- [Instructor] Online tests are far removed
from the real work environment
where workers perform the skills we're teaching,
but they're still an effective way to assess
what your learners actually learn.
So let me give you a few suggestions
for building online tests.
The first thing is to base your questions
on your learning objectives.
I know this sounds obvious
but you'd be surprised how many trainers
develop quiz questions
based on the topics they've covered.
Like oh, I covered topic X
so I need to ask a few questions about it.
No, you don't.
Your learning objectives drive the test or quiz.
The second thing that will help you build valid tests
is getting to know the strengths and weaknesses
of the basic question types.
There are six types of questions
you use all the time in online tests.
True/false, matching, multiple choice, fill in the blank,
drag and drop, and hotspot.
And my last suggestion,
build more challenging tests.
The jobs we create training around are pretty challenging
and the tests should be too.
Have the job you're teaching people to do
drive the difficulty of the test questions.
Instead of having learners recall factual information
that you covered,
ask higher-level questions
that get them analyzing and applying the information
to real-world tasks.
Let's say you teach salespeople
how to respond to common objections like yeah, sorry,
I don't have time right now.
The simple, easy test question would be
please select the appropriate responses
to a customer who says they don't have time.
In this easy multiple choice question
learners are just remembering what was presented to them
on the subject.
A higher level question would involve a scenario.
You'd set up a fictional situation,
one they've never seen before
where the customer says something
similar to I don't have time
like I'm on the clock for work, sorry, I can't talk.
Then you'd ask the learner
playing the role of the sales rep
what they should do in this situation.
Here the learner is applying the information
on responding to objections
instead of just remembering what was said about it.
Want to build a valid test?
Remember, base it on your learning objectives.
Understand the strengths and weaknesses
of common question question types.
And ask higher level questions
that get learners applying the information
to real world tasks.