Comparison between computer-aided testing and traditional multiple choice: an equivalence study

Student attitudes towards computer-aided testing

INTRODUCTION

  Computer-aided learning (CAL) is a viable alternative to traditional teaching methods. While CAL is used for teaching only, computer-aided testing (CAT) can be applied as a computer-based examination method. The aim of the present study was to evaluate students' attitude towards CAT as compared to written multiple choice tests.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

  Forty-one undergraduate dental students underwent a mock examination consisting of 15 written multiple choice questions and 15 questions delivered using the interactive MobiTed® system. A questionnaire based on an eight-item seven-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the students' attitude towards CAT. The students' performance in both tests was analysed using paired t-tests. Correlations between test performance and questionnaire were expressed by Pearson correlation coefficients.

RESULTS

  Despite study-design-related differences, students' test performance between written multiple choice and MobiTed® was comparable. No correlations between test results and questionnaire could be set up. Students rated MobiTed® to be equivalent to written multiple choice and had no difficulties with the CAT set up. The pre-defined sequence of questions with each question being shown only once was considered to be a major disadvantage of the CAT system. Complex questions should be displayed longer compared to short questions.

DISCUSSION

  Computer-aided testing appeared to be equivalent to written multiple choice tests not only in terms of student performance but also to their perception. This is consistent with previous studies.

CONCLUSIONS

  Interactive multiple choice tests may provide an alternative to written tests, but should allow examinees to have control over the sequence, as well as the length of time the questions are displayed.

A comparison of student performance in multiple-choice and long essay questions in the MBBS stage I physiology examination at the University of the West Indies (Mona Campus)

This retrospective study compared the performance of preclinical medical students in the multiple-choice question (MCQ) and long essay question components of a comprehensive physiology final examination. During the 3 yr analyzed, 307 students had an average score of 47% (SD 9.9) in the long essay questions and 64% (SD 9.9) in the MCQs. Regression analysis showed a significant correlation (r = 0.62, P < 0.01) between MCQs and long essay questions. When student performance was grouped by final course grade, a statistically significant correlation between MCQ and long essay scores existed only for the 210 students who received a passing grade (r = 0.20, P < 0.01). The MCQ and long essay question scores were not correlated for the 57 students who failed (r = 0.25, P = 0.06) or for the 40 students who achieved honors and distinctions (r = -0.27, P = 0.11). MCQ scores were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than essay scores for each of the groups when analyzed by two-way ANOVA. The results of this study suggest that for most students, the strong correlation between scores on MCQs and essay questions indicates that student performance was independent of testing format. For students at either end on the performance spectrum, the lack of correlation suggests that the performance in one of the testing formats had a strong influence on the final course grade. In addition, those students who failed the course were likely to be weak in both testing modalities, whereas students in all grade groups were more likely to perform better in the MCQs than in the long essay questions.

Comparative study on interactive computer-aided-learning and computer-aided-testing in patient-based dental training in maxillofacial surgery

AIM

The objective of this comparative study was to validate, through empirical data, the use of interactive, problem-oriented computer-aided-learning (CAL) and computer-aided-testing (CAT) in dental studies by directly comparing these methods with conventional teaching.

METHOD

A total of 95 students from the third and fourth clinical semesters participated in an interdisciplinary seminar on oral maxillofacial implantology; 47 of these were taught using conventional teaching methods, while the remaining 48 students were taught using mobiTED, a CAL/CAT-based interactive communication system that can be used patient- and problem-oriented. An examination was given at the end of the course to evaluate student learning. A student's interest/attentiveness, involvement, knowledge gain, and the course attractiveness and quality were evaluated with visual analogue scales (VAS) in a subjective experience protocol.

RESULTS

The study group taught using the CAL/CAT-based interactive communication system showed statistically significant better results in the examination, with a median score of 89.2%, while the conventional teaching study group achieved a median score of 76.0%. A VAS-based analysis of subjective experiences also revealed statistically significant differences between the two study groups.

CONCLUSION

Use of the CAL/CAT system for interactive, problem-oriented learning in patient-based dental training led to increased levels of attentiveness, of student acceptance and of the perceived attractiveness of the seminar. CAL/CAT-mediated instruction also led to increased communication, with a subsequent improvement in the qualitative and quantitative parameters of knowledge transfer and cognitive knowledge assimilation. Use of CAL/CAT also facilitated the acquisition, appraisal, and understanding of complex medical data.