1. SCIS ID Workshop: Learning Objectives & Exam Development John Ollerenshaw & Marguerite Koole Educational Media Development Athabasca University

2. Outline 1. Introduction 2. Sample unit 3. What are learning objectives? 4. Advice for writing learning objectives 5. Review the objectives in the sample unit 6. Exams & the AU mandate 7. What makes a fair exam? 8. Review the sample exam

3. Sample Unit Browse through the sample unit Pay attention to the learning objectives What would you correct?

4. Learning Objectives “A learning objective is a statement that tells what learners should be able to do when they have completed a segment of instruction” (Smith & Regan, 1999, p. 84).

5. Exam Development University mandate Norm-reference exams Criterion-referenced exams Validity, reliability & practicality

6. AU Mandate Athabasca University, Canada’s Open University, is dedicated to the removal of barriers that restrict access to, and success in, university-level studies and to increasing equality of educational opportunity for adult learners worldwide.

7. Types of Exams Criterion-referenced Determine competency Identify gaps or areas of remediation Based on unit objectives Not concerned with curves Fits with AU mandate Norm-referenced Used for ranking and comparison of students in order to restrict entry into programs or courses Not helpful in determining gaps Use curves Does not fit with AU mandate

8. What makes a good exam? Review the sample exam What’s wrong with the exam?

9. Validity Does the question/exam measure what it is supposed to measure? Are the questions consistent with the objectives? Are the questions representative of the range of objectives? Are the objectives adequately sampled?

10. Reliability Does the exam consistently measure what it is supposed to measure? Eliminate guessing?  number of items per objective =  reliability Use an odd number of questions per objective. Statistics Chronbach’s alpha

11. Practicality Conditions & scenarios close to real life or those presented in unit of learning Consideration for Cost Marking time Lag time Does the student have enough time to complete the exam?

12. Other stuff... Is the value of each question clearly indicated? Are the instructions clear?

13. Sample Exam Review the sample exam Use the exam checklist

14. Things to remember... All readings, commentary, exercises, activities, and exam questions should be based on learning objectives!

15. More information: In Moodle, you will find annotated copies of the sample unit and exam as well as other related resources. Please follow the instructions below. Log into http://www.athabascau.ca/moodlehttp://www.athabascau.ca/moodle Select zCourse COMP ID Create a new account Enrolment key: SCISid.