The Observer, March 28, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 22
Academic Integrity Board creating university-wide online test bank
Students preparing for upcoming tests and quizzes will soon receive some additional assistance in the form of a university-wide website that provides access to study materials.
Though many students have access to old tests and quizzes through their friends, Greek life, or other organizations, Case's Academic Integrity Board (AIB) identified a desire by other students to have access to similar study material.
As AIB chair Stephanie Ash explained, the plan for the university test bank originated after students expressed their opinion on the issue in a fall survey. "The general opinion reflected in the survey's results," she said, "was that students liked to use past material and they thought it helped them study and understand the course content better; however, some were upset that they did not have access to the same materials as others in their class did."
Several issues were designed to be addressed by the test bank. First, the board wanted to put a system in place that would eliminate the possibility of an unfair advantage held by students who obtain study materials through social networks.
Next, the test bank was designed to be simple for professors to work with, and easy for students to use, according to Board vice chair Ryan Dorow.
Dorow said that the test bank is "a modern update of what some college libraries have done in the past – have old quizzes and tests on file for students to use."
The initial stage of the project consists of obtaining permission and course materials from faculty. A questionnaire will be sent to course instructors advising them of the project and requesting their intended level of participation.
Faculty will indicate that they will either provide tests, quizzes, and other materials from which to study, or that they already make materials available on Blackboard or another method. Instructors can also indicate that students are not allowed to use old tests and quizzes.
The test bank is planned to be searchable, and indexed by class and professor. It will be hosted by Case ITS and available to members of the campus community upon password authentication.
The Board will work on the test bank over the summer, and tentatively plans for the test bank to first be available for student use in the fall. Ash acknowledged the scope of the project, saying that its success "depends on the willingness of the faculty to submit materials and invest in our idea."
The hope is that an online test bank will be beneficial not only to students, but to the AIB as well, in terms of solving the problems that arise when students obtain class materials through social networks and an instructor has not stated explicitly that such materials are not permitted.
Thus, clearing up the ambiguity of what materials are allowed in preparation for exams in a particular class is a concern that the Board hopes to address with the test bank.
"Making it clear what documents are permissible for use in studying in each class will eliminate any confusion students may have between classes," commented Ashley Berdine, AIB secretary.
Ash echoed that sentiment, stating that the test bank is a wholly voluntary project for faculty:
"If the professor does not want to participate they do not have to. We just want to make it clear to students what material is authorized. If professors do not want to participate, we want to direct students to where they can find authorized material or let them know if they are even allowed to use past materials when studying."
Though the project is a large one, the Board hopes its implementation will be smooth, and the end result will ideally allow all students to prepare for exams in the best way possible.
Trevor Clatterbuck, public relations co-chair for the Board, remarked on the benefit of making study materials more accessible.
"If the objective of school is to understand what you learn, this is surely a solution that provides all students with more opportunities to practice the skills they learn in the classroom."
