Cadets only please,
Online Testing has been in place since July 1st, about 4 and a half months.
a) Have you taken a cadet online test (passed or failed)? If not, why not?
b) What are your opinions about the online testing system?
a)
No. I don't want to have to re-learn a whole set of chapters from the leadership text/aerospace text. Honestly, I like the challenge of a closed book paper test. I think if some cadets are allowed to take open book tests from home online, they may get lazy about studying and not actually learn anything.
b)
Never used it.
I was beyond the enlisted cadet achievements (or so far gone as to not matter) when it came out, but if I had been just a bit lower ranking, my thoughts would echo HGjunkie's exactly- don't like the online, prefer paper. I would have taken that course of action.
The curriculum for the aerospace tests has not changed (with the exception of the removal of a cartoon character) so the online aerospace tests cover the same material as the in-person "old" tests.
A) I used it for the final test of my cadet career (minus Spaatz). They have the officer Aerospace up there to use and I did that. I passed.
B) There are some positives and negatives. I like because it gives instant feedback and automatically can lock you out if you fail it too many times. This locking out gives the leadership time to help this cadet understand what they are doing wrong or find out what they aren't studying/understanding. However, as mentioned before, you have the cadets that get lazy and don't study and still do good, so we will never know if they actually know the stuff or not. Now that it is open book, all it really takes is a really good test taker (especially one that is accustomed to taking open book tests) to ace the test. There is really no reason why cadets shouldn't be getting 100%s any more, since they have the material right in front of them. There is plenty of time in the test if they are un-certain of the answer to look it up. Thirty minutes for 25 questions, that is roughly a minute and ten seconds per question, which is plenty of time to look up every answer.
Overall, the system is good, however only in the long run will we see if it is a benefit or not. First things first, get all the cadet books changed over and all tests online. After that, all of the cadets that have the old books need to be phased out and then we will be able to see if the new curriculum+online testing is good. (My logic may be a little flawed in that last statement, but I hope my point is made)
Ok, not a Cadet. I am crashing your thread.
Question: Are Cadets failing the online tests? I have found that some cadets are failing the Curry Multiple times!
Is the material more abstract or harder to comprehend and understand?
Could it be that with the time limits the online open book test, that the test might be more difficult to pass than the paper tests?
I would like the opinion of Cadets that have seen this happen. Multiple attempts to take and pass tests.
I think this thread has served its purpose. All of the respondents are cadet officers, eh...
that says 'something' all by itsself
I've studied the L2L books and taken the tests, and for my money, they are *A LOT* harder, even with the book open.
The material is more difficult to comprehend, there is more quantity of it, and the test questions are more granular.
However, the answer to every test question is printed plainly right in the book...
The test *are* passable though, it is not anything impossible being asked of them.
Quote from: Earhart1971 on November 30, 2010, 12:28:50 AM
Ok, not a Cadet. I am crashing your thread.
Question: Are Cadets failing the online tests? I have found that some cadets are failing the Curry Multiple times!
Is the material more abstract or harder to comprehend and understand?
Could it be that with the time limits the online open book test, that the test might be more difficult to pass than the paper tests?
I would like the opinion of Cadets that have seen this happen. Multiple attempts to take and pass tests.
I have noticed more Curry tests being failed. Again, it IS an open book test and having seen the questions, they are really not that much more difficult. From the cadets that I have noticed, it seems to be a mentality of "I do not need to study as hard because its open book and then - SURPRISE!" As for the time limit, a little over a minute is plenty of time to find questions in an open book - especially with a little studying.
Ok, it is harder! I like that. Here is what I like, the concept that as a Cadet you are in control totally of your advance in the Cadet Program. You are not constrained by a testing schedule.
It is harder. I have started telling New Cadets that they need to read the study material 5 times and study, before taking the test.
Good input.
I think the system is nice, but it has one big flaw: People are still using the old books. In order for the system to be integrated, National should send out copies of the new books to Cadets. I failed a test b/c i studied from the wrong book. It was very dissapointing and i was highly annoyed about that.
