Edinburgh’s Telford CollegeBuilding the e-Assessment Centre

e-Assessment Scotland Conference

Friday 26th August 2011

So How Did It All Start?

Learning and Teaching @ETC Project – September 08

Request for Change Submitted to SMT – January 09

Visits to Aberdeen College

Building the Centre

Built Summer 2009 – Launched November 2009

Set up to BSI Standards and External Awarding Body Specifications

SQA Guide to Effective Practice

Advantagese-Assessment is becoming widely used in Further Education and has many advantages over traditional (paper-based) assessment which includes:

lower long-term costsprovides instant feedback to students and tutorsgreater flexibility with respect to location and timinggreater storage efficiency - tens of thousands of

answer scripts can be stored on a server compared to the physical space required for paper scripts

enhanced question styles which incorporate interactivity and multimedia.

So How Did We Set Up The Centre?Storage Areas and Numbering System Set UpGolden RulesPC Layout PostersForms Created

Booking Form & ProcedureRegistersChecklistsRoom ChecklistTutor/Student EvaluationsIssues Sheet

External Awarding Bodies

SQA (SOLAR – BTL Platform)C&G (GOLA)MicrosoftAAT (BTL Platform)Prometric Certiport Pearson Vue Platforms

Packages Used QuestionmarkInquizitorSOLAR – SQA GOLA – C&GTest VQSAGECISCOAATPearson Vue

Types of Assessment Taken

Formative – 144 Sessions

Summative – 200 Sessions

Diagnostic – 315 Sessions

Gaming – 2 Sessions

Security Settings

Browse Control – Locks down PC’s & Monitor, Blocks Applications and Web Sites

SQA SOLAR Secure BrowserAAT Secure BrowserQuestionmark SecureiTalc

Promotional ActivitiesDrop Ins

Flyers – Questionmark

Direct Marketing

Managers Paper/Questionnaire

SOLAR Updates

Usage Statistics

7,108 Students through centre since opening

79% Uptime (May & June 2011)

Quality Issues

Summative Process

Approval of e-Assessments - SQA

SQA e-Assessment Group

HMIe – Curriculum for ExcellenceEnthusiasm and motivation for learningUse technology for learningLearning experiences that are imaginative,

creative, stimulating and challengingWide range of learning approachesIndependent learningHands-on learningActive Involved Learner

Quotes“This is an excellent aid to improving efficiency with regard to the teaching and learning process in the college as not only can the time saved in marking be diverted into planning and upgrading teaching materials but the students and lecturers have instant feedback with the addition of very informative reports”.

Paul McMahon – Curriculum Manager

Quotes“The majority of the group clearly enjoyed undertaking their assessments using the material as it provided instant feedback. The e-Assessment material has been fully validated by SQA for use and at present can be used to undertake the multiple choice assessments. Now that we have a dedicated assessment centre it will be easier to arrange time/dates to allow students to undertake the assessments”.Jamie Culpan – Joinery Lecturer

Student FeedbackStudent Feedback (NC Childcare Group B, 12/3/10) Overall the students were very enthusiastic about the assessment and whole processFound that the questions were worded better than the paper assessments – easier to understandA much fairer process for people with dyslexiaMakes assessment equal for everyone as does not depend on your written skills but knowledge of the subjectOverall found it much better than paper assessments as you are focussed on the knowledge of the subject rather than how to write your answersYou need to know more of the unit for this type of assessment as no idea of questions that will come up (therefore for staff it removes any teaching to the test!)Students overall got very good results and completed the assessment in less than the allocated time 

 E-Learning Centre: Staff were very helpfulWell organisedTechnology all worked – no problemsVery easy system to use, they feel even if you had poor IT skills you could do thisProcess was well explained by staff in e-assessment centre and they were there to help with any

problemsSystem tells you the time used etc

Any Questions?