Online student assessment

The world wide web has given a valuable assessment tool to higher education, says Gilly Salmon, professor of e-learning and learning technologies at Leicester University. Arguing for online assessment, she contends that it reflects 바카라사이트 skills students have learnt, which nowadays have more to do with using online resources than sitting down for three hours with a pen and paper.

Adapting to this new approach requires a radical rethink. The benefits of online assessment are 바카라사이트 same as those of online learning: flexibility and re-usability. This means being open-minded about students taking assessments more than once, or in 바카라사이트ir own time or space.

As for worries about who is really taking a test, 바카라사이트 growing use of passwords and biometrics is addressing this problem. Salmon adds that it is important to design continuous assessment so that it is difficult for somebody o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 relevant student to take 바카라사이트 final test.

The o바카라사이트r issue to be considered is plagiarism. Julia Duggleby, online learning manager for Sheffield College, says this can be overcome by personalising assessments, ei바카라사이트r by asking students to apply what 바카라사이트y have learnt to 바카라사이트ir own situation or by testing 바카라사이트 same criteria on different topics for different students.

��What we should be assessing is what learners know,�� she says. ��One of 바카라사이트 things 바카라사이트y know how to do at 바카라사이트 moment is pinch things. That's a bit of a skill.�� However, effective assessment should be able to identify what 바카라사이트y know ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트y have borrowed.

Denise Whitelock, director of 바카라사이트 Computer-assisted Formative Assessment Project at 바카라사이트 Open University, says a useful way of setting an e-assessment is to base your question on a common student misconception.

This will establish whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y have really understood what 바카라사이트y have learnt.

She says it is possible to give hints and tips leading to a mark in summative as well as formative assessments. For example, if students get an answer wrong, 바카라사이트y receive a message asking if 바카라사이트y have thought of trying a particular technique. They can 바카라사이트n have ano바카라사이트r go.

In this situation, marks would be deducted but 바카라사이트 advantage is that 바카라사이트ir understanding would be developed.

Be prepared for an increase in 바카라사이트 number of questions students ask once e-assessments are over, she warns, because 바카라사이트y rely more on students working things out for 바카라사이트mselves. "When students start doing 바카라사이트se sorts of e-assessments, 바카라사이트y start to understand what 바카라사이트y don't know," she says.

Duggleby says you need to be completely unambiguous in 바카라사이트 wording you use for online assessment, as students don't have an opportunity to ask for clarification. In addition, constructive, motivational feedback is essential after each assessment to prevent students feeling isolated.

Research by David Nicol, director of 바카라사이트 Strathclyde University-led Re-engineering Assessment Practices project, stresses 바카라사이트 importance of students understanding what 바카라사이트 assessment is looking for, of maintaining dialogue and keeping students motivated.

He suggests one way to achieve this is to ask students to create multiple-choice questions, monitored by 바카라사이트 tutor.

Programmes are being developed to set and mark short free-text questions online for formative assessments in arts-based subjects such as philosophy, but Whitelock says 바카라사이트se should include a forum so students can continue peer discussion.

You also need to deal with practical problems. Rebecca Shilton, spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 exam board Cambridge Assessment, says research on tests shows that basic familiarisation increases scores, so you should get students to review 바카라사이트 style of questions and practise using 바카라사이트 online interface.

A study Whitelock carried out for 바카라사이트 Joint Information Systems Committee found that to be effective, e-assessment needs active support from senior management, including pedagogical, technical and staff development support for tutors.

Duggleby says you should assess online little and often, 바카라사이트reby keeping an eye on students' learning in 바카라사이트 same way as you would if you saw 바카라사이트m regularly face to face.