Years of high-stakes standardized testing, large class sizes, and less time have led us to one thing - LOTS of multiple choice tests. There's a good chance that your student hasn't taken a test that wasn't multiple choice in years, if ever. Politicians like multiple choice tests because they generate a lot data fast. Teachers tend to like them because they can all be graded in about 30 seconds. Students like them because they know that they are usually easier. Here's the problem, multiple choice tests often don't encourage deep learning or critical thinking. They also often don't measure deep learning or critical thinking.
Recognition vs Recall
When you take a multiple choice test, your ability to answer each question depends on being able to recognize the answer when it is presented to you. When you take a short answer test, your ability to answer each question depends on being able to recall the answer. PET scans indicate that there are significant differences in brain activity when individuals are asked to recognize information vs when they are asked to recall information. Four areas of the brain are more active during recall than during recognition and three additional areas of the brain are active during recall that are not active during recognition. No wonder tests that aren't multiple choice are harder!
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is imperative to learning and doing science. A recent study by University of Georgia biology professor Kathrin F. Stranger-Hall tested the effect of exam format on critical thinking skills. Exams that contained more constructed response (short answer or essay) questions correlated with "significantly more cognitively active study behaviors and a significantly better performance on the cumulative final exam." She also concluded that "the MC [multiple choice] - only exam format indeed hinders critical thinking in introductory science classes. Introducing CR [constructed response] questions encourages students to learn more and to be better critical thinkers...". In other words, when the test included short answer questions, students had to engage in more more active study practices involving higher order thinking in order to be prepared for the exam. This in turn resulted in the development of more higher order thinking skills.
Student Resistance
So, I'm giving your students great, non-multiple choice tests, that require that they develop critical thinking skills and active study habits, thereby preparing them for their future - how wonderful! They should be thrilled right? Hmm...well, not so much. Multiple studies have found that resistance to learning is very common among students, even in college classrooms. For example in the Stranger-Hall study described above, many students commented that the instructor should "just teach biology" rather than emphasize critical thinking skills. For many students, teaching is defined as: the teacher lectures while students passively write down information. Oh oh, no critical thinking happening there! Keep in mind that doing what's best for our students, may not be what makes them happiest! Real learning can be messy and hard - it often requires perseverance, struggle, and hard work!
Exam Prep
I know that many students haven't had much experience taking non-multiple choice tests. So, we do the following things during class to help them make the transition with confidence!
Frequent, Short "in class" study sessions
Research shows that it is more effective to study in frequent short, sessions over several days than in one big study session the night before.
"Breaking up and spacing out study time over days or weeks can substantially boost how much of the material students retain, and for longer, compared to lumping everything into a single, nose-to-the-grindstone session."**
"Active Study" Techniques
I teach students active study techniques and we practice them in class. I often ask students "How do you study for your exams?". About 80% of them tell me that they "read over their notes". Studying by reading and listening are forms of "passive study" and are not very effective for long term retention of information. According to the Academic Success Center at Seattle Pacific University, "Passive study strategies may take less time and feel easier. But active strategies are more effective and efficient because they help you move information into your long term memory more quickly."
Practice Quizzes
We take non-multiple choice practice quizzes that look very similar to the exams. These practice quizzes are self graded and not recorded in the gradebook. We go over the answers and talk about what a good answer should look like on the test.
Cabeza, R., Kapur, S., Craik, F.I.M., McIntosh, A.R., Houle, S., and Tulving, E. (1997) Functional neuroanatomy of recall and recognition: A PET study of episodic memory. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 9, 254-265.
Stanger-Hall, Kathrin F. “Multiple-Choice Exams: An Obstacle for Higher-Level Thinking in Introductory Science Classes.” Ed. Eric H. Chudler. CBE Life Sciences Education 11.3 (2012): 294–306. PMC. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.
