FIAE+B1+Chapter+6


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Abstract/Synthesis
Caleb-

Abstract: Tests can either be a help or a hazard. They’ve been used to evaluate a student’s knowledge since the beginning of the education system. Most students tend to fear this four-letter word when it’s mentioned in class. This is due to the fact that test questions themselves can become long, boring, and frankly rather confusing. That is why teachers need to make sure that they learn how to write proper tests, and more importantly how to write better test questions. Before we talk about better test questions we should look at what sort of questions we want. There are a variety of questions for us to choose from. First there are “forced choice” or “traditional” questions which provide an answer for the students to choose from such as multiple choice, true or false, matching, etc. Then there are constructed or non-traditional questions, which are questions that a student has to answer by using their knowledge to construct an answer. These questions tend to be writing prompts, short answers, and word problems. Knowing these types of questions allows a teacher to vary their tests. If a test if focused on one type of question students will get bored or they will study the information in order to just regurgitate it. Speaking of boredom a teacher has to make sure that they keep their students engaged on the test so their minds can’t wander away. Adding [|humor] or an aspect that’s fun can make all the difference on a students test. When teachers are [|writing their questions] they must be careful about writing double negatives or confusing test questions. These test questions tend to distract the students and they will get flustered and focus on the question instead of focusing on an answer. A good teaching technique that allows for the best results is to brush of any time limits. Students are not being quizzed on how fast they are able to produce an answer but how well they can think.

Synthesis: Block One appears to suffer from a terrible disease known as "bad tests.” Everyone either in high school, middle school, or during their college years has faced tests that were poorly constructed. After reading this chapter, a lot of us were given a firm grounding into what a test could look like. As teachers we would prefer not to hand our students a double recording test either. All of us believed that this would either give the students an opportunity to cheat off another or would allow for the students to not provide the given work that needed to be shown. So, there has to be a better way to test or at least a better way to [|make a test]. Thus, as educators there is a feeling amongst all of us that we want to take all of these lessons that we have learned from experience and this chapter and apply them. We want to make sure that those tests are interesting for our students. The last thing we hope to do is to confuse them by constructing misleading questions that have little relevance to what we are trying to talk about. To sum it all up, we as teachers want to make our tests engaging and exciting. We'll be keeping their attention so they don’t wander off and forget the knowledge that they have just learned. We want to create [|a new test experience].

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Abby
Developing questions that actually evaluate the content and standards that you are trying to evaluate is crucial. Teachers get caught up with writing tricky questions or ones meant to throw students off, but more often than not questions should be straightforward and clear. There are two different types of questions: Forced Choice and Constructed. Forced choice questions are ones where the potential answers are given such as multiple choice or true and false whereas constructed questions are ones where the student has to bring the knowledge to the question from memory. These include essay questions, short response, or fill in the blank questions. It is important to prepare your students for what is going to be on the test. They should not be shocked to see a certain type of question or information that they were not aware that they needed to know. Tests should be small and given often rather than waiting till the end of the semester or unit. There should also be fewer but more in depth questions. It is ok to put commonly confused terms on a test because it challenges the students to really think about what they have learned and it reinforces the idea that memorization does not equal learning.

I plan on having test only to make sure that students are keeping up with what they need to be learning. I do not feel that in English it is necessary to have many tests because it is mainly based on class discussions and writing, but when test are given I feel that preparing students for the types of questions and content on the test is important and that it is not constructive to have students recall useless facts from books simply to make sure they have read them. That type of test is not beneficial to the students or to teachers in figuring out student growth and understanding.

Ally
This section of the book was about making good test questions. This means true and false, multiple choice, and essays. It is amazing the details that will make a test work. An example would be actually writing the T and F for true and false questions. I would consider a variety of questions would make up a good test because some people do well on essays while others do better on multiple choice. It is better for some people to have a flow chart or mindmap in order to help them on their test. Double recording also helps students with test because it allows the test to line up with the questions and the answers making it easier for the student to fill out. I think the most important section about assessment is what not to do. One should not have vague prompts or confusing negatives (having multiple choice have words that could have the same meaning) because this is what makes students confused and test poorly. I have had teachers do this to me and it is extremely frustrating because it doesn’t show you know the material even though you do when they have confusing test. It isn’t the students’ fault as much as it being the teacher. Students also shouldn’t be timed because that is putting a bigger stress on them because not only do they have to remember the content they also have to focus on the amount of time to do it. This will effect me as a teacher because I want to make sure my students test properly and knowing how to do that will help make that happen. This will help my classroom because they will have a larger opportunity to succeed.

