Relevant Examples

Online assessment

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Description

Online assessment in the biological sciences offers many advantages, including
flexibility of access and the opportunity to design self-paced assessment tasks that provide students with individualised learning experiences. A key advantage of online assessment is the opportunity to self-assess and to test their knowledge and understanding of a subject area within their discipline. In this way, online assessments enable both assessment for learning and assessment for grading purposes.

The following examples demonstrate online assessment tasks that encourage students to self-assess their level of competence [Example: Peat 3; Plastow].

Typically, online assessment in the biological sciences has tended to comprise multiple choice, true/false or fill-in-the gap items. However, a wider range of online assessment tools is now being used across the discipline, including the use of online discussion boards and plagiarism detection software for extended writing.

Biologists are increasingly aware of student learning profiles and the developmental nature of student learning. Many are now applying the principles of good practice in multiple choice item design to ensure that online assessments are rigorous and test the full range of cognitive skills. Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives* is a particularly useful tool for this purpose, as is the SOLO taxonomy* to scaffold higher order questions [Example: Taylor 5].

Academics provided us with many examples of assessment tasks that are administered and graded online. These tended to be multiple choice quizzes. We also learned of blended approaches to online assessment where the questions are posed online, but the final discussion of students' answers is in the form of face-to-face class discussions, giving an opportunity to enhance linkages within the curriculum.

Online resources for assessing performance are used more for continuous assessments (rather than for the final examination) and often in the form of weekly multiple choice/true-false quizzes. Students say that they like this form of assessment because it provides them with an opportunity to test their knowledge and they often receive instant feedback on their responses. While online quizzes may make an important contribution to students' learning, excessive use may lead to an over-emphasis on content knowledge and rote learning. The preferred approach is a balanced one that includes use of online assessment for self-paced quizzes and a range of other assessment activities that promote deeper level processing [Examples: Benkendorff 1;  Mrongovius 2].

[*see also: Outcomes and assessment for further discussion of Bloom's taxonomy and the SOLO taxonomy]

[see also: Providing feedback; Tests and quizzes]

Approaches

Assessments for learning in an online environment

From the interviews we gained an insight into the variety of ways in which the online environment was being used to help students to assess their understanding of the discipline. These include:

  • Online revision questions (a mixture of content and some application, not simply regurgitation of information) every week through a Learning Management System (LMS) (eg WebCT). In this example, students have a week to work on the questions; then feedback is provided. The feedback is not just the right answer, but a fuller description. For multiple choice questions information is provided as to why an alternate response is not correct [Examples: Miller 2; Plastow].
  • Progressively releasing multiple choice questions (MCQs) on an LMS each week; allowing students one or two weeks to attempt the questions; then providing answers in the lab class (ie face-to-face). It is felt that this gives students time to process their learning and to more effectively link the various learning experiences across modes of interaction (eg online and face-to-face).
  • Using an LMS to monitor student use of learning modules that are designed for students to self-assess their competency, eg. in writing a scientific report [Examples: Taylor 1; Gleeson]

    ...we've an online module called "how to write a report in biology" and that goes through each section of the report to give them (the students) what should be included in this section. It's a very long online document. (we've) developed a diagnostic to do after first year. They do this diagnostic and it will give them feedback, e.g. paraphrasing, "You're xxxx at writing a title. So go to the title section of how to write a report." Same with the results "Should this be included in the results?" So it's just a multiple choice question that gives them direction to go to the formal module and just pick the eyes out of where they think they need to focus. [academic]

  • Using an LMS to deliver and assess a wholly online course in generic skills to first year students [Example: Kramer] [see also: Assessing generic skills].
  • Online assessment for learning with worksheets that help link the practicals with the lectures. Again it is felt that this helps students to make conceptual connections and to develop a more coherent picture of their learning in the discipline.
  • Embedding quizzes into online learning resources to enable just-in-time learning [Example: Peat 5].

    ... we're creating learning modules which are tutorial in nature. Everything is small, none of this big packet stuff; small is beautiful. No student wants to be doing something for more than 10 minutes. We'd done our research way back. So small was beautiful. So we had learning modules that would have an introduction, a couple of items in it and a quiz; always had a quiz. Then this led us thinking to, "Well, this is okay, but how can we help students assess their level of understanding, not whether they know the content but their level of understanding of the content? [academic]

  • Self-assessment modules designed on four levels of difficulty, using Bloom's taxonomy*. This strategy gives large numbers of first year students access to a variety of questions within a content area (eg plant leaves, animal reproduction, etc.). The goal is to test not only content and knowledge but understanding and synthesis [Example: Peat 3].
  • A wiki or discussion board to facilitate cooperative learning. Students answer questions 'collectively' by making suggestions or offering alternative answers to answers on the wiki [Example: Taylor 3] [see also: Student participation and contributions].
  • Providing model answers online. The lecturer selects students' answers to put online for the rest of the class to see.

