Students' Perceptions of and Experience With Online Test Preparation (Rehearsal) and Testing

Abstract

This study investigates students' perceptions of rehearsal (test preparation) and testing after the pandemic forced increased online teaching use and experimentation. Data was gathered from information and decision sciences (IDS) students in an underrepresented minority (URM) serving university. Responses from 136 participants were analyzed and revealed four major findings. The single most interesting finding was that students, on average, preferred graded rehearsal activities over optional activities. Second, rehearsal activities were more important in online than face-to-face settings. Third, students overwhelmingly prefer online exams, on which they feel they perform better and which they find less anxiety-producing. Finally, despite research showing the importance of online proctoring for major defined-answer testing, instructor use of proctoring and monitoring is split between those who do and do not use concrete methods, with lockdown browser being common and live webcam less common. These interconnected findings are discussed.