Three tips to writing better tests

As teachers, we have heard that multiple-choice tests are deemed from the educational dark-ages and limit accurate student assessment.  But, at the same time, teachers know that multiple-choice tests are efficient methods of assessing students' learning.  What to do???

So, how can we make a quick tool much better?  Here are some tips.

• 1) Size matters.  Yes, it does when talking about distractors.  When writing your distractors, attempt to make them nearly all equal in length.  There is no better way to give a student a hint than to include a distractor (or the answer) that is exceptionally shorter or longer than others.  Here is what I mean:

How did the victory of the Battle of New Orleans change Andrew Jackson's life?
a) None
b)The victory made Andrew Jackson a national hero and nearly all Americans knew who he was.  This helped him when he ran for president.
c) He received a promotion in the Army.
d) He received cash awards from Congress.

Even if you know nothing about Jackson, you can see how b looks different from the others because of the length and details in it.

• 2) Attempt to write questions so there is not an absolute answer.  If you can help it, do not include words such as "always" or"never".  This is a dead give away. In this example, I asked the students for the BEST description.  As some of the detractors contain the eliments of correct information, the also contain false information.  Also, this forces the student to think critically about ALL the choices - which one answers the question the BEST.

Which best describes how John Brown?

a)An abolitionist leader who moved to different areas of the nation to encourage the spread of the anti-slavery cause.  He justified the end of slavery with the Bible and believed in non-violent uses to end slavery.

b) An abolitionist leader with wide support of anti-slavery people for his cause.  He believed in the use of violence to end slavery. Even though his efforts fell short, he lived to see the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery.

c) An anti-slavery leader who started slaver uprisings, and believed God supported his causes.  He and his sons killed slave owners but were forced to leave the nation when threatened with going to jail for their crimes. 

d) An anti-slavery leader who attempted to start a slave uprising, but was unsuccessful.  He also believed he was doing God's work seeking to end slavery and was willing to kill slaveholders and their families to end slavery.

The correct answer is D, which includes all the correct information in the answer.  But with the distractors, they include parts of correct information, but also, some incorrect information...Which goes back to the question, "...best describes..."  Also, note that all the choices are nearly the same length.

• 3) Write answers like a correct answer to a short answer question.  This strategy makes multiple test questions more creditable. Both the distractors and the correct answers require students to read carefully and to think critically about their choices. Here an example:

Which best describes the connection between Western Expansion and Levi Jeans?

a) Jeans were worn by most people who traveled to the West.  So, therefore, Levi Jeans Company became a very prosperous company because so many miners purchased their jeans.

b) The jean company was started by a German immigrant who traveled to California as part of the many gold seekers.  But the immigrant made his fortune by creating a durable jean with rivets in the seems for the miners during the California Gold Rush. 

c) This jean company discovered a blue dye after railroad workers blew up a mountainside.  This new mineral was unique because it did not fade over time when added to cotton jeans.

d) This company was founded by an African American who traveled to the West to start a new life.  With hard work, some luck and determination, his small company became a huge American clothing company based in Oregon.

I hope this helps with your test writing.  Also, if you need some other great lessons or activities, please visit the Social Studies SUPER Store.  It's a great place to spice up your lessons!

Test...Redo or Not? That is the question

UNLIMITED TEST?

As a new school year is about to begin (for some, it has already started), I reflect on my classroom expectations and rules.

One of these that bothers some people it how I allow students unlimited attempts to retake tests. Yes, you read that correct, UNLIMITED attempts.

First, full disclosure; I give my tests on a computer. Most questions are multiple-choice with a few short answer questions. (A later blog the differences between good and great multiple-choice questions). The short answers I manually grade. But even with these short answer questions, the students have a good idea if they passed the test or not.

Also, when students retake a test, I use the same questions, but the questions are randomized the second time around.

THE FUN TAX

So, when a student wishes to retake a test, they must do the following:

• 1) Students will handwrite all the incorrect questions and answers; this means in the entirety. This means ALL the distractors and the answer to each question. Not just the question with the correct answer.
• 2) Then they indicate the correct answer with a check or star.
• 3) Students can not retake test during class. They must take it before or after school.
• 4) If, after retaking the test, the student is not happy with the grade, they can retake it. Even if they passed the test, but they want a better grade.

This is the reason I call it the "Fun Tax"? So for students to retake the test, it happens on their time. For many students, they would rather hang out with their friends, play videos, or just about anything "fun," instead of retaking a test in my classroom before or after school. So, the students pay with their time to retake the test.

Finally, I have encountered those who feel giving students unlimited attempts to retake a test in some way is disingenuous. But as a former driver education instructor, people have unlimited opportunities to retake a drivers test. So, why not allow students unlimited opportunities to retake a history test?

How about you? Do you allow students to retake tests? Only once, twice, or unlimited?

