He also mentioned that it was online, so the issue is with the system, not the question. I already mentioned this in a previous post but there it is again.
I will go so far as to say in regard to the original question was the ball headed back off a throw in? Was the ball headed back to the keeper by trickery (kicked up in the air and headed back by same player). There are a ton of variables, and this question as worded does not do the situation justice. And as more states go on line with their recertifications, we end up with questions out of order, re-oredered, or just plain poor to begin with. Why should we have to take a stab at the proper answer? I know the information in the LOTG and ATR stone cold. I got a 93 this year. 100 every other year. This was the first year we went on line. The questions I missed were horribly constructed.
Not really. You still have to ascertain the best answer from the choices given, rather than the correct answer. Nah. We're not looking for an essay here. Just the restart (if any) and side. There are only, what, eight restarts possible, plus “none”? Just choose one item from each of two lists. Again—the question doesn't say that. You're assuming that based on the choices given for the answer.
That's like saying the problem is with the engine, not the car. Taken out of context and at face value, the question is invalid. You're posing a different question—one where the context is included—and saying that question is legitimate. So what?
It's a hard question primarily because it's the only question that deals with a situation where the game shouldn't have been stopped in a large group of questions where the game should have been stopped. That makes the question jarring. However, there is enough information in the question to answer it correctly. Yes, people start to read to much into the question (like trickery) because they're trying to change the question to have a violation in it. That's not the question's fault. Taking tests is it's own skill and this question, due to its jarring nature, is going to pose problems to those who are not skilled in test taking. It would be preferable to have a question that still challenges the refereeing skill without being as challenging to the test taking skill.
This was the first year of online testing in our state and I honestly do not recall the phrase "assume the referee has blown the whistle" on this question. On one of the questions, 74% of folks got it wrong at the time I attended the second portion of my recert which was a mandatory 3 hour class. In the beginning, one of the instructors said he was shocked that so many people wouldn't know the answer. When almost everyone in the room chimed in that the question was poorly worded and that the answer given was actually correct as currently worded, both instructors finally conceeded that 74% of the referees could not be illiterate As I said earlier, I'm glad that the test was made harder from previous years, but the test should be to ensure that folks know what the LOTG are and not trying to figure out what the question is. I think you are giving them too much credit, if you are suggesting this is one of the reasons they put this question on the test.
Taken out of context and at face value (per the OP), the question isn't even a question. Seems like this is a simple case of bungling in the translation to the online version.
That is what you say though. If my transmission goes out I fix it and keep the car. I don't trash the whole car. You keep saying the info is not there to answer the question which is in stark contrast to the fact that other than the online test, it was there. Stop trying to put a false spin on this and accept that given the proper info, the question is absolutely fine. You wanna say the online version was unfair, fine beat that drum all you want but the problem was with the lack of directions, not the question by itself.
Given enough context, ANY question is fair. Here's a question for you: “True or false?” There's nothing wrong with that question. The answer is obvious, if you know the context. Arguing that the question was fine, but the problem is with the lack of directions is just quibbling over semantics. There IS a problem with the question as presented that renders it unanswerable. Nobody is saying there is no way to answer the question given the correct information. Even the OP has stated that, if the question specified that you had stopped play following the events described, there is an obvious correct answer—a dropped ball for an inadvertent whistle.
I'll grant that in the online test, without the pre-amble of "you've stopped the game for the situation" it is not a good question. However, on the written test with that pre-amble it is clear. It only gets complicated when test takers put things in that are not in. No trickery is mentioned, so it's not there. A defender headed teh ball to his keeper, who then picked it up. the ref blows the whistle. What's the restart.
Your argument has reached a point that it is laughable. The question we are talking about has context on the written test, thus it is a good question. What you fail to understand is that instead of having to put the phrase, "you stopped the game for this reason, what is the restart?" printed after every question the test makers simply put a set of directions to apply to all those questions. Something that makes sense in every aspect of common sense. If you can't see that and are going down this road then you have clearly lost your common sense over you blind dislike of this question. No one is arguing that the mistake of not having the directions on the online test is acceptable. Matter of fact we have all come out and said that without the directions we see your point. The problem with that situation is that because so many referees are now griping that they want online tests they have to deal with the fact that mistakes like that can't be remedied as they would in a classroom setting by being able to ask an instructor. You reap what you sow. As for me I will be teaching in a classroom tomorrow and awaiting that student that comes and asks me about this question and I will smile broadly when I point to the directions and the light comes on in his head signaling that he now sees the answer. Good luck to you sir if you take this test again next year and hopefully remember to read the directions or at least remember this question.
