division 13-14
Undergraduate upper division 15-16

Format:

pdf