Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, Series Volume Number 532

Proceedings of the International Conference on Educational Sciences and Teacher Profession (ICETeP 2020)

The Challenges in Constructing and Administering an

Objective Test for Beginners’ Students During the
COVID-19 Pandemic
Shella Monica*
Doctor of Education Study Program, University of Bengkulu
*
Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
A test or an exam plays important role in education since it is used as a consideration in determining the success of
instruction and sorting student’s grades. However, constructing and administering a good test for young learners
especially during the COVID-19 pandemic is not simple. Therefore, it becomes a great challenge for every teacher
especially in Indonesia. This paper aimed at presenting the challenges faced by the teachers in constructing and
administering an objective test especially for elementary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. To collect
the data, semi-structured interviews were given to 5 teachers in Lubuklinggau, Bengkulu. Based on the findings, we
conclude that at least there are five practical problems faced by the teachers, those dealing with the difficulty on
selecting which materials should be tested; the difficulty in finding plausible distractors for multiple-choice, the
difficulty to make the students clearly understand the test items, the difficulty in managing the time of the test, and the
difficulty in ensuring the students to pass the test without cheating or helped by the parents.

Keywords: Challenges, Young learners. Objective test, the COVID-19 pandemic, Constructing, Test
administration.

1. INTRODUCTION achievement of the desired learning outcomes that are

the focus of courses and teaching. If that relationship is
Evaluation is a fundamental part of the teaching and good, then teachers only have to concern themselves
learning process. Moreover, it alludes to all cycles with the validity and reliability of their professional
utilized by teachers or scholarly staff to make decisions judgment. Moreover, a test or exam is a means or tool of
about the accomplishment of understudies in units or measurement and evaluation of numerous tools such as
over a study. These cycles incorporate settling decisions interviews, questionnaires, problem analysis,
about what is relevant evidence for a particular performance evaluation, and report analysis. However,
objective, how to gather and decipher the proof, and in the English classroom, tests provide teachers with
how to impart it to proposed clients (understudies, basic data used to settle on choices about guidance and
parents, university administrators, etc.) [1]. In other student grades.
words, the assessment of student learning outcomes is
Related to the statements above, based on the form
used as an indirect process of inference involving the
and the way of scoring, at least there are two types of
use of professional judgment. For this reason, when
tests that are habitually used in the classroom settings,
teaching students, teachers ask students to engage in
including subjective and objective tests. The subjective
behaviors or performances that they believe will lead to
test consists of the open-ended test, complete test, essay,
the desired learning outcomes, and when teachers assess
and interview. On another hand, a wide range of kinds
that learning, habitually teachers ask students to perform
of target test arrangements can be ordered into two
tasks that they claim can only do well if the students
classifications: a selected response design, in which
have learned whatever is required.
examinees select the reaction from a given number of
Thus, it is critical when writing good assessment choices, including true/false, multiple choices, and
items to ensure that the ability to complete the tasks matching test items; and a constructed response design,
teachers set for students actually depends on the in which examinees are needed to deliver a whole

Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.

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 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, Series Volume Number 532

