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Re: test-design strategy



Tina Fanetti wrote:

My department chair has told me that I can't put
challenging problems on the test..that the problems
need to be similar to what we have done in class.

That's open to a wide range of interpretations.

If taken to the extreme in either direction, those
"rules" (like most rules) become ridiculous.
-- I don't think anybody would suggest that test
problems should be totally unchallenging. That
would call into question such things as what's
the point of the test, and what's the point of
the course.
-- I don't think anybody would suggest that the
test should be super-challenging.
Tests serve multiple purposes:
partly to let the teacher measure strengths
and weaknesses, and partly to motivate the
students. A hard test might be better for
measurement, but worse for motivation.
-- I don't think anybody would suggest that the
test should be totally dissimilar to what was
done in class.
-- I don't think anybody would suggest that the
test should be an exact instant replay of what
was done in class.

So use your discretion. Teach 'em how to think about
the topic, and design test questions that verify they're
using the right thought processes.