One way to handle the issue of writing challenging MCQs is to periodically create an "application level" item. The question would be challenging because it is not a direct recall of information but one in which students would have to use the information they just read about to solve a problem. These items generate considerable discussion during the GRAT period without being perceived as picky or trivial.
Ruth Levine
UTMB-Galveston
-----Original Message-----
From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Anthony Mento
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 7:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: MCQuestions
My concern is that if I focus only on big picture, table of contents level issues, then conscientious students should get 100 on all RATs. This logic then leads me to being unnecssarily picky focusing on trivial or recall based items.
Dr. Tony Mento
Loyola University Maryland
Loyola Graduate Center
2034 Greenspring Drive
Timonium, Maryland 21093-4115
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410.617.1507
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From: Team-Based Learning [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sandy Cook [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 7:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: MCQuestions
It is not easy to write good MCQ questions. Which is often why people resort to trivial or recall based items, t/f, all of above; none of the above type questions. The real issue is what do you really want to assess - their memorization of facts or their understanding of the facts. For example - if you wanted more than just the ability to recognize/list the 5 key elements of authentic learning, another way to phrase the question below would be to give an example (scenario) of one of the elements of authentic learning - and ask the students to indicate which of the 5 elements of learning does this situation represent.
Another strategy is to think about common mis-understandings/mistakes people make about the topic. Each response option can reflect the way people tend to go wrong in understanding a concept - and that becomes a great learning element - because the options are feasible, but address the common mistakes.
Sandy Cook, PhD,
Assoc. Prof.
Senior Associate Dean
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From: Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dee Fink
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 4:24 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: MCQuestions
Karen,
One way you could still use MCQ and the IF-AT forms to assess student knowledge of "list" information, is to have a question something like the following:
"The text lists 5 key elements of authentic learning. Which is the following is NOT a key element?"
Then you would want to work hard to think of something that would look, to a novice, like a good thing but is not one of the 5 key elements.
Dee Fink
On Tue, May 15, 2012 at 12:10 PM, Karen Milligan <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
I agree that it is not easy to write multiple choice questions. I think that the important idea is that you get the big picture. Remember that this is a test to see if the students are prepared. It is different from the kind of test that you would give after lectures and other learning activities. At this point you want students to have a general understanding but not the complete kind of understanding you would be testing after learning activities.
I also think that what you want is the kind of question that will get good discussion and be able to be answered quickly. So the forced choice of a MCQ does that. But I have found that you can ask some other kinds of questions that meet these requirements. For example, if there are 5 steps to something or 3 main characters then ask a listing question. I sometimes take the headings of the chapter and make into listing questions. For example in my educational technology course in the chapter on using technology to support authentic learning the text has 5 characteristics of authentic learning with a section heading for each so I ask the students to list the 5 key elements of authentic learning. I have also used matching and fill in the blank. Since these don't work with the IF-AT forms I developed a way to use powerpoint presentations and answer card sets when I don't have computers to give immediate feedback.
Karen
Dr. Karen Milligan, Associate Professor
Box 71874
Carson-Newman College
Jefferson City, TN 37760
Phone: 865-471-3484<tel:865-471-3484>
Fax: 865-471-3475<tel:865-471-3475>
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L. Dee Fink
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**Former President of the POD Network in Higher Education (2004-2005) **Author of: Creating Significant Learning Experiences (2003, Jossey-Bass) **National Project Director: Teaching & Curriculum Improvement (TCI) Project **Senior Associate, Dee Fink & Associates Consulting Services
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