Challenges for information technology supporting educational assessment

This article examines the scope for IT-enabled assessments to serve simultaneously both learners and the enterprise of education. The article proposes ways of combining frameworks that come from two different perspectives: 1) a conceptual approach to assessment design for computerized assessment based on evidence-centred design (ECD) and 2) a framework for formative assessment based on empirical research in classrooms. The article argues that combining the ECD and formative assessment frameworks and building on the opportunities provided by computerized assessments as well as harnessing teachers' and students' experience and developing their validation processes could enable assessments to address simultaneously assessment FOR learning and assessment OF learning. Strategies would include harnessing the benefits of embedded continuous unobtrusive measuring of performance while learners are engaged in interesting computerized tasks designed to support their learning. Learners need to be involved in discussing and negotiating their learning so we conceptualize these embedded unobtrusive processes as ‘quiet assessment’, whose volume can be turned up by learners whenever they wish, to give them access to meaningful representations of evidence and arguments about their achievements. These strategies could enable a wider range of measures to contribute to judgements of students' achievements, thus supporting their learning in 21st-century contexts

Digitally enhanced assessment in virtual learning environments

One of the main challenges in teaching and learning activities is the assessment: it allows teachers and learners to improve the future activities on the basis of the previous ones. It allows a deep analysis and understanding of the whole learning process. This is particularly difficult in virtual learning environments where a general overview is not always available. In the latest years, Learning Analytics are becoming the most popular methods to analyze the data collected in the learning environments in order to support teachers and learners in the complex process of learning. If they are properly integrated in learning activities, indeed, they can supply useful information to adapt the activities on the basis of student’s needs. In this context, the paper presents a solution for the digitally enhanced assessment. Two different Learning Dashboards have been designed in order to represent the most interesting Learning Analytics aiming at providing teachers and learners with easy understandable view of learning data in virtual learning environments

Design and evaluation of adaptive feedback to foster ICT information processing skills in young adults

This paper explores the provision of adaptive hints based on attainment levels in the context of supporting the development of young adults' ICT information processing skills. We describe the design of the LIBE VLE, particularly its personalisation and adaptation features, and a User Study undertaken with young adults at a vocational education centre. Using data collected through the LIBE VLE, we analyse the relationships between learners' accessing of hints, motivation, and performance. Results point to a positive effect of accessing of hints on students' perception of the LIBE VLE and their likelihood of using it again for further learning; and also a positive effect of students' interest in the course subject on their engagement and performance in course activities. These findings have important implications for supporting young adults in developing key competences necessary for integration into the workforce and for fostering self-regulated lifelong learning

Open Assessment Resources for Deeper Learning

Imagine a tutor or sessional instructor anywhere in the world who wishes to know something about what students know and can do. With knowledge about Open Assessment Resources (OAR), a repository is visited that is linked to many sites frequented by instructors and instructional designers. The website links existing OER activities with open assessment resource activity-prompts for online student responses. Within the assessment component of a selected OER, the instructor finds a searchable data bank of concepts linked to core content and activities related to what is being taught. The assessment activity-prompt packages can be made, modified or found an

Deliverable 4.4 - Review effective feedback and formative assessment in e-learning

This systematic review is written in the frame of a European Union funded project called Supporting Lifelong learning with ICT Inquiry-Based Education (LIBE). Through this project, an e-learning environment will be developed for young low educational achievers (aged 16-24). A crucial part in every educational intervention is assessment and feedback. Hence, to contribute to this project, this study aims to review literature regarding computer based feedback and formative assessment in e-learning. Three different approaches are considered as formative assessment, namely: ‘diagnostic testing’ (DT), ‘data based decision making’ (DBDM) and ‘assessment for learning’ (AFL). The search and selection procedure for this review resulted in 19 studies about the effects of feedback and formative assessment in elearning. Four interrelated themes emerged within this body of literature: (1) the effect on achievement, (2) the effect on motivation, (3) self-regulated learning and (4) the effect of learner characteristics. Results are elaborated around those themes and implications for the LIBE project are drawn

Technology enhanced assessment in complex collaborative settings

Building upon discussions by the Assessment Working Group at EDUsummIT 2013, this article reviews recent developments in technology enabled assessments of collaborative problem solving in order to point out where computerised assessments are particularly useful (and where non-computerised assessments need to be retained or developed) while assuring that the purposes and designs are transparent and empowering for teachers and learners. Technology enabled assessments of higher order critical thinking in a collaborative social context can provide data about the actions, communications and products created by a learner in a designed task space. Principled assessment design is required in order for such a space to provide trustworthy evidence of learning, and the design must incorporate and take account of the engagement of the audiences for the assessment as well as vary with the purposes and contexts of the assessment. Technology enhanced assessment enables in-depth unobtrusive documentation or ‘quiet assessment’ of the many layers and dynamics of authentic performance and allows greater flexibility and dynamic interactions in and among the design features. Most important for assessment FOR learning, are interactive features that allow the learner to turn up or down the intensity, amount and sharpness of the information needed for self-absorption and adoption of the feedback. Most important in assessment OF learning, are features that compare the learner with external standards of performance. Most important in assessment AS learning, are features that allow multiple performances and a wide array of affordances for authentic action, communication and the production of artefacts

Thematic Working Group 5: Formative assessment supported by technology.

