Savanna Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 1(2):235-238
An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Random Question Sequencing in Computer-Based Testing (CBT) on Student Performance
Abdulhakeem, I. and Sabiu, L. T
ABSTRACT
The Computer-based test has become a handy tool in delivering examinations in our institutions of learning, and it has proven to reduce
the time taken in marking and releasing results, improve teacher’s productivity, and reduce malpractice during the tests. Various
techniques to further reduce malpractice while taking CBT examinations have been proposed, and one of them is to randomize the
questions such that adjacent students will not have the same question sequence, and thus, reduce copying and cheating during the exams.
The research hypothesized that randomizing questions and/or options could pose tests and other emotional anxieties to students; most
especially on those given difficult questions first compared to those with easier questions first - which in turn could greatly affect the
performance of the students. Two hundred and sixty-four (264) participants that took a course on Introduction to Computing were
recruited and then divided them into three groups. The first group took CBT exams with the same sequencing of questions and the second
group took the exams with random sequencing of questions with difficult questions first and the last group took the exams with random
sequencing with easy questions first. The study found that the students in the first group performance are higher than those in the latter
groups. The research recommends that instructors should balance the nature of sequencing the randomized CBT questions to reduce the
anxieties that affect the students when considering giving examinations online.
