Stuyven, K., Docky, F., & Janssens, S. (2008). The effects of hands-on experience on students’ preferences for assessment methods. Journal of Teacher Education, 59(1), 69-88.
The underlying premise here is that teachers teach as they were taught, so if we want preservice teachers to use innovative methods, we need to model those methods as we teach them in teacher education courses. Some fairly strong research evidence is cited suggesting that students react more positively to assessment methods they have actually experienced than to those with which they have less experience. To me, it seemed that this would depend on whether the experience was positive or negative. However, here experience alone, of any kind, seemed to affect preferences.
These were Belgian preservice teachers, so of course their reactions may differ from those of U.S. preservice teachers. Incredibly, the author states that multiple choice tests are uncommon in Belgian schools for 12-18 year olds. That is most definitely not the case in U.S. schools, where multiple choice is ubiquitous from Grade 3 on. My own students all have extensive experience AND strong negative attitudes toward multiple choice.
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