Online Assessment ... or ... Paper-and-Pencil Assessment
Critics of assessments in online learning environments
claim that assessments are watered down.
However, this could not be further from the truth. Assessments that utilize technology in online education lead to a deeper and richer cognitive understanding through
the use of animations, simulation, video streaming, and click-and-drag
capabilities to name a few (Argument, 2011). Vonderwell and Boboc (2013) elaborate on multiple examples
of how to incorporate formative assessments in online learning. Online journaling is one of many
different formats where students could write a refection paper, which is similar
to a discussion board, the minute paper, which allows students to write the
most important thing they learned and what questions they still have, create
hook questions, post to a question wall, and role-playing are all some of the
examples that the authors mention. Lin and Lai (2013) state that the objective
of formative assessments is to give the students feedback on their work, rather
than administering a grade for the assignment. Timely feedback is crucial to students learning and helps
develop their cognitive strategies in greater depth (Lin & Lai, 2013).
Personally, I agree with Lin and Lai (2013), that
assessments need to be ongoing, distributed throughout the entire course, and
as a result of this, learning will become part of the student’s daily
routine. If students are only
assessed for a mid-term and final, then most students will wait until the last
minute to cram, and will be unable to retain the information as well as the
students who had ongoing assessments.
Overall, “online testing creates a more authentic, familiar, and
engaging experience for students than paper-and-pencil tests” (Argument, 2011,
p. 30).
References:
The argument for online testing. (2011). Technology
& Learning, 32(2), 28+. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA268651434&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w
Lin, J.-W., & Lai, Y.-C. (2013). Harnessing
collaborative annotations on online formative assessments. Educational
Technology & Society, 16(1), 263+. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA320844271&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w
Vonderwell, S. K., & Boboc, M. (2013). Promoting formative
assessment in online teaching and learning. TechTrends, 57(4), 22-27.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11528-013-0673-x
Pencil and paper testing is going by the wayside. In Virginia, some of the SOL testing is completed on the computer. My son is currently taking the LU Online Academy and the way they assess is through weighting different activities. Completed assignments, quizzes, projects, and tests are all weighted differently to determine his final grade. For each lesson, he has 10 attempts to receive a 90%. So in other words, until he reaches 90%, he will have to make corrections to the assignments before he moves on. Once he reaches his last attempt, he will receive that grade.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear that LU Online Academy is weighting their activities. I weight all of my courses!
DeleteThanks for your reply!
Misty,
ReplyDeleteDefinitely enjoyed reading your post and seeing the research you used to support your argument. I could not agree with you more that assessment needs to be an ongoing continuity of formative nature that allows for students to constantly be prepared from week to week without cramming for the 'finals', per se.
In my classroom, I am integrating many new ideas that include this concept of formative assessment. As I perform the 'flipped classroom' for my students, they take a quiz every week at the end of class to confirm or assess if they know what they need to know. If I have a large amount of students missing something, I do remediation to clear up the muddy points. We did not have a midterm but we will have a final but it is not worth more points than any other exam, it is simply called a final. Everything adds up in the end to summarize their performance over the entire 12 weeks.
I also like what Leigh Anne was sharing about weighted activities and not finishing until you get it right which is also something I am utilizing in the clinical setting. EVERYONE completes what I call the 'perfect care plan' before they complete their clinical. They only need an 80% but I push them the extra mile and have them keep correcting until they have it and really understand the critical thinking elements that save patients lives.
Loved your post and Leigh Anne's reponse,
Ronnie
Thanks for your reply Ronnie, and thank you so much for setting the standards high, especially when it comes to saving patients lives. I am hoping to try components of the flipped classroom later on this year with one of my courses, and I maybe contacting you with questions since you are already implementing it (how exciting!).
DeleteHi Misty,
ReplyDeleteGood post! How do you feel about grading using rubrics? What tool do you use to create valid rubrics?
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Dr Courduff
Dr. Courduff,
DeleteI really like rubrics if they are detailed, and I have really enjoyed courses that also provide a sample of the assignment so there are few if any additional questions about what is expected. I haven't per se used a tool to create valid rubrics, I mostly make my own. I found that using pre-made rubrics do not have all the components I am looking for. For example, I have a project where students have to explore using their graphing calculator the transformations depending on the varying constant in absolute value equations. In the project they are graded on the graph (1. All graphs are neat and easily identified, 2. The shapes of the graphs are accurate, and 3. The location of the graphs are accurate). Next, in the rubric is the summary section (1. Is the summary complete, concise, and easily understood, 2. Does the summary accurately list every effect that can be caused in each group of graphs by a change in the constant, and 3. Does the summary specifically and accurately describe what changes in the constant happen within each group and their cause on each of the possible effects). The students can receive up to 5 points for each section if the material is mastered to 0 points if something is missing.
Misty,
ReplyDeleteIf students had their way, most or all would choose computer-generated assessments. Whenever I have given a test on the computer or quiz/test review using a student response system, my students beg for more! They would much rather use the computer than paper and pencil. It’s also easier for teachers to grade. My students are currently working on a Nations notebook project. Each week they submit one or two pages from their Nations notebook to be graded. These pages are very nice and colorful with photos, pictures, and drawings. I would hate to see their pages destroyed in between bringing them from home, turning them in to be graded, and taken back home (hopefully not stuffed in backpacks!) to be put together in a binder or scrapbook. Then it occurred to me – why not suggest that they scan their pages and send them to me! I can view them on the computer and return it with comments. I am aware that not all students/parents will know how to do this, but I believe most will.
Jennifer, I am so happy that this works for you. However, on the opposite side of the spectrum my math students, I would say close to 80% of them extremely dislike taking assessments (test/quiz) online. It is much easier for them to do the math problems with paper-and-pencil test. Last year for our state testing we had an option for computer based tests or paper tests, and it was made known that the paper test would take much longer to score compared to the computer based test. The students voted on how they wanted to take the test, and the majority of the students chose to have the paper-and-pencil test. Even though the district was prepared to have them take it on the computer, they cancel it and ordered the paper-based tests.
DeleteI feel as if there were an easier way available for our students to complete math tests like using a tablet, that would allow the students to write and then submit their work with ease, and as a result they would enjoy it a lot more. However, when using a laptop, it can be very frustrating trying to type in formulas and the like to complete the many open response questions that are given throughout the state test, which are called the PA Keystones.
I totally agree with you that the use of technology in the assessment process builds a deep understanding. Assessment can be an ongoing process in the online environment at a stronger level in many ways. As students use blogs and online posts for assessment they are better able to go back and see what they may have thought at the beginning of a class versus the end for the sake of reflection in their learning. In a face to face class setting students are not going to have the ability as conversations from the first week of class have for the most part been forgotten.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post.
Aaron, thank you for the reply, and I agree that the online environment provides so much more at many different levels. I really liked your point about reflection. Sometimes when I go back and re-read things that I wrote, and at that point in time I though they were well written, I ponder 'what was I thinking' as something could have been done better. True reflection is an invaluable part of learning.
Delete