I think we are talking past each other here. Question presented with context (“You have stopped the game”): Perfectly fine. Question presented as posed, without context: No good. Agreed? It's not like the certifying organization doesn't get some benefit of of having online tests. It sounds like you're defending their having done a slapdash job on the online tests because we should be lucky we get anything at all. Not so. If they can't come up with an online test that is fair and accurate, they shouldn't embarrass themselves by putting their name on it. Either do the job right, or not at all.
And with an online test, this gets compounded. I missed 2 questions this year just because I didn't read them correctly. I didn't get a chance to go back and review my answers - with a classroom test I could do that if I finished early.
But there's nothing wrong with your transmission. It's a perfectly fine transmission. Problem is it was meant to be installed in a compact, and it's in your SUV. But there's still nothing wrong with it, right?
It only gets compounded if that's how the software works -- there is nothing intrinsic about online testing that prevents going back. I've taken online tests in other contexts that not only let you go back, but have a flag feature to remind you what you want to go back and review.
Agreed on both cases. I just don't see a non-profit organization like the USSF that is notorious for not being an excellent administrative center for the little guy being capable of doing an online test method that will work.
I'm glad I took the test in person. Seems the online system has some kinks to work out. Interestingly, similar thing happened in a game I was ARing. Its been a couple , so details are sketchy in my mind. red passes back to gk. GK keeps ball at his feet. Tweet. CR signals IDK...I was on far side so this is where I don't remember if she figured it out on her own or talked it over with AR. calls for drop ball. I can't recall if it was contested or sporting. But I remember the behind me asking what the call was. I said inadvertent whistle, drop ball. I was confused myself though, until I got confirmation at half time...CR said she had a brain fart, thought gk picked the ball up.
deja vu all over again. We've had this discussion before.I swear it was for this exact same question, however I can't find that thread. Here's a similar one from last summer: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/s-on-new-online-test.1947898/
In order to be embarrassed, they would have to have at least some pride in the tests they've been putting out for the last many years. I could give you a half dozen more on this year's test alone. With the problem being so easy to correct, yet not being corrected year after year after year after year, they either don't care and just give these tests the back of their hand, or are downright incompetent to write a test. Or both. Either way, referees deserve better.
My favorites: Blue #12 swaps places and jerseys with her team’s goalkeeper during play. Two minutes later, Blue #12 saves a hard shot on goal by punching the ball away with her hands. She has committed a handling offense. A) True B) False The goalkeeper comes off the goal line after you whistle for a penalty kick to be taken but before the ball is in play. Although the goalkeeper makes contact with the ball, it enters the net. You have stopped play for the described situation.Select the correct restart: A) Dropped Ball B) Direct Free Kick C) Penalty Kick D) Kick Off E) Indirect Free Kick Immediately after you whistle for a penalty kick to be taken by Blue and after the ball has been kicked forward, Blue #23 (a teammate of the kicker) runs into the penalty area. The ball rebounds from the crossbar to Blue #23 who kicks the ball into the net. You have stopped play for the described situation. Select thecorrect restart: A) Dropped Ball B) Direct Free Kick C) Penalty Kick D) Kick Off E) Indirect Free
You'd think whoever develops these tests would sent it to 10 fellow referees and ask them "what do you think?" You'd think whoever takes the written USSF test and makes an on-line version of it would sent it to 10 fellow referees and ask them "what do you think?" You'd think the SDI and SRA would look at the test and make sure those who are taking the test have the information they need to answer questions. It isn't that hard. BTW, Reflink, who provides the on-line test from which I took the original question, is a private for-profit business owned by a National Referee. They can and should do better.
I have addressed the first question with other instructors as being confusingly written and now preface the test by saying that you should replace the words Blue #12 with one player's name to get the question. The other two I see nothing wrong with them.
The second and third questions aren't clear as to exactly when you stopped play. #2: did you stop play when the Gk came off the line or after the ball was in the net? #3: did you stop play when blue23 entered the PA, after the ball hit the crossbar, or after blue23 kicked the ball into the net? In #1, even if you put names to the players, you still don't know if the player who punches the ball away is the original #12 and now the Gk or the former Gk who is now wearing #12.
#1 requires you to assume that since a shot was blocked it was in the PA #2 and #3 require you to assume that the ball was already completely over the goal line before you stopped play.