--- Forwarded Message from Rama Sohonee <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 09:54:09 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Rama Sohonee <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #5670.1 Online Testing (!)
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum    <[log in to unmask]>

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Rationale for Online Testing

1. Ease of access-time, user and test-wise.

2. Ease of tallying, grading, scoring and reporting back to
test takers. Instant scores possible.

3. Instant feedback possiblility. Explanations (brief
and/or detailed of specific errors) can be sent directly
and individually to each test taker.

4. Multiple formats can be used simultaneously- video,
audio, graphics, text, audio recordings, etc. 

5. Cheating/ impersonation/ security issues?
a. Need to have user specific tests that are based on
material specifically accessible to class-attending
students/ users.
b. Random password generation and selection.
c. Time limited tests that user is already familiar with in
classroom.
d. Avoid multiple choice answers that are: wrong/ right.
Focus on comprehension/ understanding/ usage and class
specific items. 
e. Avoid generic/ generalized items that may be looked up
in dictionaries, discrete point grammar tests, avoid close
ended questions- true/ false.
f. Invite open ended answers, summaries, comprehension
checking multiple choice (where more than one answer may be
correct), conjectures, story writing, paragraph building,
paraphrasing, etc.
g. Invite audio-tests where student records speech instead
of writing/ choosing replies.

6. Test takers may address issues/ problems/
clarifications/ blind-spots directly and confidentially to
instructor and/or may retake different version of test.

Hope this helps somewhat.



=====
Dr. R. Sohonee
Bhasha
Foreign Language Solutions
703 920 4781 (Fax)
www.geocities.com/rsohonee

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