Arrival Activity

• In pairs (couples even), group the

statements together under the two
headings:
– formative assessment
– summative assessment
• Each pair will then arrange some of
their statements on the SMART board
• assessment.notebook
• Do we all agree?
 Aim: to discuss the use of
ILT in assessing learning
• To describe some e-assessment
techniques, their advantages and
disadvantages
• To discuss the value of multiple choice
tests and their use in e-assessment
• To investigate some examples of best
practice in e-learning and e-
assessment
 Assessment: ‘Inside the
Black Box’
• Competence
• Learners CLASSROO • Test/skill
• Teachers M performance
• Parents Input Output • Teacher
• Standards satisfaction/
• Resources exhaustion
• Managers • Learning

How can we be sure that an

improved set of inputs will produce
better outputs?
 Why use technology?

• e-Assessment: ‘….the use of

electronic media within the
assessment process’
• Use of various assessment
methods is critical in effective
teaching
• Technology facilitates frequent
and immediate feedback
 e-Assessment
All assessment has three purposes:
• Diagnostic – for identifying current level of
attainment or determining potential
• Formative – primarily for giving feedback
on learning
• Summative – primarily for producing grade
 e-Assessment
techniques
• 1) Multiple choice questions
– Can be used to test understanding if answers
are carefully structured
– Important that feedback is meaningful and
explains how to get correct answer
• 2) Contribution to online discussions
– Assessment involves measuring contribution to
online discussion group
– Tutor initiates and monitors participation
 e-Assessment
techniques
• 3) e-Portfolios
– Using computers (or the internet) to
present a portfolio
– Can be used for accreditation and as a
record of achievement
 e-Assessment:
advantages
• Can monitor progress through
frequent short assessments
(formative)
• Learners can monitor own progress
and revise appropriately
• Detailed and specific feedback can
be given immediately after a test
• Can assign different learning
activities based on test results
 e-Assessment:
disadvantages
• Risk of plagiarism or collaboration
• Requires that learners (and staff)
have appropriate IT skills
• Just using multiple choice can be
tedious and de-motivating
• These can focus on testing superficial
learning (facts and concepts) and
may reward guessing
 Activity: ‘Ticking the
Right Boxes’
• In groups of 3 or 4:
• “Replacing essay exams with multiple choice tests [for
summative assessment] will not immediately help our
children become better writers. But it will at
least....make it possible to introduce teaching practices
that will improve children’s basic literacy skills.” (Tom
Burkard, ‘Ticking the Right Boxes’, Centre for Policy
Studies, 2009)
• How much do you agree (or disagree) with
this sentiment?
• What are the implications for e-assessment?
 e-Learning best practice
• Quality Improvement Agency for Lifelong Learning (QIA)
‘Excellence Gateway’
• Case studies on e-learning best practice
• In pairs or individually, search for some case studies
that are interesting or relevant to your own practice (
pick some that really swing!)
• http://excellence.qia.org.uk/page.aspx?o=casestudies
• Meanwhile....Helen and I will check your ILP