"KH6HZ" wrote in message
...
"KC4UAI" wrote:

It seems that a lot of folks are "memorizing" the test
questions and not mastering the material.

I've been stating this very thing for close to 10 years now.


Given the number of questions in the pool, it's not
impossible to memorize just the questions and not know the
concepts.

It is important to put "memorize" in quotes, because (as others have
mentioned) it is highly unlikely someone memorizes verbatim the question
and exact answer. More likely what actually happens is people become
familiar enough with the question pool after drilling long enough that
they simply recognize the correct answer -- no real "memorization" per se
of the actual question or answer. Much like the same way you become
familiar with, say, streets along your daily commute, even though you
probably do not have a map memorized in your head.


I'd argue that this is very short sighted

It is, IMO, very short sighted, because people who pass the examinations
using this method do not, IMO, meet the goals of the ARS as outlined in
97.1


so one wonders what the solution here is... I suppose we
could increase the question pool by 10 fold or so and make
it easier to learn the material than memorize the
questions?

My proposed solution is to eliminate question pools entirely, and instead
have a computerized question pool which is entirely randomly generated
based on various parameters. For example, take this question from the Tech
license:

T7B10 (B)
What is the satellite sub-band on 70-CM?
A. 420 to 450 MHz
B. 435 to 438 MHz
C. 440 to 450 MHz
D. 432 to 433 MHz


Now, rather than having 4 set answers, why couldn't we simply have a
computer program generate the correct answer and 3 distractors
automatically?


Some people have argued that my idea makes the test too "hard", or makes
it appear as a "graduation exam".

From the perspective that the exam is harder, that is probably true. You
would actually need to know the material, rather than simply become
familiar enough with the question pools to pass the examination.

However, in no way do I support (or suggest) that we make the examination
"harder" from a material perspective. If an applicant is supposed to
"know" ohms law on an examination, is it too much to ask that they really
demonstrate they "know" it, rather than simply "know" what the answer to
the question is, with no real understanding of the theory behind the
question?

Like Cecil once said... The examinations are not supposed to be graduation
exams, nor do I support any type of proposal to make them more difficult,
from a content perspective. My suggestion, however, which I've posted for
at least 6-7 years, is to simply make the question pools computerized to
eliminate the ability of applicants to "memorize" the Q&A's, and ensure
that applicants actually know the material they are tested on.

73
KH6HZ


From the same perspective, I think that all hams should be required to
re-test on a regular basis to keep their ham license. Afterall, that is
what they do with driver's licenses isn't it?

You know, if we came up with enough ideas, we could probably open up most
ham bands to business interests and they don't have to take a test at all.

On the other hand, we could identify what the critical tasks a ham operator
needs to operate, tell the prospective ham what those tasks are, give the
prospective ham the answers to those tasks (such as a question and answer
pool) and then test on those identified objectives. After the new ham gets
his license to get on the air, we could provide him with a learning
environment to enhance those basic skills and become a more experienced and
adept operator.

Me, I go for plan "B."