**Chen, Ingfei. "How Does the Brain Learn Best? Smart Studying Strategies. KQED News Mind/Shift, August 25, 2014.
https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/25/how-does-the-brain-learn-best-smart-studying-strategies/
Academic Success Center, Seattle Pacific University. Active Study Strategies.
https://spu.edu/depts/cfl/documents/ActiveStudyStrategies.pdf
Recognition vs Recall
When you take a multiple choice test, your ability to answer each question depends on being able to recognize the answer when it is presented to you. When you take a short answer test, your ability to answer each question depends on being able to recall the answer. PET scans indicate that there are significant differences in brain activity when individuals are asked to recognize information vs when they are asked to recall information. Four areas of the brain are more active during recall than during recognition and three additional areas of the brain are active during recall that are not active during recognition. No wonder tests that aren't multiple choice are harder!
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is imperative to learning and doing science. A recent study by University of Georgia biology professor Kathrin F. Stranger-Hall tested the effect of exam format on critical thinking skills. Exams that contained more constructed response (short answer or essay) questions correlated with "significantly more cognitively active study behaviors and a significantly better performance on the cumulative final exam." She also concluded that "the MC [multiple choice] - only exam format indeed hinders critical thinking in introductory science classes. Introducing CR [constructed response] questions encourages students to learn more and to be better critical thinkers...". In other words, when the test included short answer questions, students had to engage in more more active study practices involving higher order thinking in order to be prepared for the exam. This in turn resulted in the development of more higher order thinking skills.
Student Resistance
So, I'm giving your students great, non-multiple choice tests, that require that they develop critical thinking skills and active study habits, thereby preparing them for their future - how wonderful! They should be thrilled right? Hmm...well, not so much. Multiple studies have found that resistance to learning is very common among students, even in college classrooms. For example in the Stranger-Hall study described above, many students commented that the instructor should "just teach biology" rather than emphasize critical thinking skills. For many students, teaching is defined as: the teacher lectures while students passively write down information. Oh oh, no critical thinking happening there! Keep in mind that doing what's best for our students, may not be what makes them happiest! Real learning can be messy and hard - it often requires perseverance, struggle, and hard work!
Exam Prep
I know that many students haven't had much experience taking non-multiple choice tests. So, we do the following things during class to help them make the transition with confidence!
Frequent, Short "in class" study sessions
Research shows that it is more effective to study in frequent short, sessions over several days than in one big study session the night before.
"Breaking up and spacing out study time over days or weeks can substantially boost how much of the material students retain, and for longer, compared to lumping everything into a single, nose-to-the-grindstone session."**
"Active Study" Techniques
I teach students active study techniques and we practice them in class. I often ask students "How do you study for your exams?". About 80% of them tell me that they "read over their notes". Studying by reading and listening are forms of "passive study" and are not very effective for long term retention of information. According to the Academic Success Center at Seattle Pacific University, "Passive study strategies may take less time and feel easier. But active strategies are more effective and efficient because they help you move information into your long term memory more quickly."
Practice Quizzes
We take non-multiple choice practice quizzes that look very similar to the exams. These practice quizzes are self graded and not recorded in the gradebook. We go over the answers and talk about what a good answer should look like on the test.
Cabeza, R., Kapur, S., Craik, F.I.M., McIntosh, A.R., Houle, S., and Tulving, E. (1997) Functional neuroanatomy of recall and recognition: A PET study of episodic memory. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 9, 254-265.
Stanger-Hall, Kathrin F. “Multiple-Choice Exams: An Obstacle for Higher-Level Thinking in Introductory Science Classes.” Ed. Eric H. Chudler. CBE Life Sciences Education 11.3 (2012): 294–306. PMC. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.
**Chen, Ingfei. "How Does the Brain Learn Best? Smart Studying Strategies. KQED News Mind/Shift, August 25, 2014.
https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/08/25/how-does-the-brain-learn-best-smart-studying-strategies/
Academic Success Center, Seattle Pacific University. Active Study Strategies.
https://spu.edu/depts/cfl/documents/ActiveStudyStrategies.pdf