Open-book Tests Research Articles

Steering the medical maze beyond memorization: Harnessing the potential of open-book tests in medical learning

Abstract In the field of medical education, we have employed the closed-book test format as the standard approach for carrying out assessments for many decades. An open-book test in medical education is an assessment method wherein medical students are permitted to refer to learning resources during the examination. Thus, students do not rely primarily on their memory and understanding of the subject rather can access external resources to supplement their problem-solving and decision-making abilities. Even though multiple merits have been attributed to open-book tests, we must give attention to the time duration and the kind of references students can access during such tests. At this juncture, we must reiterate that we are not advocating that open-book tests should be introduced and they should replace the conventional closed-book tests. However, there is immense scope for open-book tests in medical education, and every medical institution must explore the scope and feasibility to introduce open-book tests within their settings.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF OPEN BOOK AND CLOSED BOOK EXAMINATION IN A MEDICAL COLLEGE IN NORTH INDIA

Background: It is generally accepted that open book examinations create an enriched environment, offering the student an opportunity to better understand and respond to a particular question. The purpose of the pre Aim Of The Study: sent research was to examine the testing effect with two types of tests commonly found in education: closed-book tests, the traditional method of testing students, and open-book tests, a method gaining popularity. A total of n=109 stude Material & Methods: nts of nal year MBBS participated in the study. A comparative analysis was made for a terminal examination between two papers of general surgery and allied specialties, one paper conducted through conventional method and other one through Open Book Examination. Results were assessed in terms of analysis of feedback form submitted by students and marks obtained. There was st Results: atistically signicant difference in terms of pass percentage between two groups as open book examination clearly surpassed conventional system by having a pass percentage of nearly 70% as compared to closed book examination with ~53%. Marks scored were also better in open book examination. Majority of the students were of the opinion that cheating was less common in open book examination and stress level was lesser, ascertaining open book examination to be a good practical tool for implementation of knowledge. An important consideration was time management which needs to be addressed. Majority of the students were of the opinion to have more open book examinations in future. Open book exami Conclusion: nation is an important tool for practical assessment of knowledge of students & it needs to be explored more for inducting it in our conventional system of examinations.

Early-warning prediction of student performance and engagement in open book assessment by reading behavior analysis

Digitized learning materials are a core part of modern education, and analysis of the use can offer insight into the learning behavior of high and low performing students. The topic of predicting student characteristics has gained a lot of attention in recent years, with applications ranging from affect to performance and at-risk student prediction. In this paper, we examine students reading behavior using a digital textbook system while taking an open-book test from the perspective of engagement and performance to identify the strategies that are used. We create models to predict the performance and engagement of learners before the start of the assessment and extract reading behavior characteristics employed before and after the start of the assessment in a higher education setting. It was found that strategies, such as: revising and previewing are indicators of how a learner will perform in an open ebook assessment. Low performing students take advantage of the open ebook policy of the assessment and employ a strategy of searching for information during the assessment. Also compared to performance, the prediction of overall engagement has a higher accuracy, and therefore could be more appropriate for identifying intervention candidates as an early-warning intervention system.

Critical Thinking and its Relationship to the Knowledge Integration and Familiarity among University Students during Open-Book Tests

The study aimed to assess the relationship between critical thinking and knowledge integration and familiarity among university students during the open book tests. Also identifying levels of critical, Knowledge familiar and integrating and critical thinking among university students. A targeted sample of 239 students had been drawn from the Psychology (division in the first, third, and fourth teams), Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, Port Said University. The study relied on practical and social problems related to the courses taught to students. The study prepared the Critical Thinking Scale, Familiarity, and Knowledge Integration Scale. Use exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to verify the validity. The instruments had acceptable stability according to the Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. The results confirmed the existence of a high positive correlation between critical thinking and knowledge integration and familiarity. This means that the learner has become more professional and experienced in dealing with and criticizing problems. And the studied knowledge became more familiar and integrated due to the formation and qualification of the knowledge structure with the continuous application of open-book tests. The levels of critical thinking, familiarity and integration of knowledge were high among the sample students according to descriptive statistics indices.

