Engaging Students in Online Assessment: Strategies and Tools from the 2006 Conference

1. Engaging Students in the Assessment Process The Conference 2006 Thomson Course Technology's 11th Anniversary Event San Francisco, CA March 30, 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM

2. Who Are We? Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA • Patricia RahmlowAssistant Professor, Computer Scienceprahmlow@mc3.edu • Marie HartleinAssociate Professor, Computer Sciencemhartlein@mc3.edu • Linda MoultonProfessor Mathematics and Computer Sciencelmoulton@mc3.edu http://faculty.mc3.edu/prahmlow/Presentations/index.html

3. Agenda • Online Assessment Overview • Demonstrations • Textbook Web Sites • Blackboard • SAM • Course Grader • Assessment Integrity • Technical Issues

4. Why Assess Students Online? • Space and time independent

5. Why Assess Students Online? • Immediate feedback

6. Why Assess Students Online? • Learning aide

7. Uses of Online Assessment • Evaluation of student learning • Pre-test • Post-test

8. Uses of Online Assessment • Evaluation of student learning • Assessment of knowledge • Exams • Make-up tests

9. Uses of Online Assessment • Evaluation of student learning • Assessment of knowledge • Self-evaluation • Repetitive testing • Feedback

10. Uses of Online Assessment • Evaluation of student learning • Assessment of knowledge • Self-evaluation • Distance learning assessment • Keeps students as “distance” learners • More convenient for student

11. Online Assessment Tools • Course delivery software • Blackboard • WebCT • Publisher course delivery sites

12. Online Assessment Tools • Course delivery software • Simulated software application testing • SAM • Train IT • SimNet • SNAP

13. Online Assessment Tools • Course delivery software • Simulated software application testing • Free / low-cost quiz sites http://getonline.wichita.edu/transitions/assess.asp#assessmenttools

14. Online Assessment Tools • Course delivery software • Simulated software application testing • Free / low-cost quiz sites • Textbook web sites • Computer Science Concepts http://csilluminated.jbpub.com/ • Information Literacy Concepts http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_evans_techinaction_2/0,10009,1799886-,00.html • Active Help Desk http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/bp/bp_evans_tiahelpdeskcd_2/chapter03/index.html • Accounting Textbook http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_slater_collacctg_9/0,8786,1172076-,00.html

15. Tool Selection • Cost • Ease of use • Student • Access • Software • Professor • Set-up • Grading (SCORM) • Purpose • Graded assessment • Self-assessment

16. Online Assessment Modes • Time constraints • None • Timed – warning mode • Timed – shut down mode

17. Online Assessment Modes • Time constraints • Number of attempts • One • Multiple • Unlimited • Student specific

18. Online Assessment Modes • Time constraints • Number of attempts • Restricted access • Site password • Assessment password **********

19. Online Assessment Modes • Time constraints • Number of attempts • Restricted access • Survey • Anonymous • Course evaluation ?

20. Blackboard Demonstration • What we will demonstrate

21. True/False Multiple Choice Matching Multiple Answer Ordering Fill in the Blank Essay Calculated Numeric Calculated Formula File Response Hot Spot Fill in Multiple Blanks Jumbled Sentence Opinion Scale/Likert Short Answer Either/Or Quiz Bowl Knowledge Based Questions

22. SAM – Why Selected • Remediation tied to textbook • Richer reports • All actions taken by students are recorded • Include a screen shot • Easy installation for student (flash based) • Crash recovery • Adaptive, customized training • Addresses multiple learning styles – observe practice, apply

23. SAM • What we will demonstrate • Also – what types of knowledge based questions are in SAM

24. SAM • Student quotes

25. Performance Based Questions • Open / close files • Search internet • Send email • Format documents • Develop formulas • Query a database

26. Course Grader • What we will demonstrate

27. Assessment Integrity • Timed • Allow use of textbook • Insufficient time to look up all answers

28. Assessment Integrity • Timed • Question pool • Large pool of questions • No two quizzes identical

29. Assessment Integrity • Timed • Question pool • Randomize questions • Facilitates face-to-face use • Less likely to memorize answers

30. Assessment Integrity • Timed • Question pool • Randomize questions • Frequent assessments • Less likely someone else will take assessment

31. Assessment Integrity • Timed • Question pool • Randomize questions • Frequent assessments • Don’t reveal answers • Send answers after exam time ends • Send only correct / incorrect indicator • Time release results

32. Assessment Integrity • Timed • Question pool • Randomize questions • Frequent assessments • Don’t reveal correct answers • Proctored

33. Assessment Integrity • Timed • Question pool • Randomize questions • Frequent assessments • Don’t reveal correct answers • Proctored • Other forms of assessment • “Portfolio” of student ability • Discussions • Homework / Projects

34. Technical Issues • ISP Disconnect • “Passive” assessments • Keep under 30 minutes • Reset quizzes • Question pools • “Active” assessments • Count first recorded response • Pop-up Blockers • Special Software

35. Summary Slide

36. Demonstrations • SAM • http://sam2003.course.com • Blackboard • https://my.mc3.edu/ • Textbook web sites • Computer Science Concepts http://csilluminated.jbpub.com/ • Information Literacy Concepts http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_evans_techinaction_2/0,10009,1799886-,00.html • Active Help Desk http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/bp/bp_evans_tiahelpdeskcd_2/chapter03/index.html • Accounting Textbook http://wps.prenhall.com/bp_slater_collacctg_9/0,8786,1172076-,00.html