WebQuest
on Taking a Test
Introduction
Welcome to another great school year.
Has anyone had time to take a look at the course syllabus,
the outline of math lessons we will be working on, to see what great
math adventures we are going to have the first quarter of this year?
If not, go back to your particular classes' syllabus (Algebra,
Prealgebra, or General Math) and visit it. It should only take a
minute. Click on the word "syllabus" above, and in the Classes
WebPage, go to the word "syllabus" next to the picture of your
textbook and click on it. That will take you to the first quarter's
work we will be doing in your math class. If you feel courageous, you
can also take a look at the Pre/Post Test for your class. Don't let
the tests scare you though. I'll wait here for you, so we can talk
about the great year we are going to share.
Oh, there you are, back already from
your visit to the syllabus. What did you learn from reading it? More
specifically, what will we be doing every Friday? I hear a lot of
grumbling, so you must know that we will be taking a quiz or a test
every Friday. Tests and Quizzes! Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh
my!
Testing is an important part of your
education. How many "big" tests do you think we have to look forward
to this year? Let's see if we can list them all. To start with, you
will have a test or quiz in my class every Friday. You will also get
a chance to take tests and quizzes for your other classes, the AIMS
Test, the Stanford Test, test for placement in high school
classes,.... I get tired just thinking about all the tests! You must
feel like the other fighter in a Rocky movie. Before we go on, find
the professor below and take a few minutes to read what some other
people think about testing and doing homework and remember that being
good at taking tests and doing your homework go hand-in-hand.
Math
Humor
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Click here to find out what
some other people think about testing.
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Still not happy about taking tests,
huh? Well, at least your laughing, so humor does help a little. Even
though the cartoons help, there should still be something else we can
do? Maybe we should try and find the best way for you to take a
test? How many of you have a
standard way of taking a test? How do your prepare yourself to take a
test? Do you have any special methods you use to help you do better
on a test?
Gosh, this sounds like it could get
really complicated. Believe me it can, but we are not going to let it
get out of hand. What your are going to do is develop some
test-taking strategies (a test-taking plan), so that when you have to
take a test, you can relax and give it your best effort. Go on to the
Task Section and find out what you need to do to get started making
your own test-taking plan. Remember, taking a test is a skill, and
you can get better at it. Developing a skill takes practice,
concentration (focus), and determination.
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Mr. Garcia's Home Page
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The
Task
Your task will be to devise a
test-taking plan of your very own. It should include the four parts
listed below.
Part 1: Develop
your own definition of testing. In your own words, explain what a
test is. What are test used for? Who makes the test up? Try and
write down everything you know about what a test really is to you.
Part 2: In groups of three
or four discuss your definitions. You are looking for ideas from
the other members of your group on what they think a test is. Once
your definition of testing is clear, go to the next part. If you
can't get a clear idea of what a test is, go to the resources
provided below and read some and then try part one
again.
Part 3: Begin to read from
the sources about different test-taking strategies in the Resource
section below. Go to at least four of the sources and get as many
ideas as you can on strategies for taking a test.
Part 4: Now you are ready to
mold your ideas from the test-taking tips you have been reading
into your
very own test taking plan.
Remember that not everyone learns in the same way, so your plan
may be totally different from your neighbor's. That is okay. What
is important is that you feel comfortable with your own
plan.
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Make sure that you review
the evaluation
rubric before you
go any further. It is important that you understand just
exactly what the task is. A good way to do that is to see
how it will be graded by using the rubric. Knowing this
should help you get this project completed right the
first time. Another way to make sure you get everything
done is to create a checklist with the things you need to
accomplish and check them off as you complete
them.
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The
Process
Over the next week, visit the sites
provided as resources. Gather information on test taking. In the same
groups of three or four you were in to discuss your definitions of
testing, discuss what you have read. Try and come to a consensus in
your group about what the ideal way to take a test is. You are not
limited to what you have read from the sources on line.
Use your own
ideas. If you have a test
taking strategy that works, and it was not mentioned in one of the
sources, bring it up in you group. As soon as you have come to an
agreement on the ideal way to take a test, break away from your group
and write your test-taking plan. Make sure you provide me with your
definition of testing and your test-taking plan.
