Using assessment to support higher level learning: the multiple choice item development assignment

This paper describes the multiple choice item development assignment (MCIDA) that was developed to support both content and higher level learning. The MCIDA involves students in higher level learning by requiring them to develop multiple choice items, write justifications for both correct and incorrect answer options and determine the highest cognitive level that the item is testing. The article discusses the benefits and limitations of the scheme and presents data on the largely positive student reactions to the scheme. The development of the MCIDA also serves as an example for how traditional summatively oriented assessment procedures can be developed into tools that directly support student learning.