Technology Assessment Tools
When assessing the use of technology assessment tools in an online learning environment, what do you believe are the three most important things to consider?
Lindsay,
I understand what you are saying. You really need several strategies when using technology assessment tools. I too teach a writing course and I actually use video capture to review the paper using audio grading . I talk through the paper and make electronic comments. Students love it.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
As a writing instructor, I think I have a slightly different approach to this. Writing is despised by so many people, but it is an essential form of communication. The most important thing to consider is that all assessments should be learning tools for students.
First, students who are not strong in grammar struggle with online tests/quizzes. For so many of them, they don't notice the subtle differences in punctuation placement or verb forms. Because of this, I see many of my struggling students despise these assessment tools.
Being able to add comments to my students' essays is the most helpful tool for my students. This allows them to see what I mean when I say there are comma splices, for example. This is very time consuming for me, however. I wish I was able to do this for every student and every essay submitted, but because I still need to give feedback in the grade using the language of the rubric, there just aren't enough hours.
The last assessment tool I find helpful is the use of a rubric. Too often students feel like a magic wand is waved and a point total appears on the essay. This doesn't help to get them to understand their strengths and weaknesses, let alone get them to improve. By having a proficiency-based rubric, students can assess their skills by what they have demonstrated in the essay.
Helena,
Great post. I agree with you. It has to be user friend for everyone. I would also add that you can get the information regarding student learning from the technology It may be easy to use for the student an easy to input but no data, this is a problem.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think that there are 3 things that are most important in the assessment process. First, it must be user friendly. Students and instructors must be comfortable with the assessment platform. The second thing is that as an instructor I must be able to provide valuable feedback to my students on their assignments. Third I must have a system that allows me to effectively gauge how well students have grasped and mastered the learning objectives. I personally like the track changes option for project based assignments. It’s user-friendly, allows me to provide valuable and substantive feedback and add value to the document.
John,
Truly I am surprised when I hear institutions allow students to take courses knowing their students to not have direct or regular access to technology. This is the greatest barrier to online learning. How can the experience be positive when the student is running around trying to find a computer to use. We don't want to begin by setting students up for failure.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
One key item is the ability to use the actual tool. A good understanding may have to be developed.
Another needed item is the availability of tutorials on the use.
A side item...is that often students will not have the hardware to make their online experience a positive one.
Any additional thoughts or experiences on the hardware issue?
There are many things to consider in regards to using differing technology assessment tools. As an online instructor for the last 3 years, I've been privy to be involved in some changes. I would definitely consider the student-base--are the students devoting enough time to take online multiple choice tests? Most online institutions are allowing students to take tests multiple times during the assessment period because there is certainly a direct correlation and final grade proportional to the number of times the student takes exams (in the majority of cases). It's also important to utilize the appropriate assessment technology according to the type of course. For example, Biology labs are time consuming, requiring extensive lab material and in most cases need instructor guidance to complete labs in a timely and efficient manner--so it would be extremely difficult to assign a natural science online lab unless material was minimized and instructions were simple. Currently most LMS formats use multiple choice and T/F based formats, but I would like to see more short answer curricula incorporated.
John,
What a great post! I really appreciate your comment about is there help either on campus or with the technology that can assist students. I have found at times no one on campus can help me with a technology the technology team implemented!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello. The three most important things to consider are that 1) the technology is easy to use, 2) there is a technical support staff to assist with any technological problems, and 3) it has been in existence for awhile. If the tool is fairly new, it may not have been sufficiently tested to see if it works correctly.
Regards,
John Halstead
Dr. Wilkinson, I have posted a response to this question.
Sharon,
Great post! You have named important considerations for an assessment tool. I would add on more thing, proper feedback to the instructor. I have seen technology that I couldn't get data out of regarding student learning. It was so frustrating.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
When assessing the use of technology assessment tools in an online learning environment, the three most important things to consider: whether the tool is appropriate assess the learning objective, it the students are able to utilize the tool, and whether the tool provides the proper feedback to the student.
Paula,
What do you mean student body? How does that play a role in your assessment tools? What is platform. Please elaborate.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
There are several things to considered. The objectives, student body, and platform all must be considered.
Sheila,
That is true, the variables you mentioned must be considered to design an appropriate assessment. You want to give them ample opportunity to show their knowledge and/or skill. I do think we have to be very careful about deferring the students learning style. You really want a student to be able to learn in a variety of ways. Learning should be uncomfortable to an extent.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Antonio,
You make great points. Technology should be platform agnostic (I love that term). You want the student to spend time learning the content not fighting the barrier of technology.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Kimberly,
Great post! You are right on all three. You want to make sure that you and the student can use it and it assesses what it suppose to assess.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think it is important to consider the content of the course, the maturity of the learner, and the importance of the assessment. Sometimes assessments are only necessary to help the learner review and are low stakes in nature. A multiple choice review quiz would be great to review content for this. However, to reach higher levels, you need to push a learner outside of their comfort zone. In this situation, portfolios may be more appropriate to assess knowledge acquisition.
There are several things that come to mind.
1. Technology should NOT be browser specific. I have this issue with a software I currently teach.
2. Learning curve should not intimidate the student.
3. You don’t necessarily have to use every tool in a piece of software just because it is there, it must support an educational lesson and must not hinder the student’s ability to learn.