Employing Open Book Tests in Evaluating Female Graduate Students in the College of Education at Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University: A Case Study: توظيفُ اختبارات الكتاب المفتوح في تقييم طالبات الدِّراسات العُليا بكليَّة التَّربيَّة في جامعة الإمام محمَّد بن سعود الإسلاميَّة: دراسة حالة

The study aimed to reveal the benefits of employing open book tests in evaluating female graduate students in the College of Education at Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University, by identifying the faculty members' attitudes about employing open book tests in evaluating female graduate students in the College of Education at Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University. As well as, the study aimed to clarify the implications of employing open book tests in evaluating the female graduate students on the teaching practices of faculty members at the College of Education at Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University. The study used the descriptive approach and relied on the interview in collecting data. The study' sample was intentionally from the faculty members of the College of Education at Imam Mohammad bin Saud University. The study' sample consisted of (two female members) in the Departments of Administration and Educational Planning, and the Foundation of Education. The study produced findings, most notably: the importance of the open book test in developing higher order thinking skills and critical and innovative thinking among female students, female students' fear of the open book test due to the inadequacy of the test requirements with the time available for it, the reluctance of some members to take open book tests due to the difficulty of planning, implementing and correcting it, their fear of female students' complaints, and their lack of confidence in the results of the test, the effectiveness of employing open book tests in evaluating female graduate students for their suitability for the advanced educational stage, the need for training in the application of open book tests in order to realize its importance and the effectiveness of its impact on female students, the importance of employing educational techniques in preparing the female students to apply the open book tests, the importance of the faculty member providing immediate feedback to the female students that supports their self-evaluation of their skills in the open book test, raising the quality of teaching the course through the evaluation of the female students at the end of each semester.

A University Instructor's Experiences with Online Courses under COVID-19 circumstances

본 연구는 COVID-19 상황에서 기존의 면대면 수업을 온라인 수업으로 전환하고 운영한 교수자의 경험을 고찰함으로써 온라인 수업에 대한 깊이 있는 이해를 도모함과 동시에 온라인 수업 설계 및 운영에 대한 시사점을 제공하는 데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 2020년 1학기에 Chen(2016)의 ICCEE 모형을 준용하여 온라인 수업을 설계하고 이를 운영하였던 경험에 대해 자전적 사례연구 방식으로 탐구하였다. 연구결과, 온라인 수업을 준비하는 과정에서 연구자는 기존 수업의 수업목표를 그대로 유지하였고 온라인 수업의 유형은 비실시간 온라인 수업 형식으로 결정하였다. 수업내용은 수업목표와 동일하게 기존의 내용을 그대로 유지하였으며, LMS와 e-mail을 기술적 도구로 선정하였다. 기존 수업의 플립드 러닝과 유사한 효과를 얻기 위해 동영상 콘텐츠와 과제 수행을 병행하는 교수전략을 수립하였다. 이후 강의자료를 개발하는 과정에서 내용의 모듈화와 구체적인 사례가 추가되었으며, 평가의 공정성 확보를 위해 오픈북 기반 시험 문항을 개발하였다. 온라인 수업의 실천 과정에서는 상호작용 및 학습 참여와 공평한 시험 응시를 위한 다양한 실천들이 이루어졌다. 연구 결과 연구자는 온라인 수업을 통해 학습자 중심 수업이 실현되고 있으며, 학습자를 배려하기 위한 지속적인 노력의 중요성을 확인하였다. 한편 내용 전달에 치중한 강의자료의 개발과 평가, 상호작용 감소 등의 문제를 확인하였으며, 실시간 소그룹 토론활동과 정서적 상호작용을 위한 시간 분배, 학습자 주도적 맞춤 학습의 적용 등을 제시하였다.The purpose of this study is to provide implications for the design and operation of an online class and to seek a deeper understanding of it by examining the experiences of an instructor who changed their face-to-face classes to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, the experiences of designing and operating online classes in the first semester of 2020 was explored in the form of an autobiographical case by using Chen (2016) s ICCEE model. As a result, in preparation for online classes, researcher maintained the goals of previous classes and employed the type of non real time online classes. The contents of classes remained the same, and LMS and e-mail were selected as new technical tools. To achieve similar effects as flipped learning in previous classes, a teaching strategy combining video contents and task performance was established. Since then, modularization of contents and specific cases have been added in the process of developing lecture materials, and open book test questions have been developed to secure fairness for student evaluation. In the course of implementing online courses, various practices were carried out for interaction, participation in learning, and fair examinations. As a result, researchers confirmed that learner-centered classes are being realized through online classes, and that it is important to make continuous efforts considering learners. However, problems such as development, evaluation, and reduction of interaction of lecture materials focused on content delivery were identified, and real-time small group discussion activities, time distribution for emotional interaction, and application of learner-led customized learning were presented to mitigate the problems.

