Online Student-Constructed Tests with Citing Capability: Perceived Uses, Usage, and Considerations

Abstract

Students’ perceived uses, usage, and considerations with regard to citing versus no citing peers’ work during online student-constructed tests (SCT) activities were examined. A total of 84 fifth-grade students from three classes (N=84) were invited to participate in an online SCT activity during their regular science class. One online system was adopted to support the associated learning activities, where students experienced SCT with both citing (i.e., SCT based on both self- and peer-generated questions) and no citing conditions (i.e., SCT based on entirely self-generated questions). Three major findings were obtained. First, predominate percentage of the participants rooted for ‘citing’ for promoting learning over ‘no citing’ during online SCT. Second, data from perceived uses and revealed citing usage both supported the potential of citing for providing an observational learning space for imitation, comparison-making, and learning from peers, despite that a handful of the participants casted doubts upon the worth of the effort and work involved in locating and editing items. Third, the quality and the author of the item are the two determining factors affecting citing decisions. Suggestions for system developers and instructors were provided.