Keywords

Academic Performance, Educational Measurement, Nursing Education, Test-Taking Skills

 

Authors

  1. Blakeman, John R.
  2. Laskowski, Pamela S.

Abstract

AIM: The purpose of this study was to explore nurse educators' beliefs and experiences regarding students changing answers on multiple-choice examinations.

 

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest that answer-changing behavior does not negatively affect academic performance and may actually have a positive impact, but published studies reporting nurse educators' beliefs and experiences on this topic are limited.

 

METHOD: A mixed-methods approach, QUAN + Qual, was employed. A survey with closed- and open-ended questions was emailed to nurse educators in Illinois.

 

RESULTS: Of the 125 nurse educators who completed the survey, a majority held negative views of answer-changing behavior; many noted that their experiences with students had shaped their views.

 

CONCLUSION: Nurse educators in this sample held an overall negative view of this behavior, contrary to the overall body of evidence suggesting there is possible benefit in changing answers. Several reasons exist to explain the inconsistency observed.