Effect of Autonomous Assessment Method in Effective Teaching of 'Clinical Trials and Management' Course

Abstract: Clinical trials and management is a unique course offered to the students of Biotechnology and life science graduates in few engineering institutions. This course recently came into limelight due to its huge value in the pharmaceutical job market in both India and abroad which also made private institutions to offer certification, diploma and special degree courses related to this field. This course needs a practice and activity based teachinglearning approach unlike other courses offered in the programme, due to its novel concepts and as to provide the learners complete knowledge to work in this clinical trial industry. To bring in the practicability approach various special assessment methods are applied which includes case study reports, sample clinical trial document preparation, open book test, seminar and also assessment by industry person. Apart from the unique assessment pattern followed, the activity based teaching-learning process such as mock clinical trials, guest lecture by industry persons, clinical trial documentary sessions, clinical trial scenario discussions, role play activities, etc were also emphasized. From the feedback collected from the 42 Biotechnology undergraduate students who learned the course under this method it was understood that they had a very different learning experience compared to the students who went through the conventional assessment system. As an outcome the impact of this course made many students from this group to get special interest towards this field and made a new trend in the student community, as many went to pursue higher studies and jobs related to this field. The students were able to understand the complete process behind clinical trials in an effective manner than in the conventional method. Thus, based on the learning outcome observed at the end of this course, it was evident that the use of such assessment methods brought in the practicability and effective learning of this course. The faculties and institutions offering similar courses could try such approaches specific for the courses to enhance their teaching- learning process.

On Identifying Advanced, Average and Slow Learners: Case Study

Engineering education is dynamically changing its face by transforming from conventional passive learning to active learning across the globe. Active learning is a wellproven technique to enrich the understanding level of learners. However, the understanding, comprehension, and intellectual capabilities of every individual are different. It is highly important to identify these capabilities and provide the required knowledge feeding to intensify the curiosity of a learner in a specific course. Since the same course may not be understood by all the learners at the same depth, it is required to characterize the learning abilities of every learner. Thus, the learner community can be classified into advanced, average, and slow learners. In this paper, a strategy based on Bloom�s Taxonomy (revised) is proposed for identifying advanced, average and slow learners in a course. For that, firstly, an online open-book test (OBT) covering all the levels of revised Bloom�s Taxonomy is innovatively designed for each course. Secondly, the OBT is conducted as per schedule and question-wise, and thereby, Bloom�s Taxonomy cognitive level-wise assessment is completed for all the courses. Thirdly, coursewise students are ranked from highest to lowest performance levels using statistical tools. Finally, using predecided thresholds, learners in a course are identified as advanced, average and slow. The application of this learner classification approach is demonstrated by considering the case of courses in the second, third, and final year of the Electrical Engineering program. The presented approach has substantial potential to be used for designing and planning course delivery to accommodate all types of learners.

