Assessment in Online Learning

Assessment in On-line Learning

This node covers assessment in on-line learning including the aims and key principles of formative assessment to engage and support students' learning on-line.

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Index

2. Key Principles

1. Formative assessment in on-line learning

3. Examples of on-line formative assessment tasks

4. Acknowledgements and Further Reading

Formative assessment in on-line learning

Formative assessment is a pedagogical approach that refers to a wide variety of methods that are used to conduct in-process evaluations of student learning, comprehension and academic progress during their module delivery.

Formative assessments are ‘for learning’ and do not usually contribute to their module marks. Equally, formative assessment is just as important for online learners as it is for traditional campus-based learners.

Why? Because students become more involved in the learning process and from this, gain confidence in what they are expected to learn for a given standard.

Formative assessment in on-line learning

Furthermore, this is particularly true where students are learning in isolation and checks on learning and progression can be much more challenging. As a result, assessment aims to ‘close the gap’ between a learner’s current situation and where they need to be in terms of their learning and achievement.

Learner's current situation

Learning and achievement goals

formative assessment

Formative assessment in on-line learning

Formative assessment is one of the most critical online assessment strategies, as it focuses on what still needs to be learnt instead of what learners should already have mastered.

Also, it gives the learner enough time to improve and acquire the necessary information and skillsets during course delivery.

Consequently, the interaction between teacher and learner is paramount and requires tutors to make a regular assessment of learners’ understanding and progress.

Key Principles

Engaging and supporting activites

Construct knowledge collaboratively

Authentic assessment strategies

Ongoing timely feedback

Flexible assessment activities

Explicit assessment activities and learning goals

Opportunities for meaningful reflection

Ongoing documentation and monitoring

Authentic assessment strategies

Authentic assessment strategies should be used that are meaningful to both the learner and real-life situations.

Also, try to develop tasks which are appropriate to the level of the students that have real-world relevance, which actively engage the learner in ongoing inquiry.

Engaging and supportive activities

Engaging and supportive activities that take advantage of and recognise existing prior knowledge to build new knowledge.

Activities should illuminate learner perceptions, prior knowledge and experience.

Construct knowledge collaboratively

Construct knowledge collaboratively with activities that require and encourage learners to interact with other online participants, particularly tutors and peers.

Furthermore, by building a learning community, students will be able to engage with others to socially negotiate and construct meaning from multiple perspectives.

Ongoing timely feedback

Ongoing timely feedback that enables scaffolding learning and mentoring the learner in response to student questions and queries.

Importantly, responsibility must be shared by both the tutor and the student to be effective.

Associated with this is the need to model and encourage collaboration and peer feedback among students.

Opportunities for meaningful reflection

Opportunities for meaningful reflection should be created that enables self-assessment and encourages students to take responsibility for their learning.

This aspect is promoted by the provision of authentic activities that are meaningful and relevant to the learner.

Ongoing documentation and monitoring

Ongoing documentation and monitoring of learner achievements and progress, associated with reflective practice supports learners to transition and mature towards self-regulated learning.

Explicit assessment activities and learning goals

Being explicit with assessment activities and learning goals allows students to understand expected standards to enable them to perceive them as something real that will lead to a whole, genuine and meaningful outcome.

In fact, promoting a shared understanding of learning goals and assessment requirements promote a strong online learning community and give clarity.

Flexible assessment activities

Flexible assessment activities provide learners with diverse opportunities to demonstrate their understanding and competencies.

Additionally, flexible learning also drives learners to become more independent and self-regulating.

Examples of On-Line Formative Assessment Tasks

Q&A with tutors

On-Line Formative AssessmentTasks

On-line discussion forums

Collaborative Projects

Blogs / websites

Polls

Worksheets

Journals

Acknowledgements and Further Reading

Black, P. and William, D. (1998) Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. London: King’s College London School of Education.

https://blogs.tees.ac.uk/lteonline/2020/04/07/formative-assessment-online/

http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/id/eprint/1610/1/OuluAssessmentChapterforRepository.pdf

https://sites.google.com/site/designingcoursesonline/home/authentic-assessment-in-online-education

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