Get more out of your assessment by using different question types

Challenge

A digital assessment offers many and varied options when it comes to question formats. You might therefore expect the average digital test to be very different in this regard. However, the opposite is true. Testing and examining organizations often choose the familiar road and hardly ever vary with different question types. The true potential of the summative test, in particular, is thus not fully utilized in my opinion.

Preference for multiple choice questions

Many people immediately think of digital assessment as an exam with multiple choice questions. Practice also shows that the one-choice question is internationally by far the most commonly used question type for digital (summative) tests. In my view, the transition from a paper to a digital test is only the first step. Expanding the number of digital question types appropriate to the subject matter ultimately makes the difference! However, to this day this appears to be quite a challenge within the domain of testing and examination.

In the HR assessment business we see that the assessment is already being used much more widely as a digital instrument by making use of more different question types.

The possibilities of the testing platform

In my perspective, the solution, especially for summative tests, lies with the assessment platform. The underlying digital tool must make it possible to switch very easily between different question formats. With a well thought out and solid construction process, the platform of the future offers a smart way to make content quickly available in different appearances, even at different knowledge levels!