OPEN BOOK ASSESSMENT

 

MEANING 

An open book assessment allows students to access and use learning materials, like textbooks and notes, during the evaluation process. Unlike traditional exams that primarily test memory recall, open book assessments focus on evaluating students' ability to understand, apply, and interpret information. They often require students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information rather than simply regurgitating facts. 

Key characteristics of open book assessments:

Access to materials:

Students can refer to textbooks, notes, and other approved resources during the assessment.

Focus on higher-order thinking:

Open book assessments typically evaluate skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis, and application of knowledge.

Preparation is still crucial:

While students can use resources, effective performance still requires thorough preparation and understanding of the subject matter.

Not just memorization:

The emphasis shifts from memorizing facts to understanding and applying concepts.

Types of questions:

Open book assessments often feature questions that require students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, rather than simply recalling facts.

Examples:

These assessments can be used in various formats, including written exams, online assessments, or take-home assignments. 

Benefits of open book assessments:

Reduced anxiety:

Students may feel less pressure knowing they can access resources.

Deeper understanding:

Students are encouraged to engage with the material in a more meaningful way.

Focus on application:

Open book assessments can better evaluate students' ability to apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Develops valuable skills:

They can help students develop skills like information retrieval, analysis, and critical thinking, which are highly valued in various professional settings. 

How do you prepare yourself for this type on assessment?

There are two activities that will help you prepare for this kind of assessment.

• Managing your time
• Organising your notes

Managing your time and revising

It will definitely be helpful to spend time preparing for your open book exam as you would for any other kind of exam that you have taken before.

• Prioritise the content that you need to learn: Use KWL to reflect upon what you know and understand well, and what you need to learn more about.
• Create a revision plan: You should go ahead and create a revision plan where you practice recalling and applying your topics using different methods, and leaving space between each topic.
• Use your usual revision strategies: This type of assessment will still require you to recall, synthesise and communicate your answers so strategies like practice past paper questions are still just as useful as a revision technique.
• Plan you time during the assessment period: Use a daily planner to ensure that you are making enough time to answer the questions following the guidance provided by the University.

Organising your notes

A final useful activity would be for you to spend some time in organizing the course notes and resources so that during the assessment time you can quickly and easily locate the information that you need. Think quality not quantity, and work towards having a well organized and useful pack of notes.

• Revisit and condense your notes: Gather all of your notes on the topic together and condense them into an exam pack. To do this you may want to create a mind map to visualise connections between ideas from different lectures or units.
• Organize your notes using colour and bookmarks: To find the information you need efficiently try separating topics by page and using tabs or coloured bookmarks for each new topic.
• Use index cards: Condense information onto pieces of card and coloured Post-it Notes to represent different themes and connect different ideas.
• Create flash cards on key concepts: Don’t forget to include key information you are likely to need such as formulae models or theories. These can also be used to revise and practice your understanding of the topic.