Promoting self-directed learning in large-cohort multiple-choice exams

Students know that whatever the content of a course is, or however innovative it is taught, they will all take the same exam at the end. This focus on fixed examination objectives is exacerbated in large bachelor programmes where assessment possibilities are limited. While essay assignments allow students to demonstrate aspects of their individual learning processes, the most efficient way to assess groups of several hundred students is through multiple-choice questions, which are the same for all.   

The goal of this project is to reduce the exam uniformity by taking advantage of the flexibility offered by multiple choice exams. Drawing an analogy with personalized medicine, the project aims to make examinations more effective for a wider range of students by tailoring them to individual learning needs. By offering students greater freedom in their learning paths and fostering them a sense of autonomy, the project seeks to enhance student engagement. 

Student choice in examination topics 

The primary goal of this project was to test and develop a new assessment format designed to stimulate student motivation. The proposed format is that every student can choose, prior to the examination, the topics on which they wish to answer supplementary questions,  while still requiring completion of mandatory questions that ensure comprehensive coverage of the course content. The number of mandatory and optional supplementary questions can be predetermined by the assessor. Based on Self Determination Theory, it was hypothesised that giving students more control over the assessment would have a positive effect on motivation. 

New exams designed and implemented 

To achieve this approach, existing computer-based testing software was extended and implemented in several bachelor-level courses at Maastricht University. A key challenge in this process was to obtain approval from boards of examiners across different faculties, as assessment innovations may raise concerns due the absence of established guidelines or rules. For the design of the personalised assessments, a vignette study was conducted to systematically investigate among students which forms of autonomy they valued most in examination personalisation. Based on these findings, the exams were designed and implemented. In total personalised assessment was applied in three courses across three different faculties over a period of three academic years, involving 2.055 unique students.

Evaluation and outcomes of personalized assessment 

The evaluation was conducted in two phases. The first phase was exploratory, followed by a confirmatory phase. The exploratory phase examined which forms of personalized multiple-choice exams students perceived as most beneficial. The results from this study was used to determine the best format. In the second phase, the effects of the newly developed assessment format were evaluated. A validated questionnaire from the literature was adapted and validated.  

Overall, the results indicate that providing students with choice in assessment, and personalized multiple-choice formats in particular, has a positive effect on student motivation and satisfaction. This seems to be related to task autonomy during both exam preparation and exams performance. Although the effects were small or absent for the small group of students that have both lower external and internal motivation, the overall effect for the full sample was positive. Moreover, the effects appear to be particularly pronounced among younger students and students with a lower grade point average (GPA).   

The assessment format will continue to be used in two large-cohort bachelor-level courses. Subject to the publication of the evaluation studies, opportunities for broader adoption within and beyond Maastricht University will be explored, including through existing teaching and learning networks and compatible assessment software. 

Relevante publicaties  

• Deci, E.L., Ryan, R.M. (2016). Optimizing Students’ Motivation in the Era of Testing and Pressure: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective. In: Liu, W., Wang, J., Ryan, R. (eds) Building Autonomous Learners. Springer, Singapore
• Duncan, T., Pintrich, P., Smith, D., & Mckeachie, W. (2015). Motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ) manual. National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning.
• Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) (n.d.). Retrieved from https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/intrinsic-motivation-inventory/
• Atzmüller, C., & Steiner, P. M. (2010). Experimental vignette studies in survey research. Methodology.
• Zimmerman, B. J. (2008). Investigating self-regulation and motivation: Historical background, methodological developments, and future prospects. American educational research journal, 45(1), 166-183