Jasmine
When I was in school, I was often confused with tests that seemed to be trying to test my reading abilities in a math class. They were very confusing questions that I would often get wrong because I was confused about what the question was asking me, so although I understood the material, I wasn’t given a proper chance to show my abilities. This chapter discusses how to avoid this as a teacher. It is important to use a variety of types of questions because this way, students who shine in different varieties of questions, will all have a chance to show that they understand the material. These types include multiple choice, true/false, essay etc. It is a good idea to avoid confusing negative questions such as a) all are correct except b and d. These questions are traps for students. They get caught up in trying to read the question and get confused. Something that I would like to use in my classroom is including questions at the end asking students what they were expecting to be on the test and how they would have answered it. I would use this because often in my experience I study something really hard, and then don’t even get tested on it. This way, it would give me, as a teacher, a better outlook on how much students actually studied. Some students are very anxious about test taking but teachers can help with this when they are making the test. If they make it appropriately for all students, it is more fair for the students to show what they have learned.

Dan
Creating high-quality tests to assess students is vital for creating a successful classroom environment. This chapter outlines many variations of creating effective test that are engaging and exhume knowledge from the crevices of the student mind. By combining traditional questions (true/false, multiple choice, etc.) with non-traditional questions (drawing, diagrams, etc.), educators gain a better understanding of a student’s mastery of a particular subject. In a classroom setting where students must complete an assigned test, I will make certain that questions are not just typical questions seen countless times over, but rather engaging and non-traditional. At all costs the use of negative questions will be avoided. In high school, those types of questions made me nervous, for I always questioned myself if there was an answer such as “None of these.” As an educator, I want to assess my students, not trick them or make them feel uncomfortable. Another way to calm the nerves of students is to add some subtle humor into their questions. I believe using these ideas and combining many different ideas together will create tests that properly assess students but also do not dawn on them. The one type of testing that I do not agree with is the double recording of test responses. Giving students immediate feedback is a good technique since most students want to know how well they did right after a test. However, I see many problems associated with this type of testing, such as students passing along answers to other students. Yes, we can create extra tests, but it seems like extra work that is unnecessary.

Jake
Chapter 6 provides a very interesting insight on testing. It is unlike anything we have really encountered yet, and I’m bit unsure as to whether I agree with a lot of what the chapter discusses. The chapter is about forming good test questions and it puts a large emphasis on multiple choice, and true or false questions. I agree with what the reading says about not designing questions in such a way that causes students to stumble over the phrasing of the word. However, I’m not entirely sure I agree with the idea of using simple answer questions at all. A lot of what the text seem to focus on was efficiency and not necessarily learning. The goal seemed to be that the teacher find the best way for students to get good grades, and for them to be easily graded. Although, there was a section on short answers and prompts, and both points I strongly agree with, I’m not sure I agree with the bulk of the chapter.

The bits I did agree with were how it talked about making prompts clear and focused. Prompts should not be simple ideas asking the student to describe something. Instead, as the text indicates, they should be detailed and focused so that the students know exactly what is expected of them.

I also agree that timed tests are not a very good means of assessment. They take away from the purpose of the test; some students simply need more time to develop and process the information, and whose to say they can’t.

Katie
This chapter discusses the different ways of how students can be assessed and what teachers should and should not do when giving students assessments such as true or false tests or writing prompts. Teachers should create a “T” or “F” for true or false for their students to circle instead of having them write it in. This way, teachers do not have to guess at the possibility of students having sloppy hand writing. The idea is to make these kinds of tests efficient for students so that they can jump right away to the correct answer once they see it presented to them. For tests with matching, it is easier for the students if the words are on the right side of the paper and the definitions located on the left so as to make it so that students can read the definitions easily while scanning for the right word that is being defined. It is important to have straight forward questions because it makes it easier for the students to understand and answer correctly without second guessing themselves. When created prompts for the students, teachers should make sure to explain it in detail to the students by telling them clearly what is expected of them, what it must include, how long it should be, etc. I found this chapter to be extremely useful for me because much of what was mentioned is what I would also do for my own students. I would want my students to not feel confused about a question because it was too wordy and for them to have clear instructions on such things as writing prompts. I would want my students to be able to understand what it is I am asking of them. = =

