Does multimedia help students answer test items?

The aim of this study was to investigate the difficulty levels of test items and student perceptions of the test formats while taking a multimedia exam (Vexam). The participants were 390 students in the Department of Anthropology, at the University of Texas at Austin, who took an online, self-paced undergraduate course, integrated with Vexam. The hypothesis of the quantitative study was that the difficulty level would be influenced when multimedia formats were integrated with test items. Qualitative data was collected during and after the exams, using think-aloud activities and individual interviews respectively, to explore the effect of multimedia on students. The mixed research methods elicited findings and some suggestions for future study, and the results of this study provided implications for educators regarding student assessment of multimedia integration.