Video Assessments

What is it? Traditional assessments, such as written exams, are often held up in opposition to authentic assessments, which align more closely with skills that graduates would be expected to demonstrate in the working world. A video assessment can take many forms: students could record and narrate their solution to a problem (Allain, 2017); record […]

Confidence-Based Marking

What is it? Multiple-choice tests using CBM (confidence-based marking) require two inputs from students for each question: Their answer choice Their level of confidence in their answer choice A student earns maximum points for a correct answer they are fully confident in. They are penalized for wrong answers that they are strongly confident in. Acknowledged […]

Two-Phase Testing

What is it? Two-phase testing splits an exam into two parts. The first part is the typical individual exam, where students work on problems on their own. They then turn in these papers, and receive a second exam, which they work on in groups. The questions on the second exam test the same concepts as […]

Oral Exams

What is it? Final exams in STEM subjects are often completely written. However, such assessments do not always align with learning outcomes that involve higher-order skills such as experimental design. An oral exam gives students a chance to demonstrate their mastery of the material and a simulation of professional practice. What are the benefits? When […]