Estudio sobre un examen de tipo test basado en el grado de confianza

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the confidence-based test (CBT) system as assessment in our learning environment, a university school of nursing and physiotherapy. We have analyzed its validity, reliability, influence on the students study habits as well as the acknowledgment of the learning approaches and possible gender bias. The validity study had been made in an overall sample of 215 students, divided into five groups. The confidence-based test validity values were significantly higher than the traditional number-right-mark test. Grading system reliability was measured in other different five groups of students, altogether 251 students. Higher coefficients of reliability were observed in four of these five groups using confidence based testing, while identical reliability values were observed in the remaining one, using either testing procedure. The students underwent a questionnaire which included an opinion survey on the attributes of three systems of exam ? the number-right test, the CBT and the open-question exam? and two scales the RSPQ-2F learning approaches scale and an auto regulation scale?. In total, 272 students completed this part of the study. Most of the students asserted that the type of exam expected strongly determined their study habits. Thus, they asseverated that the CBT exam induced them to allocate more time to study and more comprehension effort than the traditional number-right test. They asserted, indeed, that the CBT is the exam system which more accurately reflects their knowledge and provides the best support for auto-evaluation, making them learn more than the others. In the RSPQ-2F scale we found a significant correlation between having good opinion on the CBT with getting higher scores on profound learning approaches and lower scores on superficial approaches. Significant relationship with the learning approaches was not found with the traditional test or the open-question exam. Students who had higher score on profound learning where those who more skillfully used the confidence based testing, obtaining in the exam, with the same number of right answers, higher grades than the low profound learning score students. Likewise, we found a significant correlation between the higher scores on the auto regulation scale with the good opinion on the CBT and a skilled management of it. We demonstrated that the students who adjust their confidence level to their knowledge got better grades in the CBT than the others who are over or infra confident. Concerning gender-related differences, no significant differences were observed among the subjects regarding their risk-taking tendency when choosing the certainty degree of their answers or in their skills in the CBT management. Thus, we have found that confidence based testing is a valid and reliable assessment system which has demonstrated to be superior to the traditional tests in several aspects.