reaction, including short answer test things. This tend to use multiple-choice tests. Compared to the essay
differentiation is at times caught regarding test, multiple-choice is regarded as easy in scoring and
acknowledgment and review [2]. suited to students’ competency that mostly still has
minimum skill in reading and writing [5]. The
However, having good skill in constructing the test
challenges faced by the teachers when they construct
items becomes an absolute requirement that must be
and administer their students in the beginner’s level are
possessed by every teacher, especially for constructing
clearly presented and discussed in this study as the aim
objective test items. Elegantly composed objective tests
of this paper. Hopefully, it can be beneficially used by
(particularly multiple-choice tests) can really evaluate
the teachers as a guideline in improving their skill in
such higher-request capacities somewhat. Regardless of
constructing students’ assessment as well as creating the
whether the facts confirm that a few kinds of
better education for Indonesia.
information or capacities could not be evaluated by
objective tests, teachers likewise should remember that
what test things can survey relies generally upon the
2. THE CONCEPT OF THE TESTS
abilities and exertion of the test constructor, rather the
The test has a useful and important role in education,
test design. Furthermore, in practice, the teacher is often
especially in English teaching and learning process.
considered trivial in constructing objective tests [3].
Very oftentimes educators set up a test by investigating
Unfortunately, the fact shows that developing great
the substance covered during the guidance and getting
items of objective test requires significantly more
ready inquiries for every territory of substance. This
ability, effort, and time.
technique ordinarily brings about a progression of
Moreover, the emergency caused by the Corona inquiries that measure how well the understudies can
virus has a wide impact in the education sector, so that review what they have studied. Moreover, an
in March 2020 schools were no longer be opened and it assessment could be utilized to show the strength and
is still happening in many countries around the world. shortcomings of the showing cycle and assist the teacher
This polemic absolutely gives a negative effect on with improving it. At that point, understudies can show
Indonesia’s education sector. In the COVID-19 what ought to be given more consideration to, ought to
pandemic, teachers face enormous challenges regarding be dealt with, and rehearsed. Besides, the aftereffects of
how to teach and assess their students efficiently and the test will show the understudies their weak points,
safely for the 2020-2021 school year. The pandemic has and if guided by the instructor, the understudies will be
caused the biggest disruption of education in history, even ready to make any remedial moves [6].
unsurprisingly all learners and teachers around the
In an English classroom, a test is used as a means
world get impacted in this pandemic, beginning from
that can show both the student and the teacher how
primary to secondary schools, vocational and technical
much skills and knowledge have been mastered by the
education, training institutions, colleges, and until
students from the instruction. Hence, the writer of this
grown-up learning, and aptitudes improvement
paper agrees and accepts that to see whether the
foundations. Many adaptations are needed in the
understudies have procured the material and are gaining
teaching and learning process. E-learning becomes the
constant progress, the educators will unavoidably need
only choice, the teaching and learning process runs by
to assign the students appropriately.
connecting the students into some e-learning media.
Furthermore, “there are at least 12 other free In addition, based on its form and way of scoring,
applications as media and online learning resources that the test can be divided into two; objective and subjective
can be utilized during the Covid-19 pandemic; those are test. Moreover, in scoring objective tests tend to be
Rumah Belajar, Meja Kita, Icando, Indonesia X, Google easier than subjective tests but in opposite developing
for Education, Smart Class, Microsoft Office 365, great items of objective test requires significantly more
Quipper School, Ruangguru, Sekolahmu, Zenius, and effort and ability rather than subjective test. It may be
Cisco Webex” [4]. caused by objective test includes of items test that only
expect understudies to choose the right answer from a
Unfortunately, E-learning creates new obstacles or
few other options or to give a word or short expression
challenges for societies. A few things that become
to respond to an inquiry or complete an assertion.
challenges are in the use of web-based study including
restricted web share or quota and the unfamiliar school Objective items included: multiple-choices, true-
personnel and also understudies in its application. false, matching completion. In fact, objective tests
Moreover, the great challenges are not only happened in encourage some guessing and can be accurately
the sector of teaching and learning process but it answered through blind guessing, accordingly,
happened worse on student assessment process numerous other explicit principles exist for building the
especially for young learners or beginners. Since the items of objective test. Moreover, some major steps
lack of literacy skills, not all test types can be given to should be followed by the teachers in constructing
them, mostly the teachers of beginner level students objective tests. The initial step is the educators need to

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build up a bunch of test determinations that can serve to 3. RESEARCH METHODS

