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Introduction: A test or assessment is a method to understand the knowledge, aptitude, skill, personality, insight, etc. of a person. The aim of the test is more important before choosing the method of testing. The mode of testing is determined by the availability and accessibility of the required instruments. There are two modes of testing, Online mode, and Offline mode.

Various characteristics of the online and offline modes of testing stated below will help us to understand the difference between the two modes, 

From the above discussion it is clear that 

• Offline is locally centred, online is centralized
• Internet is a must for online and not a necessity for offline, and
• Online usually provides instant evaluation, offline need not

So options 1, 4, and 5 are correct to differentiate the offline with that of the online testing method.

Hint

• One can use the digital presentation as a part of offline tests. An offline test administered on a computer in a testing center is still considered an offline test if the computer is not connected to the internet. This is because the test is not being delivered or scored electronically.
• Objective type tests are also conducted in offline mode. Online tests could be subjective and objective.

The strength of the project method lies in the individualized engagement

Project method:

Meaning: It is a student-centred method of teaching in which the emphasis is given on experiential learning. Students actively engage in the project work initiated by mutual collaboration.

Proponent: William Heard Kilpatrick was the proponent of experiential learning and expanded the method of learning during the early 20^th century.

According to Kilpatrick, ''A project is a whole-hearted purposeful activity proceeding in a social environment."

Characteristics: The characteristics of the project method are as follows

• Student-centred approach: Students have control over the process of planning and implementation.
• Wholehearted activity: Student can engage by their choice that focuses on the principle of freedom
• Purposeful activity: Projects are initiated based on a certain aim or objective
• Cooperative method: Increase collaboration among the participant and the instructor
• Real experience: Hands-on experience and application of knowledge and skill in solving realistic problems
• Experiential learning: It enhances the knowledge, skill, and experience os the students
• Individualized engagement: Individual engagement in the case of creative thinking, planning, presenting, reflecting, etc

So it is clear that the strength of the project method of learning emphasis the individual engagement of the learner. Social participation, the teacher's role as an instructor, and the collection of information are parts of the project method.

Computer-based Test:

• The test or assessment is conducted over a computer or organized using a computer technology
• It is introduced in the evaluation process to minimize human bias in testing, make testing flexible, and schedule accessibility.

Key Points

There are two types of Computer Based Test

1. Linear test:

• It a kind of full-length examination
• Questions are selected without considering the performance level of the student
• Example: NTA-UGC NET

2. Adaptive test

• There is a large store of questions
• Questions are selected based on the performance of the student
• Example: GRE

Advantages:

• Efficiency in testing
• Convenient with time and place
• Instant and automatic feedback
• Security system to minimize cheating and unauthorized access
• Minimize human bias in testing
• Perfect in timing
• More frequent testing opportunity
• More accurate results
• Streamlined logistic

Disadvantages:

• The technological problem can make trouble
• Limited testing centres
• Need more developed technology and infrastructural facility
• Students from remote areas are less familiar
• Server error can occur

So it is clear from the above discussion that Computer-based testing is essential to minimize human bias in testing.

In an open-book exercise, students are allowed to consult their class notes, textbooks, and other approved material while answering questions.

• Given the availability of textbooks or other material in the room, teachers will not ask questions that require the mere transfer of information from the textbook to the examination (answer) booklet.
• However, these examinations are required to be chosen depending upon the purpose.
• If the examination tests the skills of problem-solving and critical thinking, then there is no harm in students consulting their textbooks and class notes.
• If students have to evaluate a conclusion that crucially involves their understanding of the concept, reproducing what the textbook says would be pointless.

Advantages of open-book exercise: 

• It is less demanding on memory because it is no longer necessary for students to cram a lot of facts, figures, and numbers for an open-book examination.
• It provides a chance for students to acquire knowledge during the preparation process of gathering suitable learning materials rather than simply recalling or rewriting it.
• It tests candidates' ability on application-based knowledge
• It promotes the information retrieval skills of students through finding efficient ways to get the necessary information and data from books and various resources.
• It enhances the comprehension and synthesizing skills of students because they need to reduce the content of books and other study materials into simple and handy notes for examination.

From the above, we can conclude that an Open book examination is to test candidates' ability to application-based knowledge.

There are three different levels of teaching and the teaching-learning process takes place at three levels progressively- memory level of teaching, understanding level of teaching, and reflective level of teaching. The teacher must keep in mind the developmental stage of the learners so that desired educational objectives can be achieved.

