Cool Opportunity

[argodad]

Five of us met at FHSAA headquarters on Tuesday. In 6.5 hours we reviewed the 2011 test question bank for Florida's HS umpires. We did our best to make sure the writing was clear and correct, corrected typos, updated rule references, and shared a couple of war stories. (You can't have 75+ years of softball experience locked in a room without spinning a few yarns.)

We also got to submit a total for 40 new multiple choice questions. Admittedly, some of those will challenge umpires.

So, including the 100 questions in the 2011 NFHS Part 1 (which we did not touch), there are >500 questions in Florida's question bank. When officials log in to take their exam, the computer will randomly select 50 questions for them. No two umpires get the same exam.

It is still possible to take a hard-copy written exam, but it costs extra, and most of would have to travel a long way to take it.

That's the way Florida tests, for better or worse.

[HugoTafurst]

Originally Posted by argodad

Five of us met at FHSAA headquarters on Tuesday. In 6.5 hours we reviewed the 2011 test question bank for Florida's HS umpires. We did our best to make sure the writing was clear and correct, corrected typos, updated rule references, and shared a couple of war stories. (You can't have 75+ years of softball experience locked in a room without spinning a few yarns.)

We also got to submit a total for 40 new multiple choice questions. Admittedly, some of those will challenge umpires.

So, including the 100 questions in the 2011 NFHS Part 1 (which we did not touch), there are >500 questions in Florida's question bank. When officials log in to take their exam, the computer will randomly select 50 questions for them. No two umpires get the same exam.

It is still possible to take a hard-copy written exam, but it costs extra, and most of would have to travel a long way to take it.

That's the way Florida tests, for better or worse.

So now I will know who to blame!!

[scottk_61]

just curious, who else in working on the test with you?

[argodad]

Originally Posted by scottk_61

just curious, who else in working on the test with you?

There were five of us total, from different associations covering most of FL. I prefer not to post names. All of us met the pre-requisites (>10 years experience, >95 average on last three exams, FHSAA Rank 1).

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by argodad

There were five of us total, from different associations covering most of FL. I prefer not to post names. All of us met the pre-requisites (>10 years experience, >95 average on last three exams, FHSAA Rank 1).

WAIT A MINUTE!!! If you five understood the previous tests well enough to score a 95, are you sure you are the right people to "redo" the tests?

[HugoTafurst]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

WAIT A MINUTE!!! If you five understood the previous tests well enough to score a 95, are you sure you are the right people to "redo" the tests?

Not really, what happens in FL is that after the tests are over, they discover the confusing questions and throw them out.
;-)

[scottk_61]

Originally Posted by HugoTafurst

Not really, what happens in FL is that after the tests are over, they discover the confusing questions and throw them out.
;-)

Oh how true that is.
I have seen some simple questions tossed in the past because two answers might have been close. Not correct mind you but close.

I miss Cecelia and the way she ran things, don't you?

[argodad]

Originally Posted by scottk_61

I miss Cecelia and the way she ran things, don't you?

Not a bit. Let's just say that I think things are run much more professionally now.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by HugoTafurst

Not really, what happens in FL is that after the tests are over, they discover the confusing questions and throw them out.
;-)

So, after the name, date and association, how many were left?

[HugoTafurst]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

So, after the name, date and association, how many were left?

You a funny guy!




FWIW: I just calculated my 10 yr average: 95.1

the year before last, I got 100%.
Funny thing was, I had forgotten about the deadline and someone reminded me that I had to take it that night.... I was 100% inebriated at the time I took it!!

Makes me think that it is all the second guessing and overthinking that tends to make us miss some...

[argodad]

Originally Posted by scottk_61

just curious, who else in working on the test with you?

Scott, See your PM. I finally answered.

[HugoTafurst]

I haven't taken it yet, but I'm hearing from several people in my association that grades are averaging lower than previous years.
I haven't verified it yet, just repeating gossip.

[argodad]

Originally Posted by HugoTafurst

I haven't taken it yet, but I'm hearing from several people in my association that grades are averaging lower than previous years.
I haven't verified it yet, just repeating gossip.

I took it. Still problems in transferring the committee's notated hard-copy questions into the data base. I had one question with two identical (correct) answers. Of course, the computer only thinks one of them is correct.

I did get three of my own multiple choice questions. Hope I got them right!

[HugoTafurst]

OK, I took mine (almost forgot to deadline)
Can't really say if it was better or worse than before.

Not sure which 2 I got wrong, but a few had me scrathing my head and thinking.

[HugoTafurst]

So Argodad...
Is there a final tally as to how many questions were thrown out?
Do you know how this compares to last year?

From a sampling of 14 people in our organization, I can see that at least 4 questions were tossed.....


Got any inside scoop?