The efficacy of final examinations: A comparative study of closed‐book, invigilated exams and open‐book, open‐web exams

Abstract

Educators have long debated the usefulness (or otherwise) of final examinations; a debate that has typically revolved around the relative merits of closedbook exams, open-book exams, take-home exams or their substitution by some other assessment format (eg, project work). This paper adds a new dimension to the debate by considering how the final examination assessment instrument might be enhanced through harnessing the power of technology, more specifically, how the learner experience of the final examination might be made more authentic and, in the process, more constructively aligned with stated learning outcomes. The authors report on the latest findings of an ongoing research project evaluating the effectiveness of 'open-book, open-web' (OBOW) examinations delivered by an online university, vis-à-vis a closed-book, invigilated alternative. Earlier research had indicated that the OBOW model receives the strong endorsement of students in a number of respects, most particularly the quality of the learning outcomes. IntroductionAfter very little change in the university sector for several centuries, there has been something of a 'mini-revolution' in the last quarter of a century or so. The learner profile has changed socially, culturally and economically as new universities have emerged, enrolling an increasingly diverse population of students, and-along with this 'massification' of higher education (Carrier, 1990)-there has been spectacular change in the area of educational technology. These changes have been reflected in professional journals and conferences dedicated to teaching and learning, which have produced a steady stream of literature reporting on a wide range of research projects including, among other things, experiments with new classroom techniques, modes of

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Cheat Sheet or Open-Book? A Comparison of the Effects of Exam Types on Performance, Retention, and Anxiety

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