1. Memory level of teaching (MLT): Least thoughtful teaching

• It is the initial stage of teaching.
• It involves the habit of rote memorization. In such type of act, memory plays a key role.
• The teacher presents factual information before the learner. The learner tries to memorize these facts with the least involvement of his/her thinking and reasoning power. It represents the involvement of the least thoughtful behavior.
• The evaluation includes oral, written, and essay-type examinations.

1. Understanding the level of teaching (ULT): thoughtful teaching

• Understanding something is to perceive the meaning, grasp the idea, and comprehend the meaning.
• It focuses on the mastery of the subject.
• The teaching at the understanding level is of a higher quality than the one at the memory level.
• At this level of teaching, the teacher explains the student the relationship between principles and facts and teaches them how these principles can be applied.
• The learner and the teacher are actively involved in this level of teaching.
• The evaluation includes both essay and objective type questions.

1. Reflective level of teaching (ULT): Most thoughtful level

• It is a problem-centric approach to teaching.

• The reflective model of teaching is developed by Hunt.

• Teaching at the reflective level represents the highest level of the teaching activities that can be carried out in the most thoughtful modes of operation providing the desirable quality of teaching situation and experience to the learner for utilizing and enhancing their cognitive abilities to the maximum.

• At this level, the student is made to face a real problematic situation. The student by understanding the situation and using his critical abilities succeeds in solving the problem.

• At this level, the emphasis is laid on identifying the problem, defining it, and finding a solution to it. The student’s original thinking and creative-abilities develop at this level.

• The aim is to develop the reflective power of learners so that they can solve problems of their lives by reasoning, logic, and imagination and lead successful and happy lives.

• By reflective teaching, learners will internalize knowledge and be judgemental.

Hence, The reflective level is the highest level of teaching. It includes both the Understanding level as well as the memory level of teaching. The reflective level of teaching enables learners to internalize knowledge and to be judgemental.

Research is an organized, systematic, and scientific inquiry into a subject to discover facts or to find answers to a problem. It is broadly classified as qualitative and quantitative. The various types of qualitative research methods include case studies, ethnographies, phenomenology, historical research, etc.

Experimental Research:

• It is a systematic and scientific approach to research on establishing causal relationships.
• The artificiality of the setting may produce unnatural behaviour that does not reflect real life, i.e. low ecological validity. This means it would not be possible to generalize the findings to a real-life setting. Hence, it is not from a natural setting is one of the limitations of it.
• It investigates a hypothesis through experiments in a controlled environment where a variable is manipulated by the researcher and its impact is observed on the dependent variable.
• It requires two variables:

1. Independent Variable: This is the variable that is directly controlled or manipulated to examine its effect on the dependent variable.
2. Dependent Variable: It is that factor that varies as the experimenter introduces, removes, or varies the independent variable.

• In other words, X (independent variable) causes Y (dependent variable).
• The observations derived from the dependent variable are considered for statistical analyses and the results are generalized to the larger population.
• There are three basic things in an experimental method
• Control: it is necessary to arrange the situation
• Manipulation: it is basically applicable to the independent variables. It determines the changes in the dependent variables.
• Observation: the effect of manipulation on the dependent variables is a matter of careful observation.
• Suitable for researches in physical sciences.
• The cause-effect relationship is another important characteristic of the experimental method. Both are affecting one another, also known as reflexivity.
• The steps of experimental research or scientific method are as follows,

Historical method:

• Historical method is the collection of techniques and guidelines used by a researcher based on the historical aspects
• The study of historical method and of different ways of writing history is known as historiography.
• This a procedure supplementary to observation by which a researcher seeks to test the truthfulness of the reports of observations made by others
• It is an investigation of the development of past events and their impact on the present and future
• It depends on both primary and secondary data
• It is a qualitative method
• The researcher heavily depends on the primary data about the event, records, official documents, etc. So non-availability of primary data becomes a barrier to the research.

Advantages:

• The research is not involved in the situation that is studied
• The subject of the study is not a matter of interaction for the researcher
• Current and future events can be discussed based on the analysis of the historical data

Disadvantages:

• Data is complete in nature, it can be destroyed or missing due to the course of time
• The occurrence of bias is very easy for the records and  the written documents of the past
• It is complex in nature and so many barriers are there

Key Points 

• ​After the completion of work, on a research problem, the report was discussed in a scholar's meeting, and the researcher was suggested to change the title of the problem and hypothesis, based on the data analysis. This is Illogical and not desirable
• Changing the title and hypothesis after completing all the work is almost impossible and the whole meaning of the research can be changed due to this.
• The title of the research report is the primary outlook of the research.
• It describes the content of the report and how appropriate it is.
• The hypothesis shows the relationship between the variables of the research.
• The validity of the research depends on the analysis and testing of the hypothesis. If the hypothesis seems incorrect based on the analysis of the data the validity could be questioned.

