Jennifer WI Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I'm just wondering. Is it a big "no, no" to have a college bound kid taking open book tests? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I'm just wondering. Is it a big "no, no" to have a college bound kid taking open book tests? Since you posted this on the K8 board, I am going to assume that this is in terms of a non-high school student?? I wouldn't have a problem w/it b/c I don't even give my non-high school students science tests. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 That depends on the specific test. A test that asks for information that is directly given in the book - nope, I would not do that open book, it would defeat the purpose. A test that has questions where the student is required to synthesize information and has to go beyond any example given in the book, and where the book is only useful for basic formulas - absolutely. You can design open book tests that are much more difficult than any closed book test, so the question can not be answered without seeing the actual exam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I wouldn't do all tests open book, and I'd make sure the open book tests approximated a high school or college level open book test. But there are open book tests in college (especially with the increasing availability of online courses), so it's good to have familiarity with them, and especially with the fact that they aren't necessarily easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer WI Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 To be more specific, my ds is going to officially be 7th grade in January, is 12 years old, and is for the first time doing "real" science. Before this we've done Apologia Elementary as readers, but not with all the experiments and projects. He did notebook with Zoology 3. Apologia General definitely seems like the first "real" science we've done. He seems to enjoy it and understand it fairly well. I just didn't know if I needed to do real testing yet or not. I mean, I don't NEED to, I get the choice...but whether or not I should... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 To be more specific, my ds is going to officially be 7th grade in January, is 12 years old, and is for the first time doing "real" science. Before this we've done Apologia Elementary as readers, but not with all the experiments and projects. He did notebook with Zoology 3. Apologia General definitely seems like the first "real" science we've done. He seems to enjoy it and understand it fairly well. I just didn't know if I needed to do real testing yet or not. I mean, I don't NEED to, I get the choice...but whether or not I should... I do not see any benefit in doing tests; there are other ways to evaluate your student's understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamajag Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 You can design open book tests that are much more difficult than any closed book test, so the question can not be answered without seeing the actual exam. My A&P prof's final exams were always open book and a nightmare. I had figured out by points I only needed to score a 10 to get an A, so I answered only the questions I found easily, turned it in, and walked out. Every time I had him the plan was to score high enough not to need much from that exam. I am usually very good at finding things in books, so the first time I thought it would be easy. Every semester I studied very hard to be able to flunk that exam rather than try to ace it. The highest I ever scored was an 85, and that was the first semester when I didn't calculate my points before going in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I think it depends on what you are looking to give the tests for? Just having a grade to put down? Learning how to take a test? Understanding of the material? Realization you can't blow off this class because you will have a test on the material? Learning how to find material in the book? I choose to give my older child science tests (Elemental Science's Logic Stage Biology). I don't let her use the BOOK(s), but I let her use anything she herself produced (narrations, outlines, answers to disc. questions that she wrote down, diagrams, definitions she looked up & wrote out). As she's still young, my focus isn't so much on what she remembers off the top of her head, but that she uses the information she synthesized from the assignments in the first place. I'm not going for mastery - just exposure at this age. And, she has been told that if she puts effort into the narrations/outlines, her reward is a better test score. If you know WHY you are giving the test, you will be much closer to your answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heritagelearningacademy Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 To be more specific, my ds is going to officially be 7th grade in January, is 12 years old, and is for the first time doing "real" science. Before this we've done Apologia Elementary as readers, but not with all the experiments and projects. He did notebook with Zoology 3. Apologia General definitely seems like the first "real" science we've done. He seems to enjoy it and understand it fairly well. I just didn't know if I needed to do real testing yet or not. I mean, I don't NEED to, I get the choice...but whether or not I should... We are doing General too this year with my 7th grader. Some tests I have done open notes and others he has done himself. I am using this year as a "training" year to really help him see and learn how to test. I know I don't need to do tests, but in college he will do them. I figure everything we do now is about training him in good study habits. So, we do a mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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