How to online schools give tests Are they generally multiple choice or essay? How do they stop cheaters? I realize that all schools are different and choose to test in different ways, but I'm wondering if anyone has any personal experience with online schools in terms of how they give and administer tests. Thanks
It depends upon what type of course it is. I teach English, so we don't usually have many tests, we use essays for the most part. There are multiple plagiarism detectors out there, such as turnitin.com that are useful for such things. Like onsite classes, there are some who will cheat and get around the system, I am sure. But that is not limited to online environments.
I have had a variety of different tests. I have went to some schools where I had to get a proctor, some schools where just papers, and some schools were just multiple choice timed tests. It really depends on the school. The only way to ensure you do not cheat on most tests is to require it to be proctored, however most do not. Most of the tests I take are timed and open book as they cant really say do not use your book with no one there to enforce it. In one class i have right now we have quizzes that are not proctored but I have a final exam at the end of class that I have to have proctored.
I think that the major concern regarding test-taking is not the open-book vs. closed-book issue, it's whether the person taking the test is the person enrolled in the course issue. Even a proctor is useless if they don't rigorously check ID.
Most of the online programs I have done have given only a few tests. They seem to make up for that with a great deal of paper writing. Which is good for me because I'm better at paper writing than I am at test taking.
I'm taking an online Intro to Sociology course at my local junior college and its set up using a message board where the students and the instructor post back and forth. Tests are online; 50 question tests which are timed out after 20 minutes and 100 question tests timed out at 60 minutes.
It's interesting to me that, in my experience, community colleges make you take more online tests than other online programs. I experienced that when I took several online classes at our local CC; lots of online tests. But I have earned a teaching credential online, a master's degree online and I'm now working on a PhD online and we have a few tests but not near as many as the community college required.
My Psychology, History since 1877, History to 1877, and English Comp II classes at FHSU all required a lot of writing. Jazz, Astronomy, and MIS are more fill in the black, t/f and multiple choice.
I have nothing else to compare it too being its my first online course. I just assumed that all online courses are like that.
I agree! I dont think I could do that even if I knew all the answers! I like to go back over everything one last time!
I have taken two geology courses on-line for credit at a So. CA CC in the last year or so for credit - no proctor was required. Tests were multiple choice and had to answer around 100 questions in two hours. Results were available immediately after the exam. There were also quizzes every few weeks. I have also taken five geology field courses on weekends at UC Riverside - so far no one has ever asked for my ID.
>> of course we ALL have personal experience with online schools and how they give tests. ....OP......hello?......where did you go?.......hello??
Most schools just send you an email with a grade and then *wink*wink* that is what you get on the test. Actually....There are no controls or anything. I had my 9 year old son take a test for me one time (I think the course was Strategic Management) and he scored an 84. No, really, Im serious...I pay a Chinese kid $1.87 per hour to take all of my tests. He's pretty smart too. Nauseating.
Kidding aside, what he actually does is bring a contortionist with a Ph.D to the exam room in his duffel bag and taps on the bag to communicate q&a through morse code. OK, OK, seriously, what he really does is install a radio in his head while Patrick uses a telescope to watch from Spongebob's house and gives him the answers as he goes along. Alright! Enough with the jokes! He sits down to take his exam, and as soon as the proctor is distracted, he shouts GO GO GADGET ANSWERS!! and his pencil takes care of the rest.
That really makes the most sense due to the impossibility of controlling someone taking a test online. The tests I've experienced so far at NCU have all been open book but they were extremely difficult nonetheless. There were very few questions where you could find the answer directly in the book. Most of the questions required understanding and synthesis of the material. Most of my classes have required few tests and a huge amount of paper writing.
Some time after I read your message I realized that of all the courses I've taken, UK and USA, undergrad or grad, I've never been asked for ID. I was asked for it before a CLEP test.
