Assessing Online Learners: Basic Tools

Presented By Darek Sady

Blackboard University April 12, 2005

Agenda

• Building Assessments

• Assessment Lifecycle

• New Question Types in App Pack 3

• Building Assignments

• Use-case scenarios

Building Assessments

• Online Tests and Surveys

• Objective vs. Subjective Questions

• Question Types vs. Content

• Delivery and Grading options

• **New** Partial Credit Options

Assessment Lifecycle

• Creation– Using Pools or building from scratch

• Delivery– Options, feedback and availability

• Completion by Student• Grading - “!” in Gradebook

– Automatic vs. Manual item grading• Student Review

– Viewing feedback and grades

5

**New** Question Types – App Pack 3

• Calculated Formula

• Calculated Numeric

• Either/Or

• File Response

• Fill in Multiple Blanks

• Opinion Scale/Likert

• Quiz Bowl

• Hotspot

• Jumbled Sentence

Calculated Formula

• Create variable-based questions by using brackets []

• Create an answer formula using the WebEQ tool – provide method for Blackboard to solve the problem

• Partial Credit and Unit requirements can be specified

Calculated Formula - continued

• Instructor-defined variables can be used on both sides of the equation

• Answer formula is solved for missing variable

Calculated Formula - continued

• Variable Ranges and Decimal Places can be defined

• Blackboard will calculate variable answer results

Calculated Numeric

• Accepts numeric answers in a blank field

• Answer range can be specified

• Does not allow for partial credit

Either/Or

• Similar to a True/False question

• Several answer label options

• Can change answer orientation

File Response

• Similar to an Assignment – allows instructor to collect file from students

• Students can upload file from local computer or content system (if available)

Fill In Multiple Blanks• Create variable-based

fill in questions• Students can be

provided with a text based list of potential answers

• Instructor must devise potential student answers for each variable

• Similar to single fill in blank question

• Partial Credit Option

Opinion Scale/Likert

• Similar to a multiple choice question

• Answer numbering, orientation, and partial credit can be configured

• Answers can be displayed in random order

• Often used for assessing opinions in a survey

Quiz Bowl

• Jeopardy-like questions – answer presented first

• Partial credit can be partially based on included interrogatives

• Similar to a “fill in the blank” question

Hot Spot

• Image is uploaded, and correct portion of the image is marked as correct

• Student clicks on image to mark answer

• Automatically graded

Jumbled Sentence

• Create variable-based questions by using brackets []

• Create list of potential answers that will appear throughout the sentence

• Partial Credit can be specified

Building Assignments

• Used to Accept Files from Students

• Manually Graded

• Gradebook Integration with Enhanced File-Management Capabilities

• More Robust than the Digital Drop Box

• Allows for Direct Instructor-to-Student Communication via the Comments/Feedback Feature

Building Assignments – continued

• Assignment Tool• Assign Points• Determine

Instructions and Options

• Attach Files• Access Completed

Assignments via the Gradebook

Assignment Lifecycle• Creation

– Enter Text, Files or HTML, • Delivery – Assignment Content Tool

– Availability and options• Completion

– Student Files and Comments• Grading Student Files

– Read, Submit and Collect Comments and Files– Create Instructor Notes and Files– Manage Assignment Files

• Review – Feedback• My Grades or the Original Assignment

Comparison

• Assessments– Automatic Grading– Highly Flexible– Several Delivery Options

• Assignments– Simple – Allows Reusability of Existing Files– Provides Direct Communication/Feedback

Between Student and Instructor– Option of Notating Individual Student

Submissions

Assignment Use-Case Examples

• Research paper drafts– Instructor can read students work and comment

directly back within gradebook• Homework Submission

– Multiple files of any type can be submitted by students and stay organized by student

• E-mail Reduction– Reduce e-mail file attachments and start keeping

student files within the Blackboard course• Attendance Options

– Use the comments box without file submission for tracking attendance

Questions?