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Feature of the Month: Tests can be more than just single choice
ILIAS is equipped with a test and assessment tool that allows you to integrate formative assessments into your teaching with relatively little effort. Most of the many different question types can be evaluated automatically. Such assessments have many advantages for students, but also for you as a lecturer.
How does it work?
First, take a look at the different question types: Overview. Here you will find a detailed description of each question type, how to incorporate it into a test, and what possible uses there are.
Next:
- Open the ‘Add New Object’ option in the course area and select 'Test' from the list.
- Give the test a title and add a description if necessary.
- Save the settings. You can only put the test online once it contains questions. You also need to configure other settings such as availability and feedback before putting it online.
- Click on the ‘Questions’ tab and then on the ‘Create question’ button.
- Select a question type from the drop-down menu and click on ‘Create’.
- Edit the question and then click on ‘Save’.
Question TypesHow can the test be used?
There are many ways to use the test module in the context of formative assessment:
- Checking learning progress, e.g. in self-study phases - Students use the self-test to check whether they have understood key learning content.
- Aptitude testing – Classification into different course levels
- Checking prior knowledge – Test questions are asked in advance of a course or a new learning section to check students' prior knowledge and prepare them for the following learning content.
- Creating a common knowledge base - Lecturers can use test questions to convey specific learning content. The test includes further links, references to relevant chapters in the textbook, etc.
- Collecting recurring questions - Frequently asked questions or recurring problems are addressed in a test.
- Exam preparation - Test questions (e.g. from past exams) can be provided to help students prepare for an exam.
The test module also plays a central role in digitally conducted summative examinations. If you are planning to use it for this purpose, please contact the digital examinations team at e-pruefungen@rz.uni-freiburg.de.
What are the advantages for teaching?
The test module allows teachers to ask automatically assessable questions at different taxonomy levels without having to resort to free-text questions all the time. Even with multiple choice, automatically assessable questions can be designed at the higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy.
Providing students with short self-tests has proven particularly helpful in exam preparation. Not only does this help them to consolidate their knowledge of the material over the course of the semester, it also makes them feel better prepared for the respective exam.