manage the choice of test items. Besides, a table
specification or a test outline is a table that assists Through the purposive sampling technique, the five
instructors with adjusting objectives, guidance, and also elementary teachers were involved as the participants in
assessment [7]. Hence, this technique can be this study. They were selected as a recommendation of
successfully utilized for an assortment of appraisal their headmaster, those teachers regarded as
strategies yet is most generally connected with representative of the teacher that used an objective test
developing customary summative tests especially in the in measuring their students’ competences during the
form of objective tests items. COVID-19 Pandemic. The teachers are then given semi-
structured interview that was focused on what problems
The next step is when constructing objective tests; they faced when constructing and administering an
instructors should be worried that the test quantifies objective test during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the
satisfactory inspecting of the class content at the findings, the writer got the fact that the type of the test
psychological level that the material was educated. they mostly used was multiple-choice tests in form of
Besides, after specifying the substance and capacity paper-based test. That test was given to the students or
covered by the test utilizing the table of specifications, their parent by calling them to come to school to bring it
the last step is carefully creating the appropriate specific as “take home test” or sometimes they just send the soft
items of the test. Therefore, test makers should be copy of the test in the WhatsApp Group. Then, the
cautious and skillful enough because the test with result of the interview was analyzed and described
practically no substance information could not show up descriptively by the writer.
at the right answer by using the qualities of the test
design that are autonomous of explicit substance
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
information. Moreover, those skills of the examinees are
called “Test-Wideness” [8].
4.1. The Challenges in Constructing and
Moreover, in multiple-choice test things, all Administering an Objective Test in the COVID-
alternatives ought to be syntactically right concerning 19 Era
the stem (questions or incomplete statements preceding
options), and catchphrases from a stem, or their Having good skill in constructing an item test
equivalent words, ought not to be rehashed in the right becomes an absolute requirement that must be possessed
choice. Any infringement of these principles would by every teacher. But, developing great items of
clearly give a favorable position to test-wise examinees. objective test requires significantly more ability, effort,
Furthermore, test writers ought to likewise balance the and time. Unfortunately, because of lack of knowledge
length of the choices of a thing and try not to utilize and experience, for some teachers, constructing a good
explicit determiners, for example, all, always, and never objective test is not easy work. In addition, the main
as some test insightful examinees realize that the right problem faced by the teacher in constructing an
choice is oftentimes long and without such explicit objective test is in formulating the objective test items
determiners. [11]. In line with the previous statements, based on the
result of a small interview, the writer concludes that
Also, there are also complete rules with itemized
there are three practical problems that teachers
clarifications for developing objective test items; it is
habitually faced in constructing the objective test.
especially significant for objective test items to be
Unsurprisingly, those problems also related to how
written in clear and unambiguous language to permit
constructing the items of the objective test itself. Then it
examinees to exhibit their fulfillment of the learning
is also related to the technical problem when the test is
goals [9][10]. If complex wording is utilized, the thing
administered without face-to-face interaction in
just reflects reading comprehension capacity.
isolation moments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
Nonetheless, it is additionally significant for every item
problems in constructing objective test are presented
of the objective test to focus on a significant part of the
clearly in the following below:
substance territory as opposed to trivial details. Asking
trivial details not just makes the test things pointlessly
troublesome, it likewise darkens what the test
4.1.1. Difficulty in Selecting which Materials
constructor truly needs to quantify. For the example, Should Be Tested
moderately novel material ought to be utilized while
At the end of the course or units of instruction, the
making things that measure understanding of the
teachers habitually prepare a test by investigating the
capacity to apply standards. Things made by duplicating
substance covered during the guidance and getting ready
sentences verbatim from a reading material just reflect
inquiries for every territory of substance. This technique
repetition memory, as opposed to higher request
ordinarily brings about a progression of inquiries that
psychological aptitudes.
measure how well the understudies can review what
they have studied from instruction or show the strength

