Exploring tools for assessment

START

In this exercise, you will see eight examples of tools and approaches for using digital technology for your formative and summative assessment.
For each one you will be asked for your reflections on how it might be useful in your context.

Recording learner presentations for reflection and feedback

Your learners are all giving a 5 minute presentation to an audience, as a formative or summative assessment. You tell them you will video record all of the presentations for them to review afterwards. You provide some comments about their presentation after watching the video recording.

(Image credits CC BY-SA-3.0: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summit_High_School_(New_Jersey)#/media/File:Summit_High_School_Presentation.jpg)

Multiple Select

Which advantages apply to this learning scenario?

• Reduces teacher feedback workload

• Students have something to keep at the end

• A good way to show what they have learned

• Audio feedback makes it easier to advise on poor quality work

• Students learn a lot from giving feedback to peers

Open Ended

Can you suggest any other advantages of using technology here?

​Question 1 feedback

I would say that the following are true in this case:

• Reduces teacher feedback workload
• Students have something to keep at the end
• A good way to show what they have learned
• Students learn a lot from giving feedback to peers

Watching a video of yourself giving a presentation can really help improve your presentation skills. With constructive feedback from their peers, and self-reflection from the learner, this activity can help to build confidence in giving presentations. Having to do a public presentation motivates learners to make sure they understand the topic.

Generic video feedback on assignments

You provide learners with immediate video/audio feedback on assignments to the whole cohort within 2-3 days of the deadline – this helps to reinforce the main development points needed, and supports the feedback loop before individual feedback is provided later.

Multiple Select

Which advantages apply to this learning scenario?

• Students attend more to video/audio feedback

• Reduces teacher admin workload

• Students have something to keep at the end

• Alternative ways to show what they have learned

• Audio feedback makes it easier to advise on poor quality work

Open Ended

Can you suggest any other advantages of using technology here?

​Question 2 feedback

I would say that the following are particular advantages of using technology in this scenario:

• Students attend more to video/audio feedback
• Reduces teacher admin workload
• Audio feedback makes it easier to advise on poor quality work

This technique helps to reinforce the main development points learners need, and supports a faster feedback loop while they wait for the later individual feedback.

Wikis for collaborative writing assignments

Set up a wiki for a group of learners to use to write an assignment collaboratively; the wiki will record contributions, history, edits, conversations within the group etc., so can be used to assess individual contributions and team work. The efficiency saving is that there is only one assignment to mark.

Multiple Select

Which advantages apply to this learning scenario?

• Reduces teacher feedback workload

• Students have something to keep at the end

• Students learn from each other

• An unusual way to show what they have learned

• Students learn a lot from giving feedback to peers

Open Ended

Can you suggest any other advantages of using technology here?

​Question 3 feedback

In this example I think the following are particular advantages.

a) Reduces teacher feedback workload
b) Students have something to keep at the end
c) Students learn from each other

The efficiency saving for the tutor is that there is only one assignment to mark for each group.

Learner-generated multimedia assigments

Ask students to produce a multimedia assignment instead of a written essay; this could be in the form of interviews, case study, talking to camera etc., it is not about the filming skills, but the process of storyboarding, the storytelling and the quality of the content. More engaging for learners and also develops learners’ digital skills.

Multiple Select

Which advantages apply to this learning scenario?

• 
  Reduces teacher feedback workload

• Students have something to keep at the end

• 
  A good way to show what they have learned

• Students learn a lot from giving feedback to peers

• 
  It motivates them to engage with the content

Open Ended

Can you suggest any other advantages of using technology here?

​Question 4 feedback

My own selections from the options here are:
• Students have something to keep at the end
• A good way to show what they have learned
• It motivates them to engage with the content

The process of making something is the kind of active learning that is more engaging for learners. This kind of production also develops learners’ digital skills.

Audio / video feedback on assignments

Marker provides a video/audio feedback to learners about assignment – quicker to speak the feedback than write it, and more engaging for learner to receive cues in voice and body language.

Multiple Select

Which advantages apply to this learning scenario?

• 
  Reduces teacher feedback workload

• Students have something of lasting value

• A good way to show what they have learned

• Audio feedback makes it easier to advise on poor quality work

• Students learn a lot from giving feedback to peers

Open Ended

Can you suggest any other advantages of using technology here?

​Question 5 feedback

I would choose the following from the options provided.
• Reduces teacher feedback workload
• Audio feedback makes it easier to advise on poor quality work

It is quicker to speak the feedback than write it, and this technique is more engaging for learners as they receive more cues from the tutor’s voice and body language.

Computer marked assessments

The tutor to convert paper-based worksheet style assignments to computer marked assessments; can include MCQs, but also short answer, numerical, multimedia etc. Efficiencies in marking time and immediate feedback to learners. Common for formative assessment but if a large question bank is built up with random questions, can be used for summative assessment

Multiple Select

Which advantages apply to this learning scenario?

Choose as many as you like:

• Reduces teacher feedback workload

• Students have something to keep at the end

• A good way to show what they have learned

• Being able to improve is motivating

• It is actively engaging for the learners

Open Ended

Can you suggest any other advantages of using technology here?

​Question 6 feedback

My own choices would be the following:
• Reduces teacher feedback workload
• A good way to find out what they have learned
• Being able to improve is motivating It is very efficient in terms of tutor workload, and immediate feedback to learners.

This is common for formative assessment but if a large question bank is built up with randomised selection of questions, these items can also be used for summative assessment.

Digital cover-sheets for feedback

The tutor creates a generic coversheet for all assessments which can easily completed electronically, which includes tick boxes for knowledge/skills/competency learning outcomes and space for individual feedback and development points. Can also develop self-assessment versions which student completes and submits with assignment.

Multiple Select

Which advantages apply to this learning scenario?

• Reduces teacher feedback workload

• Students have something of lasting value

• Encourages learners to self-assess

• It is actively engaging for the learners

• Being able to improve is motivating

Open Ended

Can you suggest any other advantages of using technology here?

​Question 7 feedback

From these, I would select:
• Reduces teacher feedback workload
• Encourages learners to self-assess
• Being able to improve is motivating

By completing this self-assessment with their assignment the cover-sheet encourages learners to reflect on what they have produced and to consider improving their work to fit the criteria.

Voting tools

The tutor uses free tools such as Socrates for students to complete in-class quizzes / test using their mobile devices; remove paper and processing and gives immediate feedback to students, and the teacher who can gauge learner competence.

Multiple Select

Which advantages apply to this learning scenario?

Choose as many as you like:

• Reduces teacher feedback workload

• Students have something of lasting value

• A good way to show what they have learned

• Audio feedback makes it easier to advise on poor quality work

• It is actively engaging for the learners

Open Ended

Can you suggest any other advantages of using technology here?

​Question 8 feedback

In this case, I think the following apply:
• Reduces teacher feedback workload
• It is actively engaging for the learners

This technique removes paper and processing. It enables the tutor to gauge learner competence and to give immediate feedback targeted on what they need to know, and why the wrong answers are wrong.