-C/Ssgt Rogovin
Quote from: Rogovin on December 07, 2010, 03:47:23 PM
I think the system is nice, but it has one big flaw: People are still using the old books. In order for the system to be integrated, National should send out copies of the new books to Cadets. I failed a test b/c i studied from the wrong book. It was very dissapointing and i was highly annoyed about that.
-C/Ssgt Rogovin
That's expensive and would force people to change when they don't want to. All of the literature that has come out so far says that the tests use the new books...
Quote from: davidsinn on December 07, 2010, 03:48:52 PM
Quote from: Rogovin on December 07, 2010, 03:47:23 PM
I think the system is nice, but it has one big flaw: People are still using the old books. In order for the system to be integrated, National should send out copies of the new books to Cadets. I failed a test b/c i studied from the wrong book. It was very dissapointing and i was highly annoyed about that.
-C/Ssgt Rogovin
That's expensive and would force people to change when they don't want to. All of the literature that has come out so far says that the tests use the new books...
AFIK the tests new tests use the same aerospace material.
The leaderships material is totally different though.
DCC's out there should be stressing and emphasizing this to any cadet who is switching over to the new tests, that there is a whole new set of books that needs to be either printed or purchased. It has been this fact, so far, that has kept any of my "grandfathered" cadets from switching over.
Quote from: tsrup on December 07, 2010, 03:58:39 PM
there is a whole new set of books that needs to be either printed or purchased.
else you must use the online pdf and read it from the computer screen.
--some people-- may prefer this, and even find it advantageous.
Quote from: tsrup on December 07, 2010, 03:58:39 PM
AFIK the tests new tests use the same aerospace material.
The leaderships material is totally different though.
DCC's out there should be stressing and emphasizing this to any cadet who is switching over to the new tests, that there is a whole new set of books that needs to be either printed or purchased. It has been this fact, so far, that has kept any of my "grandfathered" cadets from switching over.
Actually, there are now two sets of Aerospace Dimensions tests - one for the first edition and one for the second edition. The new Modules include new and updated information, such as UAV's. And best of all - no more Cappy! :clap:
I don't think they should phase out the old ones yet. That would really mess up some older cadets. I don't want to re-learn everything just to take my Spaatz when there's already stuff that I know I know, and don't have to study as hard in that area for.
From what my cadets have told me. They like it, and they don't. I don't think some cadets study before they take it and they just wing an open book test. Although, none of my cadets have failed one yet.
I don't like the idea of open book tests. I don't really have to learn it to pass. That just doesn't seam right to me. But it is what it is...
They are not phased out, as in you can't use them anymore.
If you joined as of 1-July, 2010. L2L is your textbook. If you joined before that, you can change to it, but you'll have to go back to the beginning eventually as your milestones are based on those passages from L2L and they are presented in different context.
If you are online testing and you outpace and advance all the way through it, and L2L has not reached Phase 3 yet, then you'll be using what the unit has on paper anyway. It's not going to be an issue in theory, for another year from now at least, and more like a year and a half as thats how long it takes to get to that point even with zero delays.
Quote from: Cool Mace on December 12, 2010, 10:13:06 AMI don't like the idea of open book tests. I don't really have to learn it to pass. That just doesn't seam right to me. But it is what it is...
+1 See the AEPSM for what this does to a program.
Yes I know they aren't phased out yet... Just saying that I hope HQ knows about that problem. Even for cadet officers that are a C/Capt. it would suck to have to go back and relearn. Not sure if this will be the case in a year or two. Just have to wait and see I guess...
We now return to our normal program...
I'm gonna figure that since they have melded the two halves, that the officer curriculum does not cite word for word, from the airman/NCO stuff and covers more the principals and foundations learned from it.
Because.. I can see where it would suck to reach the first Phase III tests on paper and they're radically different, and require citing directly from the prior materials that they're not likely to have at all, now.
Likewise, when you, reach the Phase III and beyond, and have been on the paper system, and the new electronic Phase III and IV are in place, the paper system will still be there to support those still tracking through it.
It just makes it double duty for the TCO to track two systems.