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Garcia's Home Page
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Resources
2. Test Taking Skills
4. Test Taking Tips
http://www.turbograd.com/about_sat/test_tips.asp
5. Success in Mathematics
http://euler.slu.edu/Dept/SuccessinMath.html
9. TAKING TESTS -- GENERAL
TIPS
12. Test Taking Tips: From: NAU
Learning Assistance Centers
13. Study Guides and Strategies
http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides/
16. Are you too anxious?
http://www.queendom.com/tests/anxiety.html
17. Sam Houston State University
Counseling Center - Test Anxiety
18. Managing Your Test
Anxiety
http://www.sdc.uwo.ca/learning/mcanx.html
20. Test Taking
http://www.iss.stthomas.edu/studyguides/tsttak.htm
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Evaluation
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Task
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Beginning
0-2
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Developing
3-4
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Accomplished
5-7
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Expert
8-10
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Total
Score
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Worked cooperatively in the
group.
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0-2
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3-4
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5-7
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8-10
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___of 10
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Researched the topic using the
Internet resources provided and other resources.
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0-2
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3-4
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5-7
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8-10
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___of 10
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Completed all work on
time.
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0-2
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3-4
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5-7
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8-10
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___of 10
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Developed own clear, coherent,
and detailed definition of testing.
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0-2
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3-4
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5-7
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8-10
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___of 10
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Developed own clear, coherent,
and detailed test-taking plan.
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0-2
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3-4
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5-7
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8-10
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___of 50
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You are not there
yet.
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Getting started keep
going!
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Close to complete. Little
more work needed.
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Wow! Test-taking expert
here!
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Conclusion
Your plan is not written in stone.
This will be an ongoing assignment. Once you have written your
test-taking plan, try it out and see if it works. If it does not,
modify it. Say for example your grades on the first few tests after
you start using your plan are not as good as you would like, then
evaluate your plan and see if you can make a change that will get you
to the grades you want to get.
You may also work with a partner to
get advice on your plan. You can ask me, your other teachers, or your
parents for advice about your plan. If you decide to get help with
your plan, make sure that you retain ownership of your own
test-taking destiny. That is, others may suggest some ways to improve
your plan, but only you can determine if the changes will work for
you. Be proactive about your plan.
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Reflection
Remember that you have a lot of time
right now to work on your test-taking skills. As the year goes by
though, and it will go by very fast, you will begin to feel pressure
as we get closer to the big tests. By the time we get to the big
tests, your plan should be second nature to you. That is, if you have
been using all the strategies and techniques you have learned to take
tests all year, they will be part of your test-taking skills. After
your take a test, take some time to reflect on how your test-taking
skills are developing. Try and answer questions like:
"Is my test-taking plan really
working?"
"Do I need to read more about the
different test-taking techniques?"
"Should I ask someone to help
me?"
"I do well on some tests, but then I
don't do so well on others. What is the problem?"
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Extension
One of the problems that some students
face when testing is called test-taking anxiety. The last few
resources in the resource list cover this. I would like you to help
me find students who might have this problem. They are students who
you know study hard and know the material well, but still don't do
well on tests. They get extremely nervous prior to tests and might
even feel sick just before they take a test. If this sounds like you,
or you know someone like this, help me help them. Read the resources
about test-taking anxiety and help me come up with a class plan to
make sure everyone in the class is as successful as possible this
year.
Notes to
the Teacher
1. Feel free to copy and
use the above material in your classroom, provided that you retain
the copyright notice, make no changes, and do not benefit
financially.
2. Some of the links are
international, so students may have questions about the English
usage.
3. I have visited all the links on
this page at one-time-or-another and found nothing objectionable,
but because there are so many links I suggest vigorous monitoring
of your student's activities while they are working on the tasks
in this WebQuest.
4. If you have any suggestions or
comments regarding this WebQuest, please 
me.
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Click here to see Mr. Garcia's Definition of Testing and Test-Taking Plan.
