SDU Universitetspædagogik

Backwash effect from testing to teaching

Exams do not only perform a verification function – testing the extent to which objectives have been fulfilled in terms of learning targets. Exams can also serve an informative purpose – giving teachers and students a snapshot of the student’s academic level. This provides feedback and also provides an opportunity to continue along the same successful pathway or to change course with a view to doing better – the educational perspective.

However, from the very beginning of the teaching process, students also use the type of exam as a milestone in terms of how they need to work with the academic content as the semester progresses. As Paul Ramsden expresses it: “From our students’ point of view, assessment always defines the actual curriculum.” (1). In choosing the type of exam, therefore, we must also think in terms of the exam as a means of supporting the student’s learning process.

In conclusion, the type of exam can also have a disciplinary effect that extends into the teaching process, especially for the types of exam that demand some kind of product from the student during the course. In other words, the type of exam can also be regarded as a means of ensuring that students do not just work to understand the material during the period when they are studying specifically for the exam, but throughout the course – in other words, as a way of keeping up their study momentum.

ASSESSMENT METHODS	BACKWASH
MCQ and similar tests	Encourages superficial learning.
Written invigilated exam without aids	Students focus on acquiring superficial knowledge.
Written invigilated exam with aids	Students focus on acquiring knowledge and use of relevant reference works ahead of reflection and thinking for themselves.
Written paper	Sets the scene for deep reflection and in-depth understanding. Ownership gives students motivation. There is a risk that students will opt out of dealing with content that is not directly relevant to their problem definition.
Portfolio	Requires students to work continually throughout the course.
Logs	This assessment method encourages students to become more self-reflective, active and independent learners.
Internship report	Can focus students’ efforts during the internship.
Oral exam/Viva without preparation	Generates anxiety and nervousness in many students. Encourages students to memorise.
Oral exam/Viva with preparation without aids	Generates anxiety and nervousness in many students.
Oral exam/Viva with preparation and aids	Generates anxiety and nervousness in many students.
Student presentations	Risk of students who give their presentation early in the semester subsequently losing motivation.
Objective structured clinical exam	Ensuring students are aware of what they are being tested on can help them to focus on this during teaching.
Practical test	Ensuring students are aware of what they are being tested on can help them to focus on this during teaching.
Active participation	The risk of unprepared students participating as little as possible. In planning the teaching, the teacher can more safely assume that the students are actually completing their assignments.
Oral presentation based on synopsis	Ownership gives students motivation. There is a risk that students will opt out of dealing with content that is not directly relevant to the selected subject area.
Written paper with oral defence	Sets the scene for deep reflection and in-depth understanding. Ownership gives students motivation. There is a risk that students will opt out of dealing with content that is not directly relevant to their problem definition.
Portfolio and oral exam	The student prepares for the exam throughout the teaching semester. Boosts confidence in the exam situation.
Project exam	Sets the scene for deep reflection and in-depth understanding. Ownership gives students motivation. There is a risk that students will opt out of dealing with content that is not directly relevant to their project.

 

Further Readings

(1) Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to teach in higher education (2nd ed.). London New York: RoutledgeFalmer, s. 182

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