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and weakness of the teaching process. Through the of the test items as simple and clear as possible, there
items of objective test, hopefully, teachers can decide were still some students who did not fully understand
the degree to which the expected learning results of the the test items. Much less, after the teacher gave the
guidance have been accomplished by the students. items test to the students, some students were disturbing
Unfortunately, in constructing items of objective test, the test sessions by always asking the meaning of some
the teacher tends to feel too difficult in deciding or words on the direction, stem, and alternative. In
selecting which material should be tested by the items or consequence, during the test session, a teacher has to
included on table specification. explain the meaning of some words that had been asked
by those students carefully. Absolutely, those problems
Moreover, based on some factors including the time
really wasted the time of the test session and disturbed
of the test session and level of the student, the teachers
other students in finishing their test.
are forced to limit the number of test items. However, it
caused the teachers to feel too difficult and confused in
selecting the most important material that should be
4.1.4. The Difficulty in Managing the Time of the
tested and included on the test. For example: in the Test
English classroom, a teacher has already taught or
Time management plays an important role in
explained all material in one book which consists of ten
assessment. Every student must have good time
chapters but the teacher cannot include all materials on
management so they can answer the question
the test. Thus, the teachers only can measure how much
effectively; therefore the number of the test items has to
students understand the whole book only by giving them
be equal to the duration of the test. It seems easy if the
30 items of multiple-choice. In this case, it is too
test is administered in the classroom because the teacher
difficult to decide which materials should be included in
can easily monitor the students during the test and then
the test. Because sometimes the teachers regarded that
collect or take the students’ answer sheet if the time of
all materials are important and must be included in the
the test is over. Unfortunately, since the COVID-19
test.
pandemic, the schools are temporarily closed so the
student’s assessment forcefully is given to the students
4.1.2. Difficulty in Finding Plausible Distractors as a “take home test” in the form of paper-based tests or
for Multiple-Choice computer-based tests. In other word, more effort may be
needed to manage a test through an online class while
The alternatives in multiple-choice items contain just
allocating the same amount of time as in a traditional
one right item and the distractors are obviously wrong.
class. Lack of internet connection is the most familiar
Another type of this item is finding the best answer in
reason given by the students if they cannot submit the
which the other options are partially right but one
test on time. Moreover, the other reasons are they do not
answer is clearly better. However, the function of the
clearly understand the test direction and are
distractors should effectively occupy those understudies
uncooperative or feel difficult to contact the teacher to
who do not actually know the right answer or uncertain.
get clarification. The last reason is they felt unfamiliar
Therefore, the teacher should be skillful enough in
with computer-based test format or design so they tend
finding plausible distractors for multiple-choice items.
to spend much time only typing or delivering their
Unfortunately, the teachers often feel it is too answer to the computer system and so on.
difficult to find appropriate distractors. Therefore, based
on the result of the interview, some teachers finally 4.1.5. The Difficulty in Ensuring the Students to
solve the problems only by copying the alternatives Pass the Test Without Cheating or Helped by the
which have been stated on the previous items. Parents
Consequently, that makes the teachers indirectly allow
the students to the correct answers. Moreover, the It is been almost a year since the Coronavirus crisis
students can easily guess the correct answer only by face the world, the concentration in many schools until
checking every alternative or the answers that are college classes will essentially move from how to lead
already presented on the previous items. class practically to how to most viably and really
evaluate understudy in an online learning [12]. It is
4.1.3. Difficulty to Make the Students Clearly reasonable because we can only imagine what the rate
Understand the Test Items of inappropriate testing activity is when no one is
watching. Absolutely, the students will be easier in
Theoretically, the teachers need to eliminate all cheating or just getting help from their parent in passing
barriers that might be faced by the students during the test. According to the interview results, the teachers
comprehending and solving the items test by stating the said that almost all students can pass the test perfectly
items in simple or clear language. But based on the (have a high score), meanwhile, those students always
writer’s own experiences as an English teacher, have bad score if the test is taking place in the
although the teacher had already arranged the language classroom or the face-to-face examination. During the

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COVID-19 pandemic, student scores are highly dubious The challenge in constructing and administering the
then giving rise to a big question. Is the score valid? Or test during the COVID-19 pandemic becomes harder
have the test successfully measured what is supposed to since there is no face-to-face interaction between
be measured? Moreover, the most critical question is, teacher and students. Absolutely, the validity of the test
“is it true that they did the test themselves? “Answering becomes dubious because how could we measure
those questions is not easy; it will take time, effort, and effectively the students’ competence through the test if
deep attention. Therefore, deciding students’ score and no one is watching them. Furthermore, not all test
grade during the COVID-19 pandemic become a new constructors are skillful enough in constructing a good
polemic for a teacher. objective test. Therefore unsurprisingly, the result of the
interview shows that there are some practical problems
4.2. Proposed Solution faced by the teachers on constructing and administering
an objective test. The main problem is dealing with how
Responding to the problems mention above, the formulating the items of the objective test itself. The
writer thinks that an objective test regarded ineffectively problems included, difficulty in selecting which
used in assessing student’s competence during the materials should be tested, difficulty in finding plausible
COVID-19 pandemic, in line with this, Denny [13] distracters for multiple-choice, difficulty to make the
offering the solution in responding to this challenge, it is students understand clearly the test items, difficulty in
by using assign home-based performance tests and managing the time of the test, and difficulty in ensuring
projects. For examples; for art class, the students make the students pass the test without cheating or helped by
script scenes, rehearse music, or choreograph dances, at the parents.
that point record and upload them to investigate. In
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