$*$*$ - Looking for excellent social studies lessons or activities, please visit the SOCIAL STUDIES SUPER STORE for all your needs!

Do NOT read - it will make you angry.

This post will make some teachers unhappy...even angry.

As a social studies teacher, there are many opinions on the state of American social studies crises.  You know what I am referring to.  How students cannot identify a current Vice President, or identify a major nation, or choke on very basic American history or civic questions.

Why does this happen?

One reason might be American coaches.  Yes, coaches...hear me out.

A few years ago I attended an education job fair.  If you have never attended one of these, it's like speed dating for employers and prospective employees.  As a candidate, you have only a few seconds to impress the principal in order to move to the next round of the interview stage.

So, I had a plan. Step 1- pull out my resume and hand it to the principal. I quickly went over my qualifications: Masters degree in History, James Madison Fellow, trained teachers in state and district social studies in-services, I was the first in my family to graduate from college, taught online, and I have coached varsity and junior varsity sport.

Then step 2, my plan was to list my professional development...but I never moved passed step one.  The item that caught the administrator's attention?  My coaching.  Did you hear that I was the first to graduate from college in my family, or that I have trained other teachers, or I am a James Madison Fellow?  Nope, he focused upon was coaching.  To which they would ask, "What sport do you, coach?"  And, I would reply with "Boys soccer."  The administrator would shake his head and say, "Oh, we've already got a soccer coach.  But how about football?"

At this point, my mind races to the inalienable crossroads...Do I tell the truth and say I have no idea what the difference is between a linebacker and a tight end?  Or do I fake it and say something like, "Yes, I coached middle school football while a student-teacher", hoping to earn some points...But no, the honest angel won out and I shook my head and say, "Nope, soccer is my sport".  To which the administrators replies, "Boy if you coached football we could really use you."  To which I walked away...

But here's the thing, he skipped over all the qualifications which I could bring to his students and focused on coaching!  What about the students?  What about my ability to get kids to love history?  What about my student-centered activities and lessons? It is all for not because I was not the "coach" he was looking for.

Now hear me out - I am not saying all coaches are terrible teachers.  I know some very good coaches who are also excellent classroom teachers. But instead, I am pointing out how the system is backward.  Image if a brain surgeon is hired based upon how well he could play on the hospital's softball team. "Dr. Jones, are you a lefty or a righty batter? What? A righty?  Sorry, we are desperately looking for a lefty."  Never mind Dr. Jones has a 90 percent passing success rate and 20 years experience.  Dr. Jones, the hospital's softball team needs to win districts this year.

This, my friends, is one reason why social studies is on course to a race to the bottom; overqualified coaches teaching in a content area they are not qualified in. Meanwhile, overqualified teachers are panned over because they lack coaching experience.

A FREE and POWERFUL Presidential Resource!

As a history teacher, it seems I am continually struggling to find reliable and free resources online.  I emphasize the second part - FREE.

In my classroom, we are one-to-one with Google Chromebooks, and I have tossed the textbook.  So all my resources are online.

So, this being the case, I also on the prowl for reliable and free resources. 

I have found the motherlode for US History teachers, and I want to share it with you!

The Voice of America website has short podcasts and videos for each president.  The podcasts also include written text, so students can listen and read along.  I found this to be very useful for those students who struggle with listening to a podcast.  The text helps those students stay engaged!  Each podcast last from 12 to 15 minutes each.  So not too long to lose their attention, but long enough to cover the content.  The videos are super short, no more than one minute long and are fast-paced and engaging.  A fun way to introduce an American president.

Here is a link to President Kennedy's podcast from Voice of America.

Secondly, the Voice of America is a reliable source in content and in their website.   The link to the landing page for all the American Presidents can be found here.

I hope this resource will help you and your students!

A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SCAVENGER HUNT

For a few years I've used my Scramble activity as a fun and engaging way to cover text material very quickly.

HOW IT WORKS:
Instead of having students sit in their chairs and read text, and complete a reading guide, I have them walking (sometimes running) from station to station seeking information to complete reading guide.  Each station has different, short textual information.  No more than two paragraphs for each station.  But other stations might include the same information as others.  But because I use different fonts students do not know this until they begin reading the text.  Now students are engaged AND re-reading textual information!

To hold the students accountable they must complete a fill-in the blank or short answer worksheet as they move from station to station.

WORKING IN TEAMS:
An important element of this activity includes student teams.  I have students working in small teams - three or four.  Students are encouraged to spread out and gather information independently and sharing their answers.  However, students can not copy answers.  Instead they must verbalize.

WHAT IS VERBALIZING?
This is when students share their information in the form of speaking.  "The answer to number two is Hermitage." To which the other student might ask, "Heritage? How do you spell that?"  Then the other student spells out the answer.

