Automated Multiple-Choice Testing for Summative Assessment: What Do Students Think?

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Automated Multiple-Choice Testing for Summative Assessment: What Do Students Think?
Language: English
Authors: Bridge, Pete, Appleyard, Rob, Wilson, Rob
Source: Online Submission. 2007.
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 6
Publication Date: 2007
Document Type: Reports - Evaluative
Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: Higher Education
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Summative Evaluation, Multiple Choice Tests, Feedback (Response), Student Attitudes, Computer Assisted Testing, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
Abstract: This paper reports undergraduate student feedback contrasting conventional "Long-answer" examinations with automated multiple-choice question (MCQ) assessment. Feedback was gathered after students had undertaken formative MCQ assessments as a revision aid. Feedback was generally supportive of MCQ summative tests, with 74% expressing a preference for the new format. The examination conditions were preferred by 69% of students. Results indicate that students are in favour of the use of automated MCQ assessment. All topics can be reliably and validly assessed with an associated time saving of over 16 hours. The need for rigorous question and answer construction has been highlighted, but so long as sufficient care is taken at that preliminary stage, the overall benefits of the format outweigh the problems. (Contains 1 table.)
Abstractor: Author
Number of References: 17
Entry Date: 2008
Accession Number: ED500077
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This paper reports undergraduate student feedback contrasting conventional "Long-answer" examinations with automated multiple-choice question (MCQ) assessment. Feedback was gathered after students had undertaken formative MCQ assessments as a revision aid. Feedback was generally supportive of MCQ summative tests, with 74% expressing a preference for the new format. The examination conditions were preferred by 69% of students. Results indicate that students are in favour of the use of automated MCQ assessment. All topics can be reliably and validly assessed with an associated time saving of over 16 hours. The need for rigorous question and answer construction has been highlighted, but so long as sufficient care is taken at that preliminary stage, the overall benefits of the format outweigh the problems. (Contains 1 table.)