Tests to the place

Indications of devices can be summed up, then the last indicator remains a person.

Stanislav Lem. Runny nose

Many criticize the use of tests as a method of testing knowledge in general. But is it possible to imagine situations when the application of this particular method is most justified? And is it possible to expand the area of ​​reasonable use of tests through any modifications?

The test is customary to refer to the question with the options of answers, of which only one (less often - several), and it is necessary to answer quickly enough. This is an artificial format, in real scientific work there are no tasks in this format and in engineering as it rarely happens - only in trials. This is a format invented for mass, quick and automatic obtaining data, i.e., a concession of low qualification of examiners. Finally, in preparation for the exam using testing, specific training is often used - they are trained precisely for this format, which is harmful for further training.

However, in practice, there are really types of activities that require quick solutions to typical tasks or simple choice from similar situations (which, in this case, is important not to confuse). Examples are surgery and ambulance; work with the audience, when it is necessary to react quickly - advertising, trade, politics; Power confrontation. Test methods are usually used in the simplest form, but they can be improved, and this will expand their intelligent application. What are the ways of such an improvement?

The test technique can imitate different situations - both ideal and real with varying degrees of complexity. For example, in an ideal situation, time control may not be rigid: the apparatus for ultrasound or x -ray diagnostics, the radio station and the spaceship work impeccably, the doctor has the opportunity to consult with a colleague, the athlete - with the coach, a fighter - receive instructions from the commander. In other situations, time control can be rigid, and the possibilities for consultations may suddenly turn out to be lost (with a break in communication), which will force the subject to experience stress. Moreover, due to the poor quality of communication or for another reason, you can get the wrong advice. A test technique can easily imitate all these situations.

In many cases, the correct answer is one, and this is known to the subject. However, the proposed options may contain not one correct answer, but several, and the number of correct ones may be unknown in advance. Moreover, answers can have a different degree of correctness. For example, in medicine, in the absence of a standard protocol, there can be more reliable, but generally less effective actions, but can be potentially risky, but more effective. In the test, you can not only demand to indicate the right ones, but also pay attention to such nuances.

Questions in the test can be related to each other, build into a single system. Then you can determine how long the information is in the consciousness of the subject. That is, whether he takes into account how exactly answered one of the previous questions. The issues that make up the system can imitate a multi -stage reasoning, when different - both correct and incorrect solutions - direct the examiner to different paths of further polls.

A test can reveal the ability of the subject to study. That is, questions in the test can be training in nature (both directly giving information and leading to it), and then control the achieved level of training.

The test can reveal the presence of critical thinking, as well as the preservation of self -control under pressure from authority. For this, for example, you can offer to search for errors in the wording and conclusions attributed to real or mythical authorities.

A test can reveal the ability to “branching thinking”, for example, by choosing a question option that you ask a patient or colleague, and an interpretation of an answer.

So, tests can be significantly “smarter” than usually used, they can give significantly more information about the subject. However, for this they must be arranged accordingly.

Leonid Ashkinazi