Saturday, August 7, 2010

A good multiple choice question?

Here is the only multiple choice question I will ever endorse:

Choose the best answer:

A. Test

B. Teach

7 comments:

  1. Multiple choice questions are inherently bad any more than all essay questions are inherently go

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  2. Children do not grow by being measured. I don't know who first said this, but it's very poignant.

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  3. Sorry - please feel free to delete this rather cheeky observation but I see that you have a multiple choice question re Alfie Kohn in your RH column. I'm wondering whether this is a deliberate or accidental faux pas. LOL!

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  4. @Juliet:

    You're cheeky observation is a keen one but you are assuming that I believe the responses I am collecting tell me anything of any value - which will be my point in a future blog post, but you seem to be on to me =)

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  5. @MY MUSINGS: I understand what you are trying to get at but you using faulty logic. While you are correct that an open response questions (such as an essay) is not sufficient in the criteria for an excellent assessment, it is most definitely necessary.

    Forced Choice questions (such as multiple choice) can never provide you with a window into a student's learning because it fails to meet the first criteria: the student can never construct their own response!

    Based on this criteria, you can never compare the potential authenticity of an open response to the infinitely shallow forced choice exams.

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  6. My profuse apologies but I'm not assuming anything...it was merely an interesting observation as a first time visitor to your blog.

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  7. Perhaps it is I who should apologize. I was trying to say that your observation was an accurate one in that I did indeed have a point to this deliberate faux pas. I enjoyed your comment. =)

    Certainly no apology needed on your end. Glad you found my blog.

    Joe

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