MSN

1. © 2013 Springer Publishing Company, LLC.
Chapter 11
Online Testing and
Assessment of Learning
&Oermann Gaberson
Evaluation and Testing in Nursing Education
4th edition

2. © 2013 Springer Publishing Company, LLC.
Online Education
♦ Online education has developed rapidly
– Flexibility allows students to balance academic,
employment, family, and personal commitments
– Provides access to higher education for students
♦ Many nursing courses and programs are now
online
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Online Education Definitions
♦ Distance education: structured two-way participation distinct
from traditional classroom setting
– May not involve technology
♦ Online education: learning or teaching that takes place via
computer network or course management system
♦ Online learning or e-learning: subset of teaching and learning
activities offered through webinars, interactive multimedia
via internet, video conferencing, simulations, other
interactive methods
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Assessment in Online Courses
♦ Does not differ substantially from methods
used in face-to-face environment
– Should involve multiple methods
♦ Courses and programs offered only online or
in hybrid format depend heavily or entirely on
technological methods for assessment
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Online Testing
♦ Raises concerns about academic dishonesty
♦ To deter cheating and promote academic
integrity, faculty members should incorporate
multilayered approach to online testing
– Employ low- and high-technology solutions to
address this problem
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Low-Technology Solutions
♦ Create atmosphere of academic integrity
– Discuss expectations
♦ Develop and communicate clear policies and
expectations about cheating on online tests,
plagiarism, and other examples of academic
dishonesty
♦ Administer tightly timed examination
– Deters students from looking up answers to test items
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Low-Technology Solutions (cont’d)
♦ Randomize test items and response options
– Disadvantage: sequence of test items may affect student
performance and assessment validity
♦ Display one item at a time and do not allow students
to review previous items and responses
– Appropriate for computerized adaptive testing model
– For teacher-made assessments, students should be able
to return to previous item if they recall information that
would prompt them to change their responses
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Low-Technology Solutions (cont’d)
♦ Use different versions of test for the same group of
learners
– Alternate forms of a test for the same group of students
may produce results that are not comparable
– Can lead to inaccurate interpretations of test scores
♦ Develop open-book examinations
– Need to allow sufficient time for testing
♦ Administer tests in a timed, synchronous manner
– Students’ test results not revealed until all students have
finished the examination
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High-Technology Solutions
♦ Browser security programs such as
Respondus™ to keep students from searching
Internet while taking the exam
– Does not prevent students from using second
computer or seeking assistance from other people
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High-Technology Solutions (cont’d)
♦ Proctoring
– Remote proctoring (web camera, biometric scanner, and
microphone)
• Specify time period—shorter, more frequent tests
• Proctor and student input ID numbers
• Require affirmation of confidentiality agreement
– Proctored testing centers
• On campus
• Satellite testing facilities
• Students must provide proof of identity
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Course Assignments
♦ Adjust for online learning
♦ Examples
– Formative evaluation: analyses of cases and critical
thinking vignettes, discussion boards, classroom
assessment techniques
– Summative evaluation: papers, debates, electronic
presentations, portfolios, tests
♦ Students must have clearly defined criteria for
assignment and evaluation
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Feedback
♦ Students need more feedback in online
learning than in traditional classroom
– Give timely feedback about each assignment
– Syllabus for online or hybrid course should include
information about the timing of feedback from
teacher
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Feedback Methods
♦ Electronic feedback on written assignments
using Track Changes feature of Microsoft
Word (or similar feature of other word
processing software)
♦ Insert comments into document
♦ Through email
♦ Orally using vodcasting, Skype, or scheduled
phone conferences
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Feedback Methods (cont’d)
♦ Peer review of assignments
– With discussion boards, teacher can assign groups or
partners to critique each other’s posted responses to
questions
– With peer feedback, course faculty member should post
summarized feedback to student group periodically
– Identify gaps in knowledge, correct misinformation, and
help students construct new knowledge
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Multidimensional Feedback
♦ Address content of assignment, quality of
presentation, grammar, and other technical
writing qualities
♦ Provide supportive statements highlighting
strengths and areas of improvement
♦ Convey clear, thorough, consistent, equitable,
constructive, and professional message
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Scoring Rubric
♦ Enhances assessment reliability among
multiple graders
♦ Include clearly defined criteria for assignment
and score
♦ Describe behaviors that constitute specific
grade
♦ Can also serve as feedback tool
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