ESA21 Environmental Science Activities for the 21st Century

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Test Building
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What is the purpose of a test?

• Motivation
• As humans, we need motivation to learn
• Chance for carrot or stick
• Learning Experience
• Shows how well you know material
• Shows where knowledge might be lacking
• Curriculum Design
• Lets instructor see how well pedagogical approach
  is working

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Assessment vs. Test

• Assessment
• Anything that provides feedback to students and
  instructor
• Any assignment can be considered an assessment
• Can have non-assignment assessments, such as what
  might take place with in-class discussion
• Tests
• Normally cover content knowledge only
• Feedback on other course goals usually very
  subtle

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Blooms Taxonomy
Table 1 Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives for Knowledge-Based Goals

From http//www.flaguide.org/
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Taxonomy (cont.)
Table 2 Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives for Skills-Based Goals

From http//www.flaguide.org/
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Taxonomy (cont.)
Table 3 Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives for Affective Goals

From http//www.flaguide.org/
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Websites

• http//www.flaguide.org/

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Examples
1. The principle that requires that the amount of
usable energy out of an energy transfer be less
than the amount of energy input is a) potential
energy. b) kinetic energy. c) the first law of
thermodynamics. d) the second law of
thermodynamics. e) thermometry. 2. Which of the
following bodies of water is growing due to
tectonic movement? a) Pacific Ocean b)
Atlantic Ocean c) Black Sea d) Indian Ocean
e) None of these
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Examples
3. A power plant is 30 efficient in converting
coal into electrical energy. Thus, for every
30,000 joules of coal energy that is burned, ____
joules of electrical energy are created. a)
1,000 b) 9,000 c) 10,000 d) 30,000 e) 100,000
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Examples

• 1. Evaluate the relative costs and benefits (more
  than just economic) of using coal versus natural
  gas to create electricity. In your evaluation
  provide the pros and cons, and the context for
  which each energy source would best work. In your
  opinion, which energy source should be used more
  in the U.S.? Why?