U.S. UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27132, 31 August 1953, Page 10

U.S. UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

“OBJECTIVE” SYSTEM STUDIED

IMPRESSIONS OF DR. H. R. HULME

During a month in the United States, the rector of Canterbury .University College (Dr. H. R. Hulme>, who returned to Christchurch on Saturday, studied the “objective” type of examination that is used in a number of well-known American universities.

Under the “objective” system, he explained, five alternative answers were provided for each of a number of questions. The student had to mark the correct answer, but it was not so easy as it sounded. The questions and answers tested out. a good deal more than merely factual knowledge. Often each of the answers was an expression of opinion, but one of the answers was best suited’as the answer to the question posed. The major weakness of the method. Dr. Hulme said, was that it did not teach people to synthesise and present their own ideas as a coherent whole, as an essay type of question should do.

Dr. Hulme worked at the Educational Testing Service at Princeton University, which has been primarily responsible for developing this kind of examination, and he also studied the type of “objective” examination developed at the University of Chicago and its effect on teaching. He said it had been interesting to find at Chicago that a number of the ordinary type of essay questions, like those used in New Zealand, were now being used ip addition to the “objective” tests.

Application of System The objective tests. Dr. Hulme said, ■were used for entrance to the university, for placing students after they had been admitted, and throughout their course, though not to so great an extent where students were engaged on advanced work. As a method oi judging students for entrance, the tests were used by a large number of American universities, including Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

“They claim that they can select students with considerable success, with this type of examination,” said Dr. Hulme. “It may be possible to use this type of examination in New Zealand. but it would be supplementary to the ordinary kind of examination paper, and I think at first it should be tried out in university entrance.” Asked to explain why he considered it might first be used at the university entrance stage. Dr. Hulme saia it had obvious advantages when a large number of people were involved. It would also be better applied at this stage than at more advanced levels. The preparation of the tests, he said, involved a very considerable amount of work, but the marking was very simple, particularly if there were large numbers of students. It could be ■used as an addition to the present system, but he would not regard it as a replacement However, because many -American universities were using it, it seemed that it was worth examining. Talks in Australia On his way back to New Zealand. Dr. Hulme had discussions with the Australian Education Research Association and a member of the education department at Melbourne University about work being done on “objective” testing in Australia. He will report in full on the subject to the Canterburv University College Council and to the professorial board. “They are the people who will pass on any recommendations,” he said. Dr, Hulme began his visit to the United States in San Francisco, where he saw Professor J. B. Condliffe, now professor of economics at the University of California, and formerly of Canterbury University College. From America Dr. Hulme went to the United Kingdom, w’here he attended conferences of the Universities of the British Commonwealth. He was present at the meetings of the administrative heads of Commonwealth Universities at Durham, and at Cambridge he attended meetings where the administrative heads were joined by representatives of governing bodies and teaching staffs.

“It is difficult to pick out any items of particular interest to the University of New Zealand,” he said. “A number of subjects of interest to all universities were discussed, ranging from the relation between universities and governments to the question of what subject could best replace the classics in present curricula. There seemed to be general agreement that no one subject could do this.” New Degree Course

Dr. Hulme said he visited a number of other universities, including the new university college at Stoke-on-Trent, which is experimenting with a new kind of four-year degree course. In the first two years the course is common to all students, and aims at giving a broad general education before students start to specialise.

“It is a most interesting and significant experiment,” said Dr. Hulme, “and it is in many ways similar to the type of education given in American universities.”

During five days at Colombo, on his way back to New Zealand. Dr. Hulme discussed arrangements for selecting Ceylonese students for study at Canterbury College. In Melbourne he had discussions with those responsible for making arrangements for Colombo Plan students in Australia.