Assessment methods - How do medical students perceive it? - A cross-sectional study in South India

Background: In medical education, assessment is an essential component because of its implications on the students, teachers, communities, and the whole world; also after graduation from their medical schools. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to determine the perception of medical students about assessment methods used in the medicine curriculum in a university in South India. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital in Pondicherry between October and November 2017. Based on universal sampling, 210 medical students were selected for the study. After obtaining written informed consent, structured interview schedule was administered. Perception of medical students about formative and summative assessment was inquired. Results: Among the 210 students studied, the mean age was 19 years, most of them were from city as hometown. In assessment methods (preference scoring from 1 to 10), problem-based learning scored maximum (mean score of 7.5 ± 2.5) followed by multiple-choice questions and open book tests. Least preferred was log book (5.70 ± 2.5) and short essay type. Females preferred formative assessment method more than males, with a statistically significant difference (χ2 = 6.43, P < 0.05). Most of them (63%) think that it is not appropriate to assess a student (give pass/fail/judgment) based on his/her performance on 1 day. They also perceive that the internal assessment should be conducted once in every month. Conclusion: Formative assessment methods are mostly preferred by the students. Improvement in assessment planning is the need of the hour which should be designed prospectively and innovatively. Assessment cell/unit in medical universities will be of much help.

A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Open Book Tests Over Close Book Tests and Perception of Medical Students in Physiology

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Introduction&#x0D; At present, the Medical knowledge is expanding and changing rapidly and there is increasing need to concentrate on education based on competencies. Closed book exam is an established approach to assessment in medical education which is widely accepted method of superficial learning. Adding open book test to the formative assessment can assist in handling this growth of knowledge.&#x0D; Objectives&#x0D; To evaluate the effectiveness of open book test on student's performance in summative assessment and to know the perception of students on open book test.&#x0D; Methodology&#x0D; The study was conducted on I MBBS students (n=150), who were divided into 2 groups, Group I: subjected to open book test for 4 weeks and Group II: subjected to closed book tests for 4weeks. There was a cross-over of the two groups and Group I were subjected to the closed book test and Group II students were subjected to open book tests. The mean marks obtained in summative assessment were statistically compared. Perception of the students was taken through feedback questionnaire.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; The mean marks obtained by the students (n= 141) in the summative assessment after open book test (Mean± SD =26.37±6.235) are statistically significant than those after closed book tests(mean± SD =24.09± 6.3513(p value&lt; 0.005).&#x0D; Conclusion&#x0D; 71% of students recommended open book tests for the formative assessment. Hence, adding open book test to the medical curriculum along with regularly used closed book test are expected to stimulate deep learning.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Developing a Comprehensive First-year Capstone to Assess and Inform Student Learning and Curriculum Effectiveness

Objective. To describe the development and implementation of an innovative, comprehensive, multi-day module focused on assessing and providing feedback on student cognitive and interpersonal skill development and practice readiness after the first year (PY1) of a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Methods. A multi-day capstone assessment was developed to evaluate first-year students' knowledge of course content, ability to find and apply information, and interpersonal skills, including teamwork and adaptability. The PY1 Capstone consisted of four parts. Knowledge was assessed using 130 multiple-choice items on first-year course content and 50 fill-in-the-blank items on Top 200 brand and generic drug names. The ability to find and apply information was assessed using a 45-question open-book test. Interpersonal skills were assessed using a specially designed multiple mini-interview (MMI). The final part of the assessment was a debriefing session that provided rapid-cycle feedback on capstone performance and a bridge between students' recently completed first-year coursework and an upcoming 2-month experiential immersion. Results. The average score on the closed-book and open-book assessments were 75% and 68%, respectively. Most students displayed satisfactory interpersonal skills based on the MMI. Students viewed the assessment positively based on post-assessment survey responses (>75%). Most students (98%) reported not studying for the assessment, indicating that the results should reflect students' retention of knowledge and skills. Conclusion. The capstone assesses students on knowledge and skills and provides students with feedback on areas to focus on during their early immersion. Continued work is needed to ensure the process is transparent and cost-effective.