    ... the most successful initiative has been to put up anonymous answers from students (with their permission) who have answered particular questions well. Students can see alternative answers and it gives them the opportunity to critically reflect on the topic. [Example: Rogers 1]

  •  Using software to manage anonymous drafts of written work for peers and supervisors to provide feedback prior to students submitting the final piece.

    We therefore developed our own software, which allows students to submit a draft version of their main piece of assessment (a scientific report) and receive reviews on this report from two other students and a supervisor, all within an anonymous double-blind framework. [Example: Mulder 1] [see also: Peer and self-assessment].

Assessments for grades in an online environment

Academics in the biological sciences are using online technologies to assess student learning in a range of ways. This section provides examples of how technology is being used to grade student learning in the form of tests, examinations, assignments and participation in online discussions.

  • An e-exam (completed and submitted online) in which the marker can search for key words to make the marking more efficient.

    I was thinking of moving to an E-exam, an exam that they (the students) can answer on the web within a certain time. Again I know these exist. I would like to be able to do that. It might help me in correcting it, because I can search for the keywords ...[academic]

  • Online multiple choice quizzes that are automatically computer-marked; results in instant marking and feedback; usually delivered through an LMS so that the marks are automatically captured for later processing; often used as part of the course continuous assessment [Example: Mrongovius 2].
  • Key competency testing in mainstream first year topics. Students sat an online test of key competencies. If they did not obtain a threshold score, they were offered help and could resit the test over a three week period. If a student did not pass the test, he/she was excluded from sitting the final exam, in effect, failing the unit [Example: Shapter].
  • Online short answer question quizzes. Unlike closed item quizzes such as those consisting of MCQs alone, short answer responses are more difficult to assess and may require extensive programming if they are to be an efficient form of online assessment [see also: Tests and quizzes].
  • An online system for submitting student assignments allows for the use of plagiarism software to check incoming work [Example: Thomson] [see also: Addressing plagiarism issues].

Selected online assessment issues

  • Online assessment tools can be time-consuming to develop and may require expertise beyond the level of the academic.
  • The most typical form of online assessment is the closed or multiple-choice/true-false/fill-in-the-gap style. It takes skill to ensure that these items test the full range of cognitive abilities, from lower order content knowledge to higher order synthesis skills [see also: Examinations; Tests and quizzes].
  • Students need the experience of a range of assessment types and should not come to rely too heavily on online multiple-choice items.

Strategies for online assessment

  • There are some very good resources now available with most textbooks. In the biological sciences some of these come with CDs containing helpful quiz questions and a test banks for instructor use. The questions in the test banks may be grouped in three categories: knowledge questions, comprehension questions, application questions (using a distillate of Bloom's taxonomy*). For large first year classes these may be useful resources [see also: Examinations].
  •  'Clickers' can be a useful means of engaging students in large lecture theatres and encouraging their active participation in response to questions posed. Lecturers may use student responses via such audience response technology to informally assess students' understanding of key concepts during the course of a lecture [Example: Wood 1] [see also: Engaging large classes through assessment].
  • Students particularly appreciate the use of continuous small quizzes that enable them to self-assess and receive ongoing feedback about their understanding of material in the course. Wherever possible, these opportunities for self-paced learning and assessment should be integrated into curriculum design and assessment activities, as long as they are balanced with other forms of assessment.

    ... what stands out for me is little quizzes we had in our class every week. ..... it was the sort of thing that really kept you on your toes, because you'd learn about something in the lecture and then you'd have this quiz on it. It motivated us... [postgrad student].

    [see also: Tests and quizzes]

Authentic assessment

There are many opportunities for authentic assessment in online environments. A simple example may involve students writing in the style of a journal article which they might contribute to an e-journal as part of a written assignment requirement. Interactive computer simulations (e.g. a laboratory experiment simulation) and access to real-life case studies and scenarios related to the biological sciences also provide the academic with a number of opportunities to locate assessment in authentic, real-world settings with the help of technology. Our interviews revealed a few such examples, but there is scope for much more work in this area.

  • In some of the more applied biological disciplines the online assessment questions can be fairly authentic, both in the content of the question and with the use of good graphics and videos [Example: Dow].
  • Case scenarios can be used to preface a set of questions.




To reference material from this site, please use:

Harris, K-L., Krause, K., Gleeson, D., Peat, M., Taylor, C. & Garnett, R. (2007). Enhancing Assessment in the Biological Sciences: Ideas and resources for university educators. Available at: www.bioassess.edu.au