Our homestay student just arrived home from university. She completed a final examination in biology today. The examination lasted for 2 hours.
The examination consisted of 120 multiple choice questions. Each question had five options from which to choose. Not four options, five!
Think about it. On average each question had to be dealt with in 60 seconds. Each option needs to be considered in say 12 seconds. Less, when you think about it further.
That is madness. That is an abuse of the multiple choice question format. The lecturer is simply lazy in my estimation. Easy to mark, true. Fair on the students, not true.
120 multiple choice questions in 120 minutes for an examination that covered an entire annual course.
Which university? The University of Wollongong. Which faculty? Science.
That is not an education.
November 11th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Absolute craziness. We’re not meant to use any multiple choice in assessments in the vocational education and training sector because it is about the candidate demonstrating they know the essential knowledge. With multiple choice it’s too easy to guess at the answers.
Saying all that one of my students is now a University and some of his online tests are multiple choice tests that he can continue to repeat until he gets the mark he wants; although he does tell me they randomize them.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:54 am
Thanks for the comment Sue. It is craziness. Even if the lecturer at the UOW has a large cohort the marking of open ended questions could still be organised with the assistance of tutors and a marking guide. Some multiple choice is fine, but 120 in 120 minutes. It is beyond the pale. Cheers, John.
November 12th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Absolute craziness. Couldn’t imagine facing that number in 120 minutes. As I said we are now the opposite extreme and not meant to use any.