Gamifying Online Tests to Promote Retrieval-Based Learning

Recent findings have provided strong evidence that retrieval-based learning is an effective strategy for enhancing knowledge retention and long-term meaningful learning, but it is not a preferred learning strategy for the majority of students. The present research analyzes the application of learning gamification principles in online, open-book, multiple-choice tests in order to motivate students to engage in repeated retrieval-based learning activities. The results reveal a strong positive correlation between the number of successful retrieval attempts in these tests that cover content from the course textbook, and long-term knowledge retention as demonstrated in a live, final, closed-book, cumulative exam consisting of multiple-choice, labeling, definitions, and open-ended questions covering the content of both textbook readings and lectures. The presented results suggest that online, open-book tests designed using gamification principles, even when covering partial course content and one type of questions, are an effective strategy for using educational technology to motivate students to repeatedly engage in retrieval-based learning activities and improve long-term knowledge retention, regardless of the course delivery mode.

Comparison of academic performance and stress levels in open book test and closed book test and perceptions of undergraduate dental students

Comparison of academic performance and stress levels in open book test and closed book test and perceptions of undergraduate dental students

Student Perceptions of Blended Assessment Approach in The Bachelor of Education Degrees in Mathematics And Science Through Open Distance And E–Learning (Odel)

Blended assessment approach (BAA) comprising closed book test (CBT) and open book test (OBT) assessment strategies is being used in the Bachelor of Education Degrees in Mathematics and Science ODeL programme offered by a University M in Zimbabwe. Adherents to BAA identify compensating for weaknesses of one strategy by another, as its major strength. Research studies reveal that if assessment strategies are aligned to assessment objectives the gap between the intended and achieved curricula is reduced. This study was conducted to explore how BAA enhanced congruency between the BED Mathematics and Science ODeL intended and achieved curricula based on the perceptions of in– service teachers in the programme. Interviews, focus group discussions (FDGs) and document analysis were used to gather data. Qualitative data analysis techniques were used, since they were consistent with the objectives of the study. Findings reveal that giving a compulsory OPT after the CBT ensured that learners concentrated both on areas they had challenges, as well as consolidating what they got correct in the CBT. This tended to broaden and deepen frontiers of knowledge of the in–service teachers in their respective subject areas (Mathematics, Physics, Biology and Chemistry). All the in–service teachers in the study concurred that the learner–centred nature of the BAA approach was effective in achieving curriculum objectives. They (in–service teachers) could not hide their support for the BAA by showing their preparedness to immediately implement it in teaching and learning at their schools. Further studies on the use of formative (continuous) assessment strategies like presentations, question setting, group projects and exhibitions by learners are recommended, to improve the blend of assessment strategies in the BAA.

A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Open Book Tests Over Close Book Tests and Perception of Medical Students in Physiology

A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Open Book Tests Over Close Book Tests and Perception of Medical Students in Physiology

Testing Effect

Abstract. If assessment is the purpose of testing, open-book tests may defeat the purpose. However, a goal of education is to build knowledge, and based on the literature, open-book tests may not be inferior to closed-book tests in promoting long-term retention of information. Participants studied Swahili-English pairs and either re-studied or took an initial quiz, which was cued recall or recognition in an open-book or closed-book format. One week later, the final closed-book recognition test showed higher performance in the quizzed conditions than in the study-twice condition, replicating the testing effect. However, performance was similar across the quizzed conditions, indicating that testing promoted long-term retention regardless of test format (open-book versus closed-book) and test type (cued recall versus recognition). Open-book tests are not inferior to closed-book tests in building knowledge and can be particularly useful in online classes because preventing cheating is difficult when closed-book tests are administered online.

