Heriot Watt Heriot Watt UniversityUniversity

Breakout SessionBreakout Session

MCQ with ConfidenceMCQ with Confidence

Dr Phil DaviesDr Phil DaviesDivision of Computing & Mathematical SciencesDivision of Computing & Mathematical Sciences

Department of ComputingDepartment of ComputingFATFAT

University of GlamorganUniversity of Glamorgan

E-Assessment can be viewed E-Assessment can be viewed from different perspectivesfrom different perspectives

• Commercial / Large Scale Implementations– Question Mark’s Perception– MOODLE – Triads (25 different types of Multiple Choice Type

Questions!)– TOIA (FREE!) Tool for On-line Interoperable Assessment– Blackboard Assessment (version!)– Standards (IMS QTI Specification)

• Try it and see

How easy to do MCQ?How easy to do MCQ?Cost?Cost?

• Question• <normally>• Key = • Distracter One, Distracter Two, ……………..

• Note– Key(s) must always be correct– How many students would you expect to get it right for

it to be a GOOD question?– Distracter One / Two / Three equal # of selections– Throw away BAD questions?

TOO HARD .. ?TOO HARD .. ?• Too time consuming• Often needs to be an iterative process• Does it matter if a question is NOT

perfect?• Seeking perfection not feasible• I suggest that assessment MUST be

included within a module, not only at end > make it embedded within TEACHING & LEARNING experience

• Formative / Summative / Both

My Entry into CAAMy Entry into CAA

• 1st Attempt TOTAL FAILURE – 1998 OLAL• 5 minutes all finished apart from one student• Guessing

– Why should the student care if incorrect?– How to make it worthwhile – slow students down – make

them think• Negative marking used +2 and -1 (actually

becomes -3 –> double whammy!)• Allow TWO PASSES of the test• By concentrating on first pass

– will get reward on second pass– Formative

• IMPORTANT – WORTH MARKS

Own Background = Own Background = Objective Testing via MCQObjective Testing via MCQ

• Four Tests MCQ .. Two passes 50/50 (became graduated)

• Cumulative Tests 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%

• Amateur .. No Research Pedigree (CAA Conference)

• Improved Class results > not easier – more directed

• Weaker students improved dramatically• Assessed the learning outcomes of subject• “END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS”

What did the students say What did the students say about it?about it?

• Excellent way of gaining knowledge• 2nd Test Allowed us to learn• Good assistant to learning• Encourages Revision• Very good, promotes learning of a

subject early on• Better than sex!!!!

What decides the QUALITY What decides the QUALITY of a question?of a question?

• In the 2004 World cup qualifier between England and Greece, who scored the all important equalizing goal?

• David Beckham• Victoria Beckham• Brooklyn Beckham• Romeo Beckham

Rewards?Rewards?• Know it• On the tip of my tongue• If I see the answers I’ll know it• Deduction• Guess• Know it … oh no I’ve got it wrong ..

misinformation

TRIED ONE CONFIDENCE TESTONLY SHOWS ANSWERS ONCE CONFIDENCE SELECTED

RELATES TO MARKS +4, +2, +1, -2, -1, 0

Proportion of Questions Proportion of Questions CorrectCorrect

• High Confidence => 84% correct• Fairly Confident => 58% correct• Not confident => 47% correct

• 72% of all questions answered with high confidence

Student thoughts on Student thoughts on ConfidenceConfidence

• “Eliminates guesswork”• “I was waiting for a leggy blond to

bring on my prize at the end”• “separated the lucky students from

me”• “at least I didn’t lose marks for

selecting no confidence”• “are you testing my confidence or

knowledge”

““Bite The Bullet”Bite The Bullet”• Use Confidence Testing for all four tests

(10%, 15%, 20% & 25%)• Real SHOCK to students• Weighting of Passes (50/50, 60/40, 70/30

& 80/20)• How to judge if the students had ‘really’

learned? • Select five questions that were answered

‘poorest’ in test one & pass through to test two

• Select five questions that were answered ‘poorest’ in test two & pass through to test three ( + original five) …. Etc.

Identifying Quality of a Identifying Quality of a QuestionQuestion

• Negative on first pass e.g. > -180• Difference between first and second

pass• Too big an improvement may just

signify a very poor question e.g. >500?

• Create heuristic that identifies degree of difficulty of a question

Passed through to Test FourPassed through to Test Four• 13 of the ‘hardest’ question

• 6 new questions based upon additional work between tests 3-4

• 21 questions (cross section of questions and topics from previous tests)

Improvement of Results Improvement of Results Through TestsThrough Tests

Questions Through Tests

-500

-400

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 5

Question 6

Question 10

Question 11

Question 14

Question 15

Question 16

Question 19

Question 20

Question 21

Question 26

Question 27

Question 40

Improvement Pass One of Improvement Pass One of QuestionsQuestions

Pass One Question Improvements

-500

-400

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

1 2 3 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 10

Question 11

Question 14

Question 15

Question 16

Question 19

Question 20

Question 21

Question 26

Question 27

Question 40

Improvement for Question 5Improvement for Question 5• Stronger Students improved quickly

through the tests• Became more confident in answering

the questions• Weaker Students improved less

quickly than stronger through the test progress, but DID improve

Is it just Confidence or Knowledge Is it just Confidence or Knowledge i.e. questions right or wrong?i.e. questions right or wrong?

Category Average # of Questions Correct Pass 1

Average # of Questions Correct Pass 2

Average Total # of Questions Correct

80> (1) 131.0 158.0 289.0

75-79 (2) 123.5 150.5 274.0

70-74 (3) 117.6 148.6 266.2

65-69 (4) 113.8 150.7 264.5

60-64 (5) 110.3 145.0 255.3

55-59 (6) 107.6 143.4 251.0

50-54 (7) 100.4 136.2 236.6

45-49 (8) 92.5 132.6 225.1

40-44 (9) 94.0 126.4 220.4

35-39 (10) 87.7 121.6 209.3

30-34 (11) 80.5 117.3 197.8

25-29 (12) 76.7 117.3 194.0

Quality of a multiple choice Quality of a multiple choice question?question?

• In the 2004 World cup qualifier between England and Greece, who scored the all important equalizing goal?

• Teddy Sheringham• Michael Owen• Robbie Fowler• QUALITY OF QUESTION NOT

DISTRACTERS

Developmental v Developmental v AssessmentAssessment

• Need not be at alternative ends of the scale

• Student motivation / attendance increased considerably

• Testing knowledge (not done at moment for higher order skills)

• Good students have best results i.e. number of questions correct

COMMENTS?COMMENTS?• HMCQ• Confidence• Two Pass• Formative & Summative• Graduated Assessment• Continual Assessment