Jenn
Chapter six focuses on ways to keep testing up to par. I enjoyed how this chapter made a point to state that tests should not be used to push content down the students’ throats. I like the idea of making tests easy to answer because I think, as long as they’re proving they know the major ideas, students should be able to get through assessments without much stress. I like the idea of combing forced and constructed response because it allows you to distinguish between learners who have memorized facts and those who have grasped the main ideas. When I think back on tests I’ve taken with both of these being used, generally I’ve felt that I was really expressing what I had learned. I also like the idea of not trying to trick the students during the test. Using clear language, highlighting key words that could change the meaning, and other little things like that can make all the difference for students. I think along with that should be the idea that students should be allowed, if they misread something, to see you promptly and give the correct oral response, if it’s a constructed response. I thought it was interesting for the chapter to suggest using clear language, but then to suggest that using common errors could be equally beneficial. Although I agree with that idea, I feel like that was almost a contradiction, but I liked how they suggested informing your students if you decide to use common errors. For the most part I felt like this chapter really helped build and clarify what I already knew about making effective tests; in other words, it was extremely helpful.

Lizz
Tests, one word the students either love or dread. When I was in school, I would hate tests because I was never the greatest tester but I would also get confused because some of my teachers were horrible at making them. Chapter 6 offers advice on how to deal with this confusion on tests by using a variety of questions, making tests more efficient for students, be careful of timed tests, and lastly put some fun into the test questions. When using a variety of questions mix the tradition with the non-traditional but also add some prompts in there. Traditional include matching, true/false, fill in the blank, multiple choice, definition, essay, and short answers. Non-traditional include drawings, diagrams, demonstration/performance etc. Using a variety of questions and prompts allows teachers to get a better sense of the students’ mastery. Every student learns different and they test different so way one might work for some students while another way might work for the rest. I loved it when teachers would have many different types of questions because it made me feel more confident that I could show the teacher what I had learned. The part that I want to use in my classroom on my tests is the point about putting some fun into test questions. No one really likes tests so why not be creative and put your student’s names in the test in one of the questions. This will ease the pressure of the test because the students will want to see if they’re name is on it or not. In addition, if they’re scenarios on the tests the students might be more likely to remember what is meant to be taught. As a teacher, I want my students to not dread my tests but look forward to them and hopefully learn from them and succeed at them.

Tyler
Chapter 6 is all about creating good test questions. There are many techniques that can be use to create effective test questions that will not confuse student and cause them to skip the question. One way to do this is to mix up traditional and non-traditional questions. Mixing multiple choice, essay, and short answers with drawings, diagrams, and analogies. Mixing these different types of questions allows teachers to assess different levels of mastery in students. Also, organizing the assessment so that it is more efficient for students helps. Keeping matching questions on the same page, making sure questions do not get cut off, and allowing students to to use T and F for true and false helps a lot. Making sure the wording of the questions is clear also makes it easier on students. For example, refrain from using, “all of the above except...”, “which of these is NOT associated with...”, and “None of these.” This causes students to over think a question and more often than not get it wrong.

Keep assessments short, or at least no longer than they have to be. A few questions on one topic is enough for a student to illustrate their understanding of the topic. Timed tests are also harmful for students. They get caught up in the amount of time left and rush their answers, which does not accurately portray their knowledge. One way to keep the students focused and the test fun is to throw in some humor into the questions. Puns, riddles, and jokes lighten the mood. Finally, make sure the questions assess the material. If a teacher gives an objective or topic for the test, then ask questions directly related to it.

Roger In the sixth chapter of FIAE, the author discusses the importance of good test questions. He goes about explaining some effective ways of forming questions, and listed some do’s and don’ts. One point that was made very strongly was not to try and trick or confuse students. The purpose of tests is to determine how well students have learned the curriculum provided in the classroom. In many classes, solving riddles is not a huge part of curriculum. Questions need to be easy to understand, so that a student may give an accurate answer based off what they know, as opposed to them picking the wrong answer because they were unsure.

