Re:A List of Colleges’ Plans for Reopening in the Fall
by collegeburner on Tuesday April 28, 2020 @02:03PM
(#23009899)
My linear teacher did a good job of this, because you're right that regurgitation isn't useful. He does open-book tests that are focused on doing proofs and conceptual questions that depend on using properties of stuff rather than just juggling numbers. Good CS teachers have done the same; rather than demanding students memorize a half-dozen sorting algorithms, they ask students to use an appropriate sort in a project. In History, students can write papers and give perspectives rather than regurgitating dates. In Econ, students can do modeling projects rather than spouting formulae and facts about AS-AD models.
The caveat to all of these is that they take more work for teachers, so many prefer not to use them.
I'm hard-pressed to think of many subjects where an "open book" test isn't a better option, even for in-person classes. If a cheat sheet can help during a test, then it's asking predictable questions and measuring regurgitation.
My wife pointed out language tests to see if students can use the skills on the fly, but I can't think of another good case. This should be a time for schools to find which teachers are just going for easy-to-write instead of useful tests.