Lots of threads lately about people using materials like open book, notes, previous posters info on the test, etc. to pass certs.
What about the guy who buys a test dump and gets his cert? Are practicals the only way to avoid this, and what about the same practicals over and over, people talk…
Are you really knowledgeable about a course if you have all these items handy? I think it lowers the credibility of a cert.
Case in point, a person let's call him Bill takes the stand and got his cert by putting together all these test questions, along with formulas, command syntax, etc. So the attorney asks a few basic to intermediate questions which the test taker should know, and he can't answer them.
personally, I think certs are there to show a basic level of understanding.
take for instance mathematics, is it cheating to know the formulae beforehand?
a cert doesn't mean you can solve any problem or know any answer, it merely shows you have the skill set to be able to tackle the problems.
Asking questions on a cert that only require me to open the training material, or do a google search are pointless. However an open book certification with a practical problem solving element, and well constructed questions that require you to show application of knowledge are totally worthwhile. In law school, all exams were open book but I challenge you to take any of those exams without understanding the material and rely soley on the open book policy.
Problem development teams should change the material sufficiently between cycles to prevent recycling last year's answers. I know of some who add in questions specifically to pick up people who copy from last year's notes, and if you answer correctly for last year's problem, you're in front of the ethics committee.
Three considerations for an online test, that may yield itself to someone using an open book/Google are
1. Time the test. Although this could be difficult with my next suggestion (of using the essay).
2. Use a mix of multiple choice, true/false, and essay.
3. Proctor/Monitor.
I know that the hardest online test I ever took was an open book test for an online Master's Program. I would have preferred that it was not open book.
I feel that a combination of a written test (proctored or timed) and practicals for a certification are good. I also like the idea of providing information about some exams that you have completed and providing a separate contact for recert.
For what it is worth I feel that you still cannot beat good training. That is why we have CVs not only for showing certifications, but also training and experience.
I also wonder how many certifications are simple revenue generators. So how do you know which ones are right for you? Well here are a few ideas.
I know some post discussions on different certifications that are out there. Certainly job postings are also helpful by seeing what certs they are looking for. So these both help with deciding what certifications I should consider as an examiner.
Regards,
Chris Currier
In real life skills are more important than memory.
In real life skills are more important than memory.
ok, try using these 'skills' without memory…
I do not think s/he is talking about someone with alzheimers or amnesia.
I am good at repetitive tasks. I do them consistently. But, I do not remember every little detail of every mobile phone, registry entry or configuration file.
I think in our field the ability to know where to find the information fast is just as, if not more important than knowing the information.
Take it a step further, in my opinion, even if one knows the information, checking with an authoritative source is not just prudent but highly recommended.
In real life skills are more important than memory.
ok, try using these 'skills' without memory…
Greetings,
Some of my most challenging exams in high school and college were open book. Learning the facts and formulas isn't challenging, but knowing how to apply them was and that's what we were tested on.
I just recycled all of my out dated Guidance documentation. It filled two Xerox paper boxes and most of those documents are densely packed with information. We carry iPads to keep documentation at hand, we use Google extensively, we read blogs and mailing lists. Anyone can do this, but not everyone can *apply* all of this information, and that is what our clients need us to do, and that is what we should be tested on.
-David
Dave, I agree, but if you are thinking about the client, think about the potential damage which can be done from hearing that a cert was passed via that method of testing.
When I have been hired to sit at the table with counsel and offer up suggestions for questions to be asked, I love the cert route. The Jury also loves to hear the methodology used for obtaining the cert.
Of course on cross the attorney can say, so just to be fair only ABC % of people pass that test, and there are other aspects, etc.
But mini battles in reasonable doubt are huge in the overall picture.
Greetings,
So, the EnCE and CCE both have significant open book practical components. In your eyes, are these certs less valuable due to this fact?
I'm pretty sure I could find questions that make a closed book cert look bad to a jury.
-David