As we think about online assessment, it is clear that a reflection of existing online assessment practices is in order.
The survey to your left asks which online assessment you have seen - as either a student or instructor - most often employed.
I would really appreciate your comment on this topic. If you selected other, would you mind indicating which assessment tool that other is?
If you have time to comment on your experience would you describe the strengths and weaknesses not only of the predominate tool used, but what other tools that previous online class might have used to assess learning.
Why do you think these tools were not used?
Thanks for your comments.
Greg
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11 comments:
Hi, Greg,
I would like to see more synchronous interactive tools and tools for group participation, but I guess one of the issues with that is getting online students together at the same time.
Linda Collins
Let's try this again (sacrifice to the techno-gods first time around). Before acting as instructional technologist for the year, I would have said quizzes/surveys, but worried that I was wrong. I no longer have that worry. The amusing thing is I pretty much don't use either in my classes. Collaborative assignments are tough. Most online students plan to work on their own time and don't (or can't, or won't) be bothered trying to work with other students. I've tried collaborative assignments a few times (including last semester) and they've all bombed. Maybe it's just me, I might be constructing the assignments poorly.
My class assessments are predominately made up of individual assignments, personal reflections, and discussiony things. I'll admit, I'm pendulum swinging from last semester and the course is very correspondency, with little student-student interaction.
One activity I'm excited about it having students construct "writing resource" personal portal/homepages in iGoogle or Pageflakes. They are required to subscribe to at least three writing related RSS feeds. They have to put links out to online writing resources, and then add some writing widgits. They'll be doing reflection type activities that respond to specific RSS entries. If you want the assignment prompt, yell!(You would so crack up, since I lost the first reply, I was "ctrl-A" and "crtl-C" the entire time I was writing this.)
"My class assessments are predominately made up of individual assignments, personal reflections, and discussiony things. . . .
One activity I'm excited about it having students construct "writing resource" personal portal/homepages in iGoogle or Pageflakes."
Shelley
Thanks for sharing, both your current use of assessment and your forward thinking approach. As we are discussing in our wiki Keeping up with the Jetsons, it is both a challenge and a delight to try to stay abreast of all the new tools.
Greg
Greg,
I have seen mostly personal reflection and online discussion and individual projects used in online courses. I think that the use of collaborative assignments violates the very reason that most students take an online course versus a face2face one.
Just as an aside from a language teacher, you might want to check the spelling and grammar of your survey. You have used "might" when you meant "mind", there is one sentence that is not really a sentence ("If you might comment on your experience, that is the strengths and weaknesses not only of the predominate tool used, but what other tools that previous online class might have used to assess learning.") and you needed a "?" at the end of your survey.
I realize that this was probably just intended for us, your fellow students, but in a real class you would probably want to check for correctness.
Jeanne
Jeanne
Jeane
As always, thanks. I did misspell collaborative . . . gleet. And, I can't correct without losing survey results.
Again, thanks for sharing your experience.
Greg
Greg, I like to do one formal discussion assessment most weeks. This includes a comment in the grade book.
I then look for ways to check understanding and completeness that are more automated. This includes Did it and didn't do it assignments (a matter of check boxes).
I also like surveys, but avoid quizzes most of the time. Quizzing and testing online raise anxiety all out of proportion to their value.
In E-Learning for Educators, the copyright quiz is always a source of grief and controversy. (Even though I've re-written the quiz for clarity, offer multiple trials , and make it open book.)
My 2Cents!
Dennis In San Diego
Dennis
Great to hear from you and thanks for your experience in this area, particularly the costs of quizzing.
Interesting that the majority of online assessment today experienced by respondents appears to be the traditional quiz.
Greg@AZ
Greg,
In the grand scheme of things, I believe figuring out how to conduct online assessments is probably one of the most important things that needs to be done. I suspect there is a role for all types of assessment, depending on the situation. I don't believe you can say any one option is best in all situations. So what will you be able to say from the survey results?
I believe assessment will become a HUGE part of learning. I believe assessment may be done by external parties rather than the instructor. I believe assessment will be linked directly to jobs and compensation. But the first step is to find accurate ways to assess the learning, the knowledge, and the skills we are attempting to teach.
I'm excited to see you exploring the area. Good Luck! and share your insights.
Ted Christensen
Ted
Thanks for taking time to outline your thoughts, your experience in this area is extensive and I appreciate your comments.
Greg
Hi Greg,
I expected a much longer survey, but it was simple and quick as promised! I thought the last question, about the recession, was a great ending! :-)
Regarding my experience with assessment as an online instructor, I use a combination of quizzes (45%), participation in discussions (20%), and miscellaneous assignments (35%). I don't assign collaborative projects because I feel that the constraint of time (having to wait and depend on classmates' responses and actions) defeats the essence of the flexibility offered by an online course.
At the graduate level, like the courses we've been taking at Stout, collaborative assignments are useful, and students are motivated and responsible. It works well, but I can't imagine doing this in an undergraduate general education course at the community college level where we have students from all walks of life, in different stages in their life, and with very different motives for taking a course. Some are highly motivated and responsible and others are not that serious about learning. It might be a frustrating experience for the good students.
You're doing an amazing job in exploring different tools and incorporating them into your interests. The talking Voki was impressive! It's overwhelming how much there's still to learn...
Wishing you all the best,
Beatrice
"It works well, but I can't imagine doing this in an undergraduate general education course at the community college level where we have students from all walks of life, in different stages in their life, and with very different motives for taking a course."
Beatrice - great to "see" you again and thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to share your experience.
As a fellow community college instructor, I share your reservations about the transferability of these tools which are highly effective at the graduate level - witness the animation and engagement here, to our student populations.
That said, I am very impressed with the work that our colleagues are completing at various levels with these tools and strategies.
Greg@AZ
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