Designing Web-Based Training: How to Teach Anyone Anything Anywhere Anytime

7.12. IN CLOSING ...

7.12.1. Summary

• Use tests to let learners gauge their progress and administrators measure the effectiveness of the course.

• Use a variety of text forms-from simple true/false and multiple-choice questions to matching-list, click-in-picture, fill-in-the-blanks, and simulation questions.

• Write test questions so they measure skills and knowledge, not the ability to decipher tricky phrases or to make lucky guesses.

• For simple questions, provide feedback immediately so misconceptions are identified and corrected before they take root.

• Consider alternatives to automatically scored tests for grading: on-job simulations, portfolios, and instructor-scored tests.

  Test early and often. Use unrecorded tests for frequent practice. Make tests more like challenging games and less like school examinations.

7.12.2. For more...

For more sophisticated tests, consider using learning activities (Chapter 6). Most will, however, require grading by the instructor.

Search the Web for online testing or Web-based testing.

Before buying a tool for authoring and delivering WBT, try out the types of tests it provides and investigate how you can add tests of your own design.

Simulations integrate teaching and testing. Consider a learning game (p 251) or whole simulation course (p 567).

Many of the examples shown in this book are on exhibit at:

www.horton.com/DesigningWBT/