Mobile education and online education are two recurring systems that are of high interest in the field of education. It is often shown that educators are not completely sure how they should implement mobile devices and adequate assessments into their curriculum. Rocco (2009) states that assessments and evaluations in an online program often have challenges with the development of the rubrics. Seeing that the classes are taking place at a distance, it is essential that instructors make clear and precise expectations when they are developing their rubrics by which they will assess the students.
As mentioned in the quote, the issue of cheating is always one of the major issues with online assessments. At one point there was talk at a few universities of requiring students to have a registered webcam device that would record the students taking assessments. This would give the universities proof as to ensuring that the actual student is the one taking the assessment and doing so according to the classroom stipulations.
Buchanan (2008) states that evidence exists that Web-based versions of tests may not always measure the same constructs as their traditional antecedents. This also presents to instructors that they must develop assessments in such a way that accurately measures the progress of students just as well as in a traditional classroom setting.
No matter if assessments take place in an online educational setting, through the use of mobile education or online education, there is a need to ensure that the overall assessment is relevant to the students and can show a demonstration of their ability to comprehend the course material, not just recall facts. Robles (2009) states that online assessment must measure both learning objectives and application of knowledge.
Many current assessment techniques can be modified for online use. It is an important factor that the assessment is of great value to assess the objective mastery. Therefore by allowing students to place all of their work in one central location, that give the student, as well as the instructor, a better ability to assess the students and determine their academic gains, in respect to their educational community.
Buchanan, T. (2008). Online Aassessment: Desirable or Dangerous? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 33 (2). 148-154.Robles, M. (2009). Assessment Techniques. Delta Pi Epsilon Journal. 44 (1). 39-49.
Rocco, S. (2009). Online Assessment and Evaluation. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. 113. 75-86.
Tysheonna,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your premise that assessing online learning must be approached in such a way as to insure mastery of the material. I wonder sometimes, though, if too much is made of the fact that it is "online" or "distance" education. Is it not the job of the educator to create assessments that will accurately judge the knowledge of the learner, no matter what the setting? In other words, we are simply stating for online education what should be true for educators no matter what the setting. In this sense I agree with your entry, but I also question the idea that the concept of adjusting assessments to the learning environment is a new phenomenon. Much of what I am reading makes it sound as if distance education has turned the education field on its head. But coming up with these new assessment strategies is what educators are supposed to be doing, is it not? Just some food for thought.
-Daniel
As much as the field of education has changed in the past handful of years, I think that we have yet to see the settling in of a true "method" of education. You are right that the setting may have very little to do with education - perhaps not now but certainly in the years to come. I recall reading and hearing the stories when "programmed learning" first came out that ALL students would learn that way by the start of the 21st century. While the crude technology (if you can call it technology - it was more like a glorified workbook) did not survive, the progress toward the end has certainly continued - just at a slower pace. I think we are now in an exponential growth pattern, and we will find our discussions more and more relevant each day.
ReplyDeleteTony
I believe online assessments are a matter of integrity to the most extent. It becomes an issue of how do you really know if the learner is learning. I believe the only true way to do an assessment of the online learner is to do an application model assessment. Most times that is a hard one to cheat through. You have to have gained some tyoe of knowledge in the subject to pass an application. But again it become an integrity issue.
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