Moodle Quizzes as a Continuous Assessment in Higher Education: An Exploratory Approach in Physical Chemistry

Isabel López-Tocón

doi:10.3390/educsci11090500

Abstract

The use of Moodle quizzes as a continuous assessment and an integral part of the educational methodology in higher education has been analyzed in a case study of physical chemistry subject. Two types of quiz designed with different item types and different settings, called basic quiz (BQ) and thematic block quiz (TBQ), were elaborated making use of a question bank with more than 450 items. BQ has true/false items, while TBQ has randomly mixed items (multiple choice, numerical and matching). The effect of the type of quiz on the student scores is analyzed according to statistical and psychometric data such as the degree of participation, the facility index and the discrimination index of each item, and the average score, calculated according to the classical test theory. This allows us to discern which type of quiz has an enough quality to use it as an assessment tool. Moreover, the effect of this educational activity, developed during the last six academic years from 2014 to 2020, just before of the pandemic situation, is evaluated considering the scores of the students in the Ordinary Calls of exams and comparing them with previous courses taught with a traditional education based on master classes. The statistic results indicate that TBQs are more discriminative than BQs and could be used as an assessment tool, while BQs could be only useful as formative activity. Moodle quizzes turn out to be a reliable strategy for learning of contents in scientific matter, with a high participation in the knowledge tests, with good marks in the average score and a greater number of pass degrees in the Ordinary Calls.

Highlights

The adaptation of the subjects of any graduate degree to the new European Space for Higher Education, where new capacities and abilities are evaluated in students, implies a significant change in the traditional teaching methodology that has been developed, mainly as master classes
The studies carried out to evaluate the global impact of the use of technology on student performance are not conclusive, yielding different results [4,5] given that these teaching researches may depend on other factors not identified in the analysis itself, such as the educational method or strategy [6] that is carried out through the electronic medium, or the student’s commitment to the learning methodology [7]
B-learning has been applied in subjects from different areas of knowledge such as education sciences [12], natural sciences [16], economics [9], engineering [7], etc. as a proposal for European convergence, given that it allows the student’s noncontact work hours to be completed with virtual activities, as established in the new university teaching guides for the convergence of the European

Summary

Introduction

The adaptation of the subjects of any graduate degree to the new European Space for Higher Education, where new capacities and abilities are evaluated in students, implies a significant change in the traditional teaching methodology that has been developed, mainly as master classes. Blendedlearning, b-learning, combines face-to-face lessons in the classroom, required for any subject in university study plans, and virtual training teaching activities through learning platforms, while the gamification techniques try to create similar experiences to those experienced when playing games in order to motivate and engage users. Both methodologies profit from the presence of the teacher as a transmitter of knowledge and guide of educational activities and from the communication technology that facilitates independent and collaborative learning. B-learning has been applied in subjects from different areas of knowledge such as education sciences [12], natural sciences [16], economics [9], engineering [7], etc. as a proposal for European convergence, given that it allows the student’s noncontact work hours to be completed with virtual activities, as established in the new university teaching guides for the convergence of the European

Methods

Results

Conclusion