Engineering Instructors' Test Usage Beliefs and Behaviors: Enthusiastic, Default, and Skeptical Test Users

• In Event: Teachers, Instructors, and Parents in Computing and Engineering Education

Abstract

Tests or exams are commonly used as assessments in higher education and engineering education. Tests have benefits through testing effect, but also have documented disadvantages, raising the problem of why there has not been questioning of the common usage of tests. Addressing this gap can help efforts to promote diversification of assessments and intentionality of test usage. Grounded in Situated Expectancy Value Theory (SEVT), this multi-case study explored the test usage beliefs and behaviors of seven fundamental engineering course (FEC) instructors. Three test user groups: enthusiastic, default, and skeptical, emerged from the cross-case analysis, with significance of addressing the research gap of lack of questioning and contributing to scholarship on instructors and teachers’ beliefs on assessments in engineering classrooms.

Authors

• Kai Jun Chew, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  Presenting Author

• Holly M. Matusovich, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author