We all know what happens when students share information like this - information retention increases because two students are actively engaged with the content. They might ask questions like how to spell the word, or if the answer is correct.  But no matter, there is engagement between the students and the information.  I explain to my students that I do not want to see them simply "copy" the information from each other since there is no engagements or learning when this happens.

WHAT'S NEXT?
In order to ensure all students have the correct information on the worksheet, as a class we review the information and correct any misunderstanding, or missing answers.

Then students need to evaluate what they thought were the three most pivotal events in Andrew Jackson's life - not including his birth or death.  The part is important!

The activity before gained student baseline historical information about Jackson.  Now students must evaluate and debate their choices.   Students write their three events on three different sticky notes.  Then students stuck their three events on large sheets of paper based upon their ranking.  As a class we reviewed their answers.  Then discussed any possible patterns or simulations in the ranking of events. Did a majority of the class have "Death of family at a young age for the number one event?"

CLOSING: I had students share their answers in their teams and come to a team consensus picking the number one pivotal event in Jackson's life.  Then each team shared their answers.

A great alternative to old-school reading!

For a few years I've used my Scramble activity as a fun and engaging way to cover text material very quickly.

HOW IT WORKS:
Instead of having students sit in their chairs and read text, and complete a reading guide, I have them walking (sometimes running) from station to station seeking information to complete reading guide.  Each station has different, short textual information.  No more than two paragraphs for each station.  But other stations might include the same information as others.  But because I use different fonts students do not know this until they begin reading the text.  Now students are engaged AND re-reading textual information!

To hold the students accountable they must complete a fill-in the blank or short answer worksheet as they move from station to station.

WORKING IN TEAMS:
An important element of this activity includes student teams.  I have students working in small teams - three or four.  Students are encouraged to spread out and gather information independently and sharing their answers.  However, students can not copy answers.  Instead they must verbalize.

WHAT IS VERBALIZING?
This is when students share their information in the form of speaking.  "The answer to number two is Hermitage." To which the other student might ask, "Heritage? How do you spell that?"  Then the other student spells out the answer.

We all know what happens when students share information like this - information retention increases because two students are actively engaged with the content. They might ask questions like how to spell the word, or if the answer is correct.  But no matter, there is engagement between the students and the information.  I explain to my students that I do not want to see them simply "copy" the information from each other since there is no engagements or learning when this happens.

WHAT'S NEXT?
In order to ensure all students have the correct information on the worksheet, as a class we review the information and correct any misunderstanding, or missing answers.

Then students need to evaluate what they thought were the three most pivotal events in Andrew Jackson's life - not including his birth or death.  The part is important!

The activity before gained student baseline historical information about Jackson.  Now students must evaluate and debate their choices.   Students write their three events on three different sticky notes.  Then students stuck their three events on large sheets of paper based upon their ranking.  As a class we reviewed their answers.  Then discussed any possible patterns or simulations in the ranking of events. Did a majority of the class have "Death of family at a young age for the number one event?"

CLOSING: I had students share their answers in their teams and come to a team consensus picking the number one pivotal event in Jackson's life.  Then each team shared their answers.

A different kind of think/pair/share

So here is my problem:  I have only two days to cover the important battles from the American Civil War in my eighth grade class AND keep my students engaged?

Solution-Day 1:
Students were broken up into six different groups, one group for each battle.  They were allowed to work in their teams or independently, the choice was theirs. Then students answered the following questions for each battle: When and where did it occur, three important details about the battle, and the outcome or historical significance of the event.  Once the questions were answered, students created a color drawing of the battle.  For most students, this required more research to help find an image to inspire their creative juices.

Day 2:
In different groups then yesterday, students shared their pictures, explaining what is happening and the meanings of the images.  Then, students shared their information about their battles with other students.  The entire class answered the same questions about all six battles.  The expert students shared their information with others.

Important management note:
I have very clear expectations for students sharing information.  They must verbalize their information.  This is when one student explains their answer and the other student writes the answer down.  There is not coping of answers, as one student is seeking information, and the other is verbally sharing.  During this time, students will ask follow up questions, such as "how do you spell that name?", or "Is that really true?", or "That answer doesn't answer the question" Yes, I did hear that during the activity.  Both students are either presenting and working - no walking away by one student while the other student is copying the work.  Engagement and seeking of answers between the students is the KEY!

The exchange of information take about about 25 - 30 minutes.

Once students have shared their information, then as an entire class, we share information. This is to ensure the information is correct.  Sometimes, bad information is shared and shared again while in the small groups. So, this is their opportunity to correct any false information, or allow them to add more detailed information.

Videos are key
After we have check our information, I show the class short videos (no more than 6 minutes) for each battle.  This is important as it helps those visual learners to understand the important concepts.

Outcome
Students were engaged. As I walked around the room, the discussions between the students were about the battles and students asked more details questions about the events they were reading or learning about.  For my struggling readings, we read the passages together and asked questions.  These students were also engaged.

Once I showed the video, students were asking still more follow up questions.