Out on an Assessment LImb

I finished up the last of the quizzes on the Bhante Sahti interview today. YEAH!!! I ended up doing separate quiz questions for each video clip. I ended up with a total of 59 questions which will be randomized by video clip. Each student will have the same number of questions on each video but they hopefully will not be the same. I then combined the quiz questions into two total quizzes each worth 15 points (one point per question). That way a student will be able to complete the assessment on the Bhante Sahti interview in two different sessions if they'd like.

I like the randomizing feature because I do open book quizzes that aren't timed. This way no two quizzes will look exactly alike because not only are the quiz questions randomized, but the answer options within each question are randomized as well. It's just adding an additional layer of making each quiz unique. If students are working together, they are more than likely having to work through more questions than it first appears they would.

I'm content with this set up although it may not be right for everyone. I have found that I am lessed stressed doing it under this format, and my students for the most part are too. I have heard many students describe the anxiety of working under the little ticking clock on their quiz screen. Again, some instructors may need to have their tests timed. I have found that by doing the quizzes this way, I am able to add in additional assessments and it seems to be a win-win. It was definitely scary and I felt I was putting myself and my course integrity out on a line. But some of that pressure was self-induced because of my enculturation in a Westernized education system and the way I was taught.

Personally, I don't always agree with the way I was taught. I think parts of our education system only encourages short term learning and memorization over life-long learning and true understanding. I was an A student and yet, I bet if I had been given the same tests I aced even a month after I had originally taken them, I don't know if I would have passed too many of them. You see I learned to be a great memorizer and good test taker. I guess this is part of the reason why I was willing to go out on that limb and try an alternative style of assessments for my class. Luckily, I think it's working.