Cheat-resistant multiple-choice examinations using personalization

• Published in: Computers and education Vol. 130; pp. 139 - 151
• Main Author: Manoharan, Sathiamoorthy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2019
• Subjects: Academic dishonesty; Cheat-resistant assessment; Learning environment; Student assessment; Student experience; Academic dishonesty; Student experience; Cheat-resistant assessment; Learning environment; Student assessment
• ISSN: 0360-1315; 1873-782X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2018.11.007

Multiple-choice examinations offer the ability to grade quickly as well as being able to assess concepts and understanding in a wide range of subjects. Consequently, many large classes use multiple-choice examinations. One problem, however, is that multiple-choice examinations are more prone to cheating than constructed-response style examinations. Multiple-choice examinations offer limited answer options, and these limited options can lead to sharing answers through collusion or gleaning answers from unwitting peers. To counter such cheating, this paper investigates a personalization approach to examinations whereby every student gets their own version of the examination that is different to the rest of their peers. Such personalization approach not only counters cheating, but also encourages students to focus on concepts rather than just answers. A software framework that facilitates generating personalized examination papers is developed, and the paper reports on the experience of using the approach in large classes. It discusses the administrative, technical, and pedagogical challenges posed by personalization and how these challenges might be overcome using the framework as well as accompanying processes. Surveys indicate that both students and staff are positive about using such a system. •While multiple-choice examinations offer the scalability in large classes, they are also prone to cheating.•Students have been found to share answers to multiple-choice questions during examinations.•Cheating in multiple-choice examinations can be mitigated by personalizing questions and answer options.•A macro-based approach to personalization offers flexible and powerful ways to create individualized questions.•Personalization not only counters cheating, but also encourages students to focus on concepts rather than mere answers.