In this enlightening discussion, Jay Parkes, an educational psychology professor from the University of New Mexico, and Dawn Zimmaro, Director of Learning Design at Stanford, explore the often misunderstood realm of multiple-choice questions. They emphasize that the design, not the format, can enhance learning. Effective distractors reveal student misconceptions and immediate feedback fosters deeper understanding. By leveraging technology, they advocate for transforming assessments into engaging learning tools, prioritizing student growth over mere evaluation.
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insights INSIGHT
MCQ Perceptions
Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are often viewed negatively, but they can be effective learning and assessment tools.
Poorly written MCQs frustrate students, while well-written ones enhance learning and assessment.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Good MCQ Construction
Focus on clear questions aligned with learning objectives.
Keep language simple, avoiding jargon or humor, to assess knowledge, not linguistic ability.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Paramount Confusion
Bonnie Stachowiak had students ask about the word "paramount" during a business test.
This highlighted the issue of using complex vocabulary unrelated to learning objectives.
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Learning and Assessing with Multiple-Choice Questions in College Classrooms
Learning and Assessing with Multiple-Choice Questions in College Classrooms
Jay Parkes
Dawn Zimmaro
The First 90 Days
Michael Watkins
In 'The First 90 Days,' Michael D. Watkins provides a comprehensive guide for leaders transitioning into new roles. The book emphasizes the importance of self-preparation, accelerating the learning process, achieving early victories, and achieving alignment within the organization. Watkins outlines ten fundamental principles, including preparing oneself for the new role, understanding the organizational architecture, building a high-performance team, and influencing key stakeholders. The book is designed to help leaders avoid common pitfalls and achieve early successes, thereby enhancing their credibility and effectiveness within the organization.
Jay Parkes and Dawn Zimmaro share about learning and assessing with multiple-choice questions in college classrooms on episode 155 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.
Quotes from the episode
Tests don’t hurt students—people with tests hurt students.
—Dawn Zimmaro
It’s not the multiple choice question that is problematic … it’s about how the assessment can be used.
—Dawn Zimmaro
The whole goal here is learning, not assessing.
—Jay Parkes
Technology has really expanded our ability to do some assessments and diagnostics in ways we haven’t been able to do in the past.
—Dawn Zimmaro
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