Titus Levi Most Chinese students have fabulous test-taking skills. Given this, I won’t rehash what you already do well. However, I will recommend one technique that few of you know or use. This involves writing one or two mock exams. That is, you take the role of the instructor and create a practice test. The mock exam will help students to consolidate what they have learned throughout the term. Remember: The main point of testing is not to measure what you know; rather, the main point of testing is to deepen and solidify your understanding of the material. You have to consider various points in order to write a thoughtfully designed final exam. First, make sure that the test reveals the student’s understanding of the main concepts, readings, tools and methods conveyed during the course. Do this in such a way that the thoughtful students will see new insights or see new ways to use information, concepts, methods and models conveyed during the term. Remember: you’re a teacher in this role, not a test-writer. Second, make sure that the test prompts produce clear, but not obvious, answers. For instance, if the exam includes a multiple-choice section, include multiple-choice options that force the student to choose between “adequate” answers and “better” or “more precise” answers. Doing so helps to sharpen student thinking. As you write prompts with this goal in mind, don’t create options that will mislead or confuse students about the best option. If the mock exam includes a fill-in-the-blank section, make sure that the prompt includes sufficient information and clues so that it points to a specific word that will complete the sentence or phrase. After writing the prompt, think about various terms that could fill in the blank; make sure that one such option is clearly superior to all others. Note that by working through options, you think about a constellation of related terms, concepts and skills. This helps to reinforce the “connecting the dots” process that many professors look to support in student development. For essay/short answer prompts, make sure to write a clear prompt that directs the students to use insights, methods and models presented throughout the course. Make sure that the prompt has sufficient depth that it generates discussion, but does not become so broad that students will write an all-purpose answer that lacks specificity or clarity. By writing a mock exam, you begin to “connect the dots” and practice “lateral thinking.” Chinese students tend to get little instruction and practice in developing these skills. This leaves them vulnerable in overseas classrooms, where these two skills and the benefits they generate take center stage in the learning process. Sure, grades are important. However, learning is important, too. While you raise your skill level in areas like “connecting the dots” and “lateral thinking” you will struggle a bit. That struggle may show up in a slightly lower grade than the “A” you want and expect. Don’t worry. You’re learning. When you were just figuring out how to walk, you didn’t get a grade; you just kept walking and falling and getting up and walking some more. Eventually, you mastered the skill. Similarly, by the time you get to the end of your program, the investment you put into these new skills will pay full dividends both in terms of GPA and in terms of applicable skills and mastery of subject matter. (Titus Levi from the United States has worked for more than 25 years as a professor at top-ranked universities on both sides of the Pacific.) | 