Using e-Assessment to enhance student learning and evidence learning outcomes

Abstract

© L p i Assessment is an essential component in the learning and teaching environment and should promote learning as well as measure or certify outcomes (Clements & Cord 2013). There have been significant changes in the approaches to teaching and learning in higher education with the advent of MOOCs, flipped classroom approaches, the introduction of informal learning spaces, the gamification of learning and the expectation of more flexible modes of delivery. We have not seen as much activity in the assessment area to align these changes in teaching with how we use assessment (Guardia, in press). Technology has promoted changes in our understanding of how curricula might be designed and delivered but new approaches to assessment are still needed. Usercentred approaches to assessment involving authentic assessment tasks are now being discussed more often (Mora, Sancho-Bru, Iserte, & Sanchez, 2012; Mueller, 2014). This special edition captures some of the recent investigations in e-assessment that move us beyond the traditional selected response formats of multiple-choice tests, short answer, fill-in-the-blanks, true-false, and matching. Higher-level cognitive and affective skills cannot readily be assessed using traditional selected response formats and more authentic e-assessments are being proposed (Kuh, Jankowski, Ikenberry, & Kinzie 2014). The paper by James explores the outcomes of a trial of an online final examination in a first year distance education psychology course invigilated via webcam. The study argued for the need to deliver better high stakes assessment to distance education students in a way that aimed to enhance convenience for students while maintaining the validity of the testing process. In this study about one quarter of students in the trial were initially enthusiastic however it was not until they had completed a practice online invigilated exam that the majority of these elected to decline the online approach to their final examination. The paper summarises the process and the concerns of students with this type of assessment. The findings demonstrated the importance of complex contextual matters such as technology compatibility, network reliability, clear communication, logistics and support available for students when implementing new computerised approaches to high stakes assessment. The paper by Gil-Jaurena and Kucina outlines the TALOE (Time to Assess Learning Outcomes in E-learning) project that developed a web tool for teachers so that they could make informed choices on how to assess online courses. A