E-assessment: Past, present and future

Abstract

This review of e-assessment takes a broad definition, including any use of a computer in assessment, whilst focusing on computer-marked assessment. Drivers include increased variety of assessed tasks and the provision of instantaneous feedback, as well as increased objectivity and resource saving. From the early use of multiple-choice questions and machine-readable forms, computer-marked assessment has developed to encompass sophisticated online systems, which may incorporate interoperability and be used in students’ own homes. Systems have been developed by universities, companies and as part of virtual learning environments. Some of the disadvantages of selected-response question types can be alleviated by techniques such as confidence-based marking. The use of electronic response systems (‘clickers’) in classrooms can be effective, especially when coupled with peer discussion. Student authoring of questions can also encourage dialogue around learning. More sophisticated computer-marked assessment systems have enabled mathematical questions to be broken down into steps and have provided targeted and increasing feedback. Systems that use computer algebra and provide answer matching for short-answer questions are discussed. Computer-adaptive tests use