Writing test questions for an objective is the last step in the design process. Test questions are an essential component of any instructional program. They are used as part of the instructional process, to evaluate a learner’s understanding, and to evaluate the course material. Writing good test questions, therefore, is as important as writing good objectives.
•As part of the instructional process: Learners use test questions to practice meeting the objective before an actual examination. In fact, learners should have the opportunity to practice every objective as part of the instruction. This helps reinforce their understanding of the content and determine areas requiring further study.
•To evaluate a learner’s understanding: Test questions, when collected on a test, measure the learner’s understanding and determine if he or she is ready to move on. Test results are sometimes used to prove an employee’s achievement, or lack of achievement, for purposes of settling human resource disputes.
•To evaluate the course material: Based on test results, we can determine how well a given training unit is working and diagnose weakness in course material. If a significant number of learners consistently fail a given test question, it may indicate that the instruction for the corresponding objective is missing or unclear. (On the other hand, it may instead indicate that the question is poorly worded or otherwise flawed.)
For training that is objectives based, the learner’s mastery of every objective will be measured by one or more corresponding test items. Some objectives are hands-on; mastery of these is measured with evaluation checklists. Other objectives are cognitive, or academic in nature. Mastery of this type of objective can be measured with the more traditional, paper & pencil type of test.
Chapter Objectives
Steps to Create Multiple Choice Questions
Steps to Create True False Questions
Steps to Create Essay Questions
Steps to Create Matching Questions
Steps to Create Short Answer Questions
Steps to Create Fill In The Blank Questions