The future of assessment faces major challenges including the use of IT to facilitate formative assessment that is important for improving learners’ development, motivation and engagement in learning. In many countries, in recent years, a renewed focus on assessments to support learning has been pushing against the burgeoning of testing for accountability, which in some countries, renders effective formative assessment practices almost impossible. Moreover, a systematic review by Harlen and Deakin Crick (2002) revealed that a strong focus on summative assessment for accountability can reduce motivation and disengage many learners. At the same time use of IT‐enabled assessments has been increasing rapidly, as they offer promise of cheaper ways of delivering and marking assessments as well as access to vast amounts of assessment data from which a wide range of judgements might be made about students, teachers, schools and education systems (Gibson & Webb, 2015). These opportunities also extend to assessment of complex collaborative work (Webb & Gibson, 2015). Current opportunities for using IT, including for harnessing the data that is being collected automatically, for formative assessment are underexplored and less well understood than those for summative assessments. Opportunities for learning with IT and perhaps with less teacher input are increasing but this depends on students developing as autonomous or independent learners. Research in formative assessment including effective feedback has emphasised the value of peer assessment practices for developing self‐assessment capabilities and hence independent learners (Black, Harrison, Lee, Marshall, & William, 2003). At previous EDUsummITs the possibilities and challenges for IT‐enabled assessments to support simultaneously both formative and summative purposes were analysed (Webb, Gibson, & Forkosh‐Baruch, 2013). While these challenges remain, at EDUsummIT 2017 we focused on the opportunities and challenges of IT supporting formative assessment because effective formative assessment is known to be extremely important for learning.RETHINKING LEARNING IN A DIGITAL AGE, EDUsummIT 2017 Summary Reports 18-20 september, Bulgari

Social e-commerce oportunidad de venta para las mipymes

En la actualidad, las Mipymes en México, no asignan un presupuesto establecido para las campañas de marketing, generalmente utilizan herramientas de promoción como son el reparto de volantes, anuncios en radio, algún patrocinio o anuncios en periódicos o revistas. Como medios masivos llegan a un público en general y dejan de lado a los clientes potenciales. En esta investigación se analizó las ventajas del uso del social e-commerce, con el objetivo de conocer su efectividad en el desarrollo de las estrategias a través de comercio electrónico. Se hizo una investigación documental con un enfoque cualitativo, se consultaron fuentes secundarias para analizar el fenómeno. Como conclusión, los resultados muestran la conveniencia para que las empresas integren las plataformas sociales en el proceso del comercio online, y que facilite a los consumidores realizar transacciones al usar redes tales como Facebook, LinkedIn y Twitter entre otras más en el proceso de compra online.En la actualidad, las Mipymes en México, no asignan un presupuesto establecido para las campañas de marketing, generalmente utilizan herramientas de promoción como son el reparto de volantes, anuncios en radio, algún patrocinio o anuncios en periódicos o revistas. Como medios masivos llegan a un público en general y dejan de lado a los clientes potenciales. En esta investigación se analizó las ventajas del uso del social e-commerce, con el objetivo de conocer su efectividad en el desarrollo de las estrategias a través de comercio electrónico. Se hizo una investigación documental con un enfoque cualitativo, se consultaron fuentes secundarias para analizar el fenómeno. Como conclusión, los resultados muestran la conveniencia para que las empresas integren las plataformas sociales en el proceso del comercio online, y que facilite a los consumidores realizar transacciones al usar redes tales como Facebook, LinkedIn y Twitter entre otras más en el proceso de compra online

Editorial: Engaging in open, flexible, and distance learning with a new editorial team

This editorial provides insights into the processes of scholarly publishing, at a time of handover to a new editorial team, to publicise evidence of quality processes and leadership. Publishing trends are also briefly identified. The issue also publishes the first set of papers that have been further developed from the research stream of the 2014 biennial conference of The New Zealand Association for Open, Flexible and Distance Learning (DEANZ). We are happy to be able to include papers that represent the wide area of open, flexible, and distance learning supported by our Aotearoa New Zealand association. We start with a paper on using learning management systems to support personalised learning in primary schools, and this is followed by papers situated in the tertiary sector on software literacy in a university’s programmes, embedded librarians in the tertiary sector, and research into social work. The final paper provides a literature review on the highly topical subject of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The editorial puts the papers into current contexts globally and within the region to inform the field worldwide