Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026
10:26
Problem-Solving Before Instruction (PS-I): A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
Published on: September 11, 2021
Computer-based testing of the modified essay question: the Singapore experience
Erle Chuen-Hian Lim1, Raymond Chee-Seong Seet, Vernon M S Oh
1Department of Medicine, National University of Singapore. mdcelch@nus.edu.sg
Medical Teacher
|December 26, 2007
Summary
Computer-based testing (CBT) of the modified essay question (MEQ) is feasible and preferred by students and staff. This approach enhances problem-solving assessment over traditional pen-and-paper methods.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Assessment Methods
Background:
- The modified essay question (MEQ) assesses problem-solving and reasoning, moving beyond factual recall.
- Traditionally a pen-and-paper exam, MEQ has been adapted for computer-based testing (CBT) since 2003.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the experience of implementing MEQ using the integrated virtual learning environment (IVLE).
- To provide a blueprint for universities adopting CBT for MEQ.
- To describe the evolution of the MEQ examination format.
Main Methods:
- An MEQ committee with medical and pediatric specialists was formed.
- The integrated virtual learning environment (IVLE) served as the online platform.
- Man-hours for CBT and pen-and-paper formats were compared.
Main Results:
- MEQ successfully conducted online twice yearly since 2003.
- Examination format evolved from short-answer to include multiple-choice and extended matching questions.
- CBT required 1268 man-hours versus 236.5 for pen-and-paper, yet is preferred by students and staff.
Conclusions:
- Computer-based testing (CBT) is a viable method for conducting MEQ.
- CBT offers advantages over traditional pen-and-paper assessments.
- Future enhancements include more questions and multimedia integration (audio/video).
Related Concept Videos
02:16Surveys
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
03:20The Stanford Prison Experiment
The famous and controversial Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted by social psychologist Philip Zimbardo and his colleagues at Stanford University, demonstrated the power of social roles, social norms, and scripts.
01:23Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence
Alfred Binet, along with his student Théophile Simon, was tasked by the French Ministry of Education in 1904 to create a method for identifying students who struggled to learn through conventional classroom instruction. This initiative aimed to address overcrowding by placing such students in specialized schools. Binet and Simon developed an intelligence test comprising 30 tasks, ranging from simple commands, like touching one's nose or ear, to more complex tasks, such as drawing designs from...