Credit Bearing Online Courses Assessment Challenges |
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Assessment Challenges |
Proposed Solutions |
Academic Integrity – Cheating is easier and hard to detect online |
· Timed and open-book exams · Randomized questions from a large pool · Multiple versions of an exam · Randomized choices of answers · Plagiarism detecting software · Ask questions that cannot be gathered from Internet searches, questions that require opinions and analysis of content presented – Critical thinking, Synthesizing, analyzing · Assessments that are performance based that require the students to present to the class · Ask students to sign a document indicating that they will uphold academic integrity as they take each assessment · Proctored exams or lockdown browsers
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Large Classes – Exam in a large class is a challenge
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· One solution is having student grade each other (peer grading/peer assessment) · Creative use of TAs in grading · Use Gradescope
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Need to purposefully create interactions between students |
· Group projects · Peer reviewed work · Student-led discussions
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Need to purposefully create interactions between instructor and students – Frequent assessment for and of learning
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· Short frequent assessments to test knowledge and stay connected · Extensive, meaningful, timely and personalized feedback on all assessments · Use of office hours to create a dialogue with students and gauge their learning · Summary – explain the muddiest point · Response to emails in a timely manner as well as quality of the message · Respectful interactions, demonstrate concern for their progress and provide meaningful feedback for improvement · Encourage active learning – higher order learning
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Students need more structure online
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· Short frequent assessments to test knowledge to help them focus and stay on task – not helpful for synthesis and analysis · Pre-test as a diagnostic measure to assess student knowledge and tailor instruction to their needs · Break up large papers and projects into smaller deliverable milestones that will culminate into a final delivery of the assignment · Guide participations and discussions, it will encourage students to participate often and stay on task – keep grading weight to a minimum as it is not assessment but part of engagement · Post weekly announcements summarizing how they are doing and give them an anchor on where they are in the learning process
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Performance assessment requires use of effective technology
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· Help students create presentations or performances using available technology or open source technology · Create spaces using technology to connect and create group projects · Give students options to create projects using mind mapping tools or other technologies that prompt them to use creative approaches to their projects
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Student expectations differ from f2f to online, they require more visual and interactive presentations online
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· Add visuals to your assessments · Make assessments interactive · Generate tests that require: a. Creating images b. Identifying parts of images related to content c. Filling in answers based on hot spots on an image
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Students with accommodations – Need print copies |
· Mail copies to their space · Ensure they have access to printers |
Lab and Design Course Assessments |
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Assessment Challenges |
Proposed Solutions |
Hands-on Instruction: Students need to develop kinesthetic skills using tools, a task and assessment that are harder to replicate in the online environment |
· Use Virtual labs to replicate the assessment task and assess student performance · Use simulation from open education resources and ask students to analyze processes, outcomes, research design, etc. · Help students create presentations or performances using available technology or open-source technology · Create spaces using technology to connect and create group projects · Give students options to create projects using mind mapping tools or other technologies that prompt them to use creative approaches to their projects · Provide students with raw data and ask them to analyze them
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Inquiry-based Instruction: Students are provided with materials and information but are given the freedom to design the experiment. Can be replicated and assessed online with some adjustments |
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Discovery-process Instruction: Students are directed to solve a problem or come up with hypotheses to meet the stated outcome. Can be assessed online with adjustments |
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Problem-based Learning: Requires students to engage in teamwork and are dependent on others on the team to solve the problem. Can be assessed online with adjustments |
· Help students create presentations or performances using available technology or open source technology · Create spaces using technology to connect and create group projects · Give students options to create projects using mind mapping tools or other technologies that prompt them to use creative approaches to their projects |
Experiential Learning Course Assessments |
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Assessment Challenges |
Proposed Solutions |
Outcomes of experiential learning can be varied and unpredictable |
· Give students the freedom to choose how their work will be evaluated. They can be part of creating the grading rubric · Ask students to create a reflective journal to document reflections on their experiences · Have students create a digital portfolio to showcase the best of their work · Students can create presentations and reports using available technology · Students can self-evaluate and reflect on their experiences and performance · Formative assessments in the form of short quizzes where students can evaluate their improvement and weaknesses · Instructor assesses the students learning orally, using a videoconferencing tool · Ask students to develop a project using lessons learned: Project could be individual or in teams · Peer group evaluation of the student’s work |
Students may choose to solve a problem differently |
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Experiences and learning from the same event may differ between students |
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Process and output are both important in experiential leaning – the challenge could be that they may align to separate learning outcomes and criteria |
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