AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE TRADITIONAL PHYSICS ASSESSMENT: A COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT WRITTEN TESTS MODALITIES

We present a qualitative comparison between two different types of assesment in Physics for Engineering. The exams studied in this paper were given to students from two Physics courses during a semester. In one course, we carried out an evaluation considered as 'traditional' type, which consists of two written tests and two written make up test during a semester. In the other course, we gave students several short - tests all along a semester. We aim to analyze the exam's results and to review both kind of examination according to the constructivist theory. Differences between one kind of evaluation and another lead us to conclude that, for example, it is possible to increase chances to succesfully pass the subject at the end of the semester by increasing the number of tests. However, it is still difficult to students to reach significant learning of the Physics topics. Because of this, we can conclude that if we our main aim is to improve learning processes, changes in evaluation must be part of a set of reflective changes in curriculum and class planning.