Another aspect of good test questions that was gone over in depth in the chapter was variation in questioning. The author discussed the importance of mixing things like multiple choice, true/false, and matching questions with more creative response questions, like diagrams or sketches. This allows for some variation for boredom’s sake, and it allows students with different intelligences to answer questions more fitting to their intelligence.

Questions should also have a pattern throughout the test, either even-keel, hard to easy, or vice versa. This allows students to progress smoothly through the test without being surprised. After all, the test is about examining knowledge, not how well someone reacts to the unexpected. Tests also need to be more spread out, instead of having a large exam at the end of the grading period. This relates back to tiering in the previous chapter, since it takes more of a step-by-step approach. This method allows students to prepare gradually, and then tie things together at the end. This would also be where a portfolio would be handy.

Alex Slack
FIAE Chapter 6 Creating Good Test Questions: This section is all about making test and making engaging appropriate questions. If I was to use test in my class room this chapter shows perfect examples, ideas, and strategies for creating tests. I really enjoy the idea of keeping questions short and to the point this allows the kids to get him just right away and limit all four of confusions. Not to mention shorter question limit nerves and the negative input of emotional strife caused by tests on kids. I also really enjoy the idea of making test shorter; this also cuts back on the emotional strife caused by tests on the kids, and also allows you to really focus in on the information that is need to get the unit. Short, sweet and to the point is the way to make a test. This idea of having smaller tests over time is a phenomenal idea because it allows for less stress and also shorter test gets the kids use to the testing style and possible eliminate all forms of stress caused by any test in any form.

Brittany
This chapter explains how to create good test questions, whether they are matching, true/false or multiple choice. The book suggests taking tests to the next level and adding non traditional questions, such as analogies, drawings or performances. Through a mix of traditional and non traditional questions the teacher can get a true feeling of the students understanding and mastery of the subject being tested. I really liked the idea of the double recording of answers, this allows the teacher to have a gradable copy without the possibility of answers being changed, but it also allow the teacher to go over the test with students and look at where the students had difficulties. The chapter also states that your questions should not only be clear, but also make sure that you avoid confusing negatives. I could not agree more about confusing negatives, (example from the chapter: all of the above except C and E) these types of answers have cause me to lose many points as a student and are definitely something I plan on avoiding as a teacher. I always used to love as a student when teachers would accidentally give answers away in the way they phrase their questions, this is something that should be avoided as well because it doesn't show that students have learned the information, but rather have noticed your grammatical or vocabulary errors and have benefited off of that. Overall to make an effective test be sure to incorporate a good mix of traditional and non traditional questions that are clear and effectively assess what you want the test to asses.

Caleb
Test, a dreaded four letter word that most kids tend to run and hide from. The difficulty with tests is that most of the time students have to guest a certain questions because a teacher didn’t ask a proper question. This is why a teacher has to immediately get rid of those sorts of questions from his or her test. Instead of placing these ambiguous questions in a test a teacher needs to make sure that his or her questions are comprehensive, succinct, and if the situation deems it necessary humorous. Students tend to pay attention more to a test when they are phrased in this way. Along with this a teacher needs to make their test more suitable for a student, thus if a student comes into class believing to have studied the right material, why should they get marked down for not knowing anything. Thus, why a special question is asked at the beginning of the test to see if this scenario has happened. Looking back on most of my own test from high school very few of them allowed for a variety of concrete answer to abstract answers. Both are necessary but most of my teachers tended to focus on the first group of answers. The one test that grabs me talked about constructing an analogy for the cell. That test was phenomenal because it was fun and I got to express what I learned in a matter that I understood. Plus, allowing me the opportunity to write an test answer on Star Wars always makes for a good day. In my classroom, making math questions more fun will be the best part of a test. I get to come up with creative ways to see how much my students have learned. It wasn’t until I actually started teaching a little bit that I realized that grading my students was going to be just as fun as teaching them. There is a multitude of assessments and lessons that can be done in the classroom that will best suit your students. Now, there was one small issue I saw in this chapter and that was for Math teachers only. I enjoy the two answer sheet combination test but as a math teacher I want to grade my students based on their work, which seems quite hard when the students are giving me just their answers.