Evaluations: Using online multiple choice tests
Project:- Using Respondus and the VLE for multiple choice tests, (Victoria Cartwright, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences).
This year we have introduced some new assessment strategies on our Chemistry foundation year modules. Using the VLE we created multiple choice pre-lab questions that the students had to answer in preparation for the laboratory sessions. Respondus software was purchased by the department so that these quizzes could be developed. The MCQs worked very well, because of the large number of foundation year students this mode of assessment was easy, didn’t require a lot of time to manage, and also helped monitor the student’s engagement with the module from an early point in the semester. I will also be using it this semester with the same year group.
Question replies:
- In your project what technology and /or process did you use to provide feedback/ assess the students?
The students were assessed using a multiple choice question software. The questions they were asked related to the experiment that they were doing that week in labs and they had to answers the questions the day before the session in preparation for the experiment.
- Prior to the project how would you normally provide feedback/assess students?
Pre lab preparation was previously marked at the beginning of the session and consisted of a few questions to be answered in the lab notebook. It was checked to see if the work had been done but the quality of the work was not assessed due to time constraints.
- Did you find providing feedback was more or less efficient than the process normally used? N/A
- Did using the technology allow you to provide richer or more detailed feedback to students when compared with the ‘normal’ process used? N/A
- Do you think that the students benefited from the change in process? (Why? What is your data?)
Yes, for the students to answer the questions that had to engage with the material from their lecture notes and the lab script. This is a quote from a students who was repeating the year and agreed to give feedback on some of the changes.
“Last year, before the lab I would only read the lab script and nothing more. This year, since I know that the MCQ’s are worth marks I put a lot of effort by reading the lab script at least twice, doing a lot more background reading and reread lecture notes to fully understand the questions. Doing background reading for the MCQs also helps me find information I wouldn’t have otherwise found and is added into my revision notes.”
- From your perspective, what were the main advantages of using this process?
The MCQs encouraged the students to engage with the material which improved their performance in the lab session. Marking the work before the session was also a lot easier than trying to look over students work at the beginning of a session, where mistakes in answers may be missed and therefore not corrected.
- From your perspective, were there any disadvantages to using this process ?
With the MCQs the students were not given immediate feedback, their marks were given in the lab session and then the correct answers were posted on the KLE after all groups had answered the questions. The answers were provided but with no explanation, students may not understand where they went wrong which is problematic. However students were encouraged to speak to a member of staff if this was the case and talk through the questions/answers.
- How do you think the process used could be improved to make it easier to use?
I think it would benefit the students if they were given more immediate feedback, however it is not possible to give the students the answers until all the group have answered the questions, and this is a problem with the way the sessions have to be run and not an issue with the software (labs are run over two weeks, HFY one week and SFY students the following week). Another improvement would be to use a larger bank of questions so that the students would actually get their own individual set to answer. Feedback could also be improved by setting aside10 mins of the lab session to go through the answers so it is clear to students where they made errors.
- Will you continue to use the intervention in your teaching practice? If not, what would need to change for you to adopt the intervention as current practice?
Yes I will continue to use the MCQ assessment including the improvements mentioned above.