Important Points

Title of the thesis : 

• It is the first thing to let the reader about the research
• It contains the highlights of the research along with the purpose and interest
• Sometimes the context, research outcome, and important aspects of the research can be clear from this statement
• We need to avoid some of the things here like using a question mark, use wrong words, improper format, etc.

Hypothesis:

• It is a precise and testable statement about the predicted outcome of the study
• The validity of the research hypothesis depends on the analysis of the data. So it has to be proven
• There are two types of hypothesis in research, Null hypothesis (H0) and alternative or research hypothesis (Ha)
• The validity of research depends on the acceptance of the research hypothesis.

The thesis should have clear aims that are enumerated near the beginning and which provide a rationale and framework for the remainder of the work and the aims are integrating link throughout a good thesis, setting out the intentions of the research at the beginning, and providing a focus throughout the research.

Quality of a good thesis:

• It is important to make various connections clear and to demonstrate the way in which the research design has evolved, this much be considered while formulating the thesis.
• There should be an adequate and comprehensive of the relevant literature. The literature review helps in finding the gaps between existing problems and new problems.
• The literature selected should be sufficiently contemporary to demonstrate the way in which the thesis is framed upon recent research, these issues in writing are important, we should also pay careful attention to detail.
• Read the thesis carefully, to reduce typographical, punctuation, and grammatical errors to a minimum, to maintain accuracy in your writing.
• There should be consistency in the way the thesis is written and structured. for example, to the spelling of technical terms, to the use of acronyms, and to the way in which subsections are set out and numbered.
• Start the thesis with a clear and well-written abstract because many readers in a library will read the abstract before deciding whether or not to read the whole thesis.
• It is important not to forget the title. The title should not be excessively long, but it should describe precisely the nature of the thesis, and ideally include some of the keywords associated with.

Title of the thesis : 

The thesis sentence is the main assertion of the research. Your thesis should tell your reader the main point or idea of your paper. A good thesis will be clearly identifiable within the paper and will be narrow, purposeful, and specific. A thesis statement must always be a complete sentence.

• It is the first thing to let the reader about the research.
• It contains the highlights of the research along with the purpose and the of interest.
• Sometimes the context, research outcome, and important aspects of the research can be clear from this statement.
• We need to avoid some of the things here like using a question mark, use wrong words, improper format, etc.

Research refers to a systematic study of one's chosen subject for arriving at both new and valid conclusions.

The research process consists of a series of actions and steps needed for conducting scientific research, if the researcher follows certain steps in conducting the research, the work can be carried out smoothly with the least difficulty.

Following are the Steps in pursuing research:

1. Identification of the Problem: The first and most important step for identifying a problem is asking a question or identifying a need that arises as a result of curiosity and to which it becomes necessary to find an answer.
2. Review of Literature:​ A researcher needs to explore the existing studies on the related studies and techniques for the research.
3. Formulating a Hypothesis: “Hypotheses are single tentative guesses, good hunches – assumed for use in devising theory or planning experiments intended to be given a direct experimental test when possible”.While formulating a hypothesis it is important that the researcher is well prepared with the problem of which he/she is going to find the solution. Here the researcher makes the tentative guess of the solution of the problem and then formulate the research questions.
4. Identifying, Manipulating, and Controlling Variables: Variables are defined as those characteristics which are manipulated, controlled, and observed by the researcher. The study may have extraneous variables.
5. Formulating a Research Design: A research design may be regarded as the blueprint of those procedures which are adapted by the researcher for testing the relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variable
6. Constructing Devices for Observation and Measurement: When the research design has been formulated the next step is to construct or collect and choose appropriate tools of research for scientific observation and measurement.
7. Sample Selection and Data Collection: After deciding the tools for the study the research one must also decide about the participants of the study for which purpose usually a small sample is drawn which represents the population.
8. Data Analysis and Interpretation: After making observations the data collected are analyzed with the help of various quantitative and qualitative statistical techniques.

Therefore, Option 4 is the correct answer.