Quizzes

Hi Bloggers,

I have recently utilised the program of Classmarker to create my first online quiz, which was a basic quiz based around homophones. The following link will take you straight to my quiz. http://www.classmarker.com/embedded_quizzes/quiz=a62100c44ab635632f24c3fba2e8ed34

I do believe Quizzes are a great tool which can be utilised in classrooms. They provide an effective formative learning resource for students to practice and test their knowledge base (Central Queensland University, 2009). However, these quiz tests have evolved over a number of years and have enhanced students' learning. According to the learning pyramid cited on Moodle website, activities that teach others and are available for immediate use are of a high 90% learning. I believe quizzes could be classes in this category as students' create and make their own quizzes for others to take the may be teaching them something new and they can use it straight away. In the active learning it uses the process of interacting with other people and materials, accessing related schemata in the brain, stimulating multiple areas of the brain to act. (Active learning online, 2000).

Quizzes have certainly changed as they were originally done with pen and paper, however websites such as classmarker can be used to create online quizzes, which are marked instantaneously online. Therefore, students aren't waiting in anticipation for a test paper quiz to be marked. Given the fact that they are done online, on a computer it gives a whole different feel to completing a quiz. From personal experience completing a quiz online, doesn't make me feel under pressure as they generally aren't under any type of test conditions.

Technology is developing constantly and for those schools lucky enough to have interactive whiteboards such as Parkhurst, have the ability to use many amazing programs. This includes the program ActivExpressions which is where each student has a hand-held device and are able to complete quizzes such multiple choice, true/false, short response and many others. The hand-held device allows them to choose which answer or even type in the answer with the device looking like a keyboard on a phone. These results are received instantly also, providing information such as first to answer, percentages of who chose which answer.

I do believe this creates more interest amongst the students, therefore would be an effective teaching tool. Let me know what your thoughts on quizzes are???

Cheers,
Courtney

References

Active Learning Online. (2000). Learning Pyramid. Retrieved on 30th July, 2009, from: http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whyuseal2.htm

Central Queensland University. (2009). Quizzes. Retrieved on 23rd July, 2009, from: http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=671

Classmarker. (2009). Free quiz maker for online testing. Retrieved on 23rd July, 2009, from: http://www.classmarker.com/