Students’ and lecturers’ perceptions of the effect of open-book examinations on teaching and assessment at departments of accountancy at South African universities

Strong arguments are put forward in literature that teaching methods should be aligned with assessment practices in order to optimise the teaching-learning environment. The decision by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants to change its qualifying examination from a closed-book to an open-book format has led to accredited universities changing their assessment accordingly. This paper investigates how students and lecturers perceive the changes made to teaching and assessment after the introduction of open-book assessment. A survey was performed among final-year accounting students preparing for the qualifying examination of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. Assessment in the first three years of study of these students was generally done by means of closed-book examinations, but in their final year, students were assessed by means of open-book tests and examinations. A comparison was made between the views of students and lecturers in certain universities’ departments of accountancy. The views of students and lecturers differed significantly on the extent of changes which were made to teaching practices and the setting of examination papers. The paper identified aspects to be considered to encourage students’ deep learning, long term retention, selection of knowledge and preparation for open-book assessment. Issues lecturers need to take into account when determining their teaching and assessment approach within the broader context of an open-book assessment environment were also identified.

Comparison of open and closed book test for admission in medical school.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Introduction: Students' learning methods are highly influenced by the type of evaluation. Consequently, evaluation is a deciding step in the learning process. Multiple Choice Format Tests (MCQs) are almost exclusive in the admission to Health studies. PluriPASS suggests an educational reform of Health studies. This research aims at analyzing docimological features of Open-book Multiple Choice Format tests (OBT) compared to other usual tests used during the first year in Health studies curriculum (CC). Methods: This educational research took place during PluriPASS year in Health studies curriculum at Angers University, during the academic period 2015-2016. The optional course « Disability and Health » (DH) was partly assessed by open-book tests with complex wording, requiring careful thought from students. Results: Out of the 1161 students enrolled in first year curriculum, 190 have chosen the DH. For the students who followed the DH, the CC and OBT distributions are respectively a Skewness score at -0.11 and -0.12 and a Kurtosis score at -0.9 and -0.22. Bland Altman test or Deming method demonstrate a concordance between both method. Conclusion: Distribution characteristics of OBT are satisfactory and allow to consider introducing this method with the objective of promoting reflection and depth learning.

The cheat sheet as pedagogical tool

Occasionally computing courses cover a wide range of prose material. Testing students' understanding of such material is commonplace in the humanities, the social sciences, and many aspects of business. There the essay is often a preferred means for this assessment. For a variety of reasons, however, essays are not always appropriate in Computer Science (CS), leading to more traditional, short test items over a huge amount of material. Guidelines are presented here for the use of the help (cheat) sheet as an aid and supplement for student study and exam preparation. Note: No claim is made here that the use of help sheets is new; many faculty allow them. The present contribution is the delineation of guidelines and pedagogical criteria distinguishing circumstances that warrant in a thoughtful manner the use of this alternative to the open book test.

The effect of concrete supplements on metacognitive regulation during learning and open-book test taking.

Previous studies have suggested that when reading texts, lower achievers are more sensitive than their stronger counterparts to surface-level cues, such as graphic illustrations, and that even when uninformative, such concrete supplements tend to raise the text's subjective comprehensibility. We examined how being led astray by uninformative concrete supplements in expository texts affects achievement. We focused on the mediating role of metacognitive processes by partialling out the role of cognitive ability, as indicated by SAT scores, in accounting for the found differences between higher and lower achievers. Undergraduate students studied expository texts in their base versions or in concrete versions, including uninformative supplements, in a within-participant design. The procedure had three phases: Studying, open-book test taking, and reanswering questions of one's choice. Overall, judgements of comprehension (JCOMPs) were higher after participants studied the concrete than the base versions, and the participants benefited from the open-book test and the reanswering opportunity. An in-depth examination of time investment, JCOMP, confidence in test answers, choice of questions to reanswer, and test scores indicated that those whose metacognitive processes were more effective and goal driven achieved higher scores. The effectiveness of metacognitive processes during learning and test taking constitutes an important factor differentiating between higher and lower achievers when studying texts that include potentially misleading cues.