Examination methods and formats

Depending on the area of application, examinations are roughly divided into three forms: diagnostic, formative and summative. The concept of constructive alignment serves as the basis for all considerations regarding the design of exams and teaching content.

Diagnostic examination procedures determine the existing level of knowledge of the learners or the prior knowledge of the learners on a topic. The examinations take place before a course or during the introduction. The aim is to record the initial conditions in the learning process in order to subsequently determine the necessary placement. In addition to placement tests - for example to determine the language level - selection tests and admission tests are frequently used procedures.

Formative assessment procedures are carried out during the course and enable regular feedback to be given to learners and teachers. The procedure is particularly suitable for accompanying, activating and promoting the learning process of learners in a targeted manner. The learning motivation is also positively reinforced and learning strategies for deep processing, such as annotating texts or finding analogies, are triggered. The result is a sustainable and therefore highly effective learning .

Summative forms of examination usually take place at the end of a course and include examination methods such as the written examination, e-examination, oral examination or thesis.

The preparation e-assessments therefore require careful preliminary clarification of the objectives, content, target group, test criteria and reliability of the assessment.