TESTING AS TEACHING CO-MEDICAL ANATOMY: A PRACTICAL VIEW Kevin Patton Ph.D. St. Charles Community College St. Louis University Medical School

TESTING AS TEACHING

Completing a test or quiz can be a learning process in itself McKenzie McKenzie Denton and Crowley Denton and Crowley Elton and Laurillard Elton and Laurillard Fisher, Williams,and Roth Fisher, Williams,and Roth Rudman Rudman Dempster Dempster Frederiksen Frederiksen Connor-Greene Connor-Greene Haladyna, Downing, and Rodriquez Haladyna, Downing, and Rodriquez Kennedy Kennedy Halpern and Hakel Halpern and Hakel

Online, preprogrammed testing tools

Online testing a powerful form of testing & teaching Automatic Automatic Accessible Accessible Images, including animations Images, including animations Immediate feedback Immediate feedback Flexible Flexible Multiple repetitions Multiple repetitions

Case Study Anatomy & Physiology course Anatomy & Physiology course Students Students Undergraduate Undergraduate Nursing Nursing Occupational therapy Occupational therapy Other health-related professions Other health-related professions

Old way New way All paper tests All paper tests 6 written tests 6 written tests Limited illustrations, photographs, other images Limited illustrations, photographs, other images Both online & paper tests Both online & paper tests 9 online tests 2 online practice exams 2 written exams 9 online tests 2 online practice exams 2 written exams All types of images available All types of images available

Online tests Images edited in Photoshop Images edited in Photoshop Image/photo editing program Image/photo editing program Images saved as.jpg or.gif files Images saved as.jpg or.gif files Tests created in Respondus Tests created in Respondus Test creation software Test creation software Uploads tests to online testing platform Uploads tests to online testing platform Tests administered in WebCT Tests administered in WebCT Online testing platform Online testing platform WebCT also creates tests but interface is less friendly than Respondus WebCT also creates tests but interface is less friendly than Respondus

Online tests Images edited in Photoshop Images edited in Photoshop Image/photo editing program Image/photo editing program Images saved as.jpg files Images saved as.jpg files Tests created in Respondus Tests created in Respondus Test creation software Test creation software Uploads tests to online testing platform Uploads tests to online testing platform Tests administered in WebCT Tests administered in WebCT Online testing platform Online testing platform WebCT also creates tests but interface is less friendly WebCT also creates tests but interface is less friendly

Image source: Scan images from your textbook

Image sources: Image collections From your textbook/atlas publisher Purchased collection Online resources

Image sources: your own Photos you take yourself Medical images you acquire

Edit in Photoshop Save as.jpg file

Advanced editing From Gray’s Anatomy online version

Animations From

Online tests Images edited in Photoshop Images edited in Photoshop Image/photo editing program Image/photo editing program Images saved as.jpg files Images saved as.jpg files Tests created in Respondus Tests created in Respondus Test creation software Test creation software Uploads tests to online testing platform Uploads tests to online testing platform Tests administered in WebCT Tests administered in WebCT Online testing platform Online testing platform WebCT also creates tests but interface is less friendly WebCT also creates tests but interface is less friendly

Item title Saved image file Item Choices Randomize choices Correct answer & Point value x

Item preview

Item types

Multiple choice

Simple identification (short answer style)

Multiple Response

Ordering (matching style)

Case Study (multiple choice or short answer or paragraph style)

Settings

Organize items into “question sets”

Question sets in WebCT Randomized within set

Items must be answered one at a time Each test may be taken 3 times

Randomization Each item may have randomized choices Each item may have randomized choices Each question set may be randomized Each question set may be randomized Each attempt by each student is different Each attempt by each student is different Each attempt by each student is unpredictable Each attempt by each student is unpredictable Literally thousands of different combinations! Literally thousands of different combinations!

Publish test to WebCT platform

Online tests Images edited in Photoshop Images edited in Photoshop Image/photo editing program Image/photo editing program Images saved as.jpg files Images saved as.jpg files Tests created in Respondus Tests created in Respondus Test creation software Test creation software Uploads tests to online testing platform Uploads tests to online testing platform Tests administered in WebCT Tests administered in WebCT Online testing platform Online testing platform WebCT also creates tests... but interface is less friendly than Respondus WebCT also creates tests... but interface is less friendly than Respondus

Students may now take tests online

Students view results online Immediate feedback Immediate feedback Students may effectively prepare for their next attempt Students may effectively prepare for their next attempt

Automatic scoring may also be programmed to provide the correct answer or to provide additional feedback

Effectiveness What is the experience of the teacher? What is the experience of the teacher? I found that the online approach is effective I found that the online approach is effective Grades seemed to improve Grades seemed to improve

Grade improvement? Old way New way Course Average Final Exam Number of students Valid comparisons? Improvement in course average?

Grade improvement? Old way New way Course Average Final Exam Number of students Improvement in final exam scores?

Grade improvement? Old way New way Course Average Final Exam Number of students Improvement in student retention? (all groups began each semester at 225)

Effectiveness What is the experience of the teacher? What is the experience of the teacher? I found that the online approach is effective I found that the online approach is effective Grades seemed to improve Grades seemed to improve Less class time spent on testing Less class time spent on testing Less time grading tests Less time grading tests

Effectiveness What is the experience of students? What is the experience of students? Online survey of 171 students Online survey of 171 students Found that the online approach is effective Found that the online approach is effective

Do online tests make you better prepared for the exams? YesNo %0.6%

Do online tests help you learn the concepts of the course better? YesNo %9.4%

Do online tests help you prepare for practical exams in the lab? YesNo %10.5%

What resources do you use while taking an online test? ResourceYesNoTextbook1647 Outlines1701 Notes14228 Printout of previous attempt 15516

Do online tests have a high level of difficulty? YesNo %38.0%

Effective learning Students are challenged by online tests Students are challenged by online tests Students spend time exploring resources Students spend time exploring resources Textbook/atlas Textbook/atlas Course outlines Course outlines Class notes Class notes Previous test attempts Previous test attempts Students feel better prepared for exams Students feel better prepared for exams Students feel they’ve learned more overall Students feel they’ve learned more overall

Some practical points How do I apply to an existing course? How do I apply to an existing course? Add online quizzes or tests? Add online quizzes or tests? Replace some in-class tests? Replace some in-class tests? Do I have an online testing platform available? Do I have an online testing platform available? Your institution / consortium? Your institution / consortium? Your textbook publisher? Your textbook publisher? Do I need an add-on design program? Do I need an add-on design program?

More practical points What software do I need? What software do I need? Do I have an image editor? Do I have an image editor? Do I have a test design program? Do I have a test design program? What skills do I need? What skills do I need? Can I edit an image? Can I edit an image? Can I learn the testing software? Can I learn the testing software? Can I manage the online platform? Can I manage the online platform? What help is available to gain these skills and support them? What help is available to gain these skills and support them?

TESTING AS TEACHING CO-MEDICAL ANATOMY: A PRACTICAL VIEW Kevin Patton Ph.D. St. Charles Community College St. Louis University Medical School