Not All Tests Are Created Equal: A Quantitative Posttest Only Non-Equivalent Groups Study on the Difference in Computer Science Student Performance between Paper and Online Open-Book Exams

Assessments are some of the most common tools used to evaluate student learning. While exams have always been a part of evaluating how well students learn and retain information, the most effective way to administer them has always been debated. However, remarkably few studies have compared online and paper testing, and even fewer have examined such assessments in the field of computer science. This quantitative study aimed to determine whether differences exist in the performance of computer science students between open-book exams administered via paper and those administered online. Examining the different levels of Webb's Depth of Knowledge guided the investigation. Exam data from 258 and 243 students who took exams in-person and online, respectively, were collected and analyzed by using the Mantel-Haenszel test and calculating the common odds ratio. This study determined that no statistically significant difference existed in performance between students who took examinations face-to-face and those who took them online. In terms of implications, this study's findings can be considered evidence that assessments for a course can be performed in-person or online without sacrificing the quality of the course or the assessment. Future research is recommended to replicate this study in other disciplines, in different timeframes when online pedagogy is more commonly adopted, at different community colleges, and at different 4-year universities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]