**3. Structure of the score-rating system for assessing students' knowledge**

At the Department of Economic Theory, a point-rating system for assessing students' knowledge has been used for a long time [3].

At present, this system has the following structure:

Basic controls.

1.Test papers:


*Development and Usage of Electronic Teaching Technologies for the Economic Training… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105610*

	- This is rated from 0 to 10 points.
	- Each student has the right to make only one report during the semester.
	- Preparation of one report by a group of two students is allowed.
	- Solving problems and test tasks at the seminar. Points allocated range from 0 to 3 points.
	- Performances: evaluated from 0 to 4 points.
	- Answers to questions for discussion and control questions, participation in the discussion of the report, and the discussion: evaluated for each type of activity and making-up between 0 to 3 points.

The approximate structure of time spent in a practical lesson (one topic is considered for 40–45 min):


The final rating is formed as follows:

The mark "satisfactory" is set if the student scores 55–69 points, "good" is awarded between 70 and 84 points, and "excellent" from 85 points upwards.

If a student does not score 55 points, he/she receives an unsatisfactory grade and must pass the exam with the performance of test tasks.

#### **4. Testing stages of development and technology structure**

1.Urgency of development

An urgency of development is related, first of all, with the reduction of time of class hours. The working program on economic theory provides the study of 12 topics. The lectures and seminars are allocated for 18 h. Practically, for each topic, both the lecture and the practical lesson have one academic hour (45 min). Such a structure of classes assumes a significant change and improvement in the methods of lecturing and conducting practical classes.

Before the introduction of the electronic testing system, knowledge control was carried out only during practical classes, and this was done by using paper carriers for test tasks.

Its main purpose was to eliminate these problems that the development of a system of electronic tests was primarily aimed at.

The following shortcomings of this system were revealed:


As the experience of other developers of similar methods and our estimates has shown, in order to avoid repetition of the questions, it was necessary to form at least 40 test tasks for each topic. Taking into account that all the topics of the course were subject to testing, the total number of generated test tasks was more than 500. As such, the author of this research work used previously proven test tasks, newly developed, as well as tasks taken from other sources, in particular from websites attnica. ru, i-exam.ru, and fepo.ru, which was a time-consuming and laborious work. The formation of the base of test tasks was done by a group of three people.

3.Software.

To develop computer tests and questions, students used the database management system Question Mark Perception, which allows them to reproduce memories, as well as generate the results of various forms of reports for data analysis.

The Database Management System Question Mark Perception supports different types of questions:


*Development and Usage of Electronic Teaching Technologies for the Economic Training… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105610*


When setting rules for checking answers, many options are also possible, for example, correct answer, wrong answer, partially correct answer, etc. For each individual answer option, one needs to create one's own rule. It is also possible to set up a feedback, for example, a message with comments on the answer.

The evaluation of each question is also configured by the author, and the points awarded for the answer depend on the specified conditions.

Test events can be taken on any device that has access to the Internet. This allows testing not only in the classroom, but also to give homework in the form of independent work.

For testing within the disciplines of the Department of Economic Theory, questions with a single choice and a question for entering a number and choosing a word from a drop-down list were mainly used. Evaluation is carried out according to the system wherein the correct answer is linked to a simple question—one point, the correct answer to the problem—two to four points (depending on the level of complexity).

4.Approbation of technology.

The technology of electronic testing was proved during practical classes in economic theory at the Faculty of Economics and Management, the Humanities Faculty, and a number of groups of other technical faculties.

Testing was carried out for each topic of the course of economic theory in computer labs during the practical classes immediately after passing the corresponding topic. For a number of groups, testing on the same topics was conducted on an extracurricular basis (online).

The analysis of the results of testing on the parameters noted above was carried out, and the answers of students in computer classes and at home were compared. A number of test tasks have been adjusted.

There was a slight repetition of the questions and some unevenness in the complexity of some tests.

It turned out that the percentage of failure to perform tests in extracurricular time for various reasons (including technical ones) was about 7%. This made it possible to compile a real timetable for retesting on the examination week and to estimate the scope of retesting with a larger number of students.

The total number of students tested in each academic year was more than a thousand people. On average, about 1–2% of students tested outside the classroom had problems during testing for technical reasons. They were promptly retested.

At present, the system is fully debugged.

5.Application of testing technology and changing teaching methods.

The technology of electronic testing for students of technical faculties is introduced from the 2014/2015 academic year. In this regard, the system of monitoring was changed. Four tests are carried out in the test form (two under the section "Microeconomics" and two under the section "Macroeconomics"). Test works included test tasks and exercises on all topics of the course. For each section, one control work was done in a computer lab (or in the classroom—in written form), and the other—on an extracurricular time (online). A test schedule was prepared, students were given logins and passwords, and consultations were conducted on testing technology. As previously mentioned, the total number of students tested in each academic year was more than a thousand people. On average, about 1–2% of students tested on an extracurricular time had problems in testing for technical reasons. Retesting was reopened for them promptly. Currently, the system is completely debugged.
