Online Assessment
Online assessment options
The principles of good assessment are the same whatever the medium
and should be considered before looking into the options for online
assessment [see our Assessment
HE and Assessment
VET pages in this site].
Online assessment can take many forms, not just the multiple choice question
- Written assignments
- Essays
- Interactives e.g. drag-and-drop, labelling, sequencing
- Online quizzes and questions
- Collaborative assignment work
- Portfolios
- Online Exams (open-book; structured; timed)
- Practicals
- Simulations
- Case studies
- Participation in online discussions
- Publication of student work /presentations
- Experiential activities, such as role-play
- Debates
- Reviews
- Journals and reflection
Advantages and disadvantages of online assessment
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
|
|
Online discussion and assessment
It is not uncommon for lecturers to want to link an assessment to online discussion in order to force students to contribute to the communication and collaboration activities. Here are some of the questions that need to be considered:
- Should the discussion be compulsory or not?
- At what level? Quality and quantity…
- How useful are the tools for tracking participation?
- Should it be formative or summative assessment?
- Big or small class? Should the students be divided into small groups?
- How do I assess collaborative tasks?
- What is a reasonable timeframe for the task?
- How do I incorporate variety?
For a discussion on these issues contact the Academic Development Unit.
Gradebook
Instructors can store student results in Gradebook. Scores from assessments delivered through Blackboard are automatically recorded in the Gradebook. The Gradebook supports custom grading scales, grade weighting, item analysis, and multiple gradebook views. With the instructor's permission, students can view their own grades (but no one else's) in the course Gradebook.
Please note that Learnline is not the official resulting area for Charles Darwin University. Results displayed in Learnline are not final. After the central examination period, results need to be endorsed and approved by the relevant faculty. The faculty then advises Student Services to release final results to students.
For more information, have a look at this gradebook tutorial (this is a Flash file and may take a little while to download).
If you would like more information on how to set up Gradebook, contact the Flexible Delivery Team in OLT on x 6198 or by email to: learnlinestaff@cdu.edu.au.
Resources
Assessing Online This site is to help VET professionals plan, design and deliver assessment using the web.
Online Assessment and Measurement: Foundations and Challenges, Mary Hricko and Scott L Howell (eds.), 2006, Information Science Publishing: London
Assessing Learning in Australian Universities - is an excellent website hosted by the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne considering a range of online stagegies to realise the benefits of online learning.
Online quizzes and SafeAssignment (plagiarism detection software). This document provides tips for using and creating multiple choice questions, and there are links to tutorials that help you create online quizzes and use the SafeAssignment functions in Learnline.
Examples of successful online assessments and learning designs. This AUTC website includes examples of high quality online assessments and activities relevant to higher education.
The ALTC Exchange. The Exchange is a national online professional networking site and repository of resources for higher education. Search here for examples of online assessments and related teaching and learning strategies.
