Expanding on yesterday’s post—here are the remaining four things you need to do when compiling your tests and quizzes if you want them to be effective.
Create and Administer Different Types of Tests
To know how effective your learning material truly was, you’ll need to create and administer different types of tests. For instance, over the span of a course on project management, you’ll want to do different things: Ask your learners to submit written responses, have them complete a sample project task, conduct simulated experiences, and ask them to take a multiple-choice quiz or test. This is a great way to know if they are truly grasping the material in a way that lets them practice it or if they’re just remembering a bunch of words to regurgitate for a written test.
Design Good Questions
Here are some good tips for designing good questions for tests and quizzes.
Focus on the learning objectives being assessed when asking questions. Don’t include extraneous or irrelevant information in a test that will confuse or lead test-takers in an erroneous direction.
Tie questions to real-world scenarios that are realistic. Instead of talking about counting a random pile of marbles and moving trains with nuns on them, ask questions that pertain to the test-takers’ job or work. For example, ask an accountant real math questions related to an accounting scenario. And ask a sales manager a realistic question on how to resolve a conflict with an employee.
Mix up the types of questions you include on a test. Don’t make them all multiple choice or true/ Also include questions that require short answer responses or even a recorded video clip response.
Avoid Timed and Lengthy Tests
Having employees take a test that lasts over an hour is simply not necessary. Spread out the material you want to assess in multiple tests that are administered over the span of a few days, weeks, or months. Don’t feel the need to cram everything into one sitting. Learners will forget more and won’t perform as well. In addition, don’t time tests, especially online tests. It only stresses learners out even more.
Use Analytics, Scores, and Feedback from Previous Assessments
To develop the best tests possible, you’ll want to consistently review scores and metrics from previous tests you’ve administered. Discover what types of questions were most commonly missed, what the average score for a certain subject was, etc. This information will help you design better tests in the future. In addition, collect feedback from your learners to learn more about what tests they struggled with the most, what kind of material would have helped them perform better on tests, etc.
If you want your tests to be administered properly, contribute in a positive way to your learners’ overall experiences, and yield valuable results; then follow the eight tips mentioned above and in yesterday’s post.