[Edu-sig] Python Programming: Procedural Online Test

[damon bryant]

Kirby:

Thank you for your feedback!

You completed the Declarative measure.  I am also interested in your 
feedback on the Procedural test in which Python application or procedural 
questions are administered. Questions on this part are coded and displayed 
as they appear in the IDLE with highlighted key words and indentation for 
nested code. I think the longest code problem is about 20 lines.

I appreciate your comment on the ability to specify font type/size because 
I'm currently working to accommodate persons with disabilities and others 
who may have difficulty viewing the text.

Linda Grandel and I have an experimental site that we use for research and 
educational purposes; we are going to trial some Python questions for a 
class of her colleagues but are having some difficultly translating the 
testing in a short period. This is a long-term project.

We have the goal of developing a worldwide database of Python test norms in 
an effort to track progress on the spread and proficiency of the language in 
different countries. Although it is a great idea, it is too large for a 
dissertation research project. If you are interested in trialing it with 
your class, perhaps we can collaborate.

You did notice that towards the end, questions got easier for you. The test 
algorithm is adaptive but the question bank from which the items are pulled 
is not that large. In other words, the test presented items that were most 
appropriate for you when you began the test. As you got more items correct 
you got harder questions. In contrast, if you initially got questions 
incorrect, you would have received easier questions. Because the bank is so 
small (I do have plans of expanding it when I get some more time on my 
hands), you exhausted the bank of difficult questions and began to receive 
easier items. The opposite would have happened to an examinee of very low 
ability.

My goal is to administer a computer adaptive Python test where examinees 
will only receive questions that are most appropriate for them. In other 
words, different examinees will be tested according to their ability. This 
goes back to Binet's idea of tailored testing where the psychologist 
administering the intelligence test would give items to an examinee based on 
previous responses. In the present case, it's done by computer using an 
artificially intelligent algorithm based on my dissertation. By expanding 
the question bank, I'll be able to reach that goal.


>From: "Kirby Urner" <urnerk at qwest.net>
>To: "'damon bryant'" <damonbryant at msn.com>, vceder at canterburyschool.org
>CC: edu-sig at python.org
>Subject: RE: [Edu-sig] Python Programming: Procedural Online Test
>Date: Sat, 3 Dec 2005 07:44:32 -0800
>
> > I tweaked it now where all other browsers and OS combinations can access
> > the computer adaptive tests. Performance may be unpredictable though.
> >
> > Damon
>
>OK, thanks.  Worked with no problems.
>
>As an administrator, I'd be curious to get the actual text of missed
>problems (maybe via URL), not just a raw percentage (I got 90% i.e. 2 wrong
>-- probably the one about getting current working directory, not sure which
>other).
>
>The problems seemed to get much easier in the last 5 or so (very basic
>syntax questions).  The one about "James"=="james" returning -1 is no 
>longer
>true on some Pythons (as now we have boolean True).
>
>The font used to pose the questions was a little distracting.  I vastly
>prefer fixed width fonts when programming.  I know that's a personal
>preference (some actually like variable pitch -- blech).  Perhaps as a
>future enhancement, you could let the user customize the font?
>
>Anyway, a useful service.  I could see teachers like me wanting to use this
>with our classes.
>
>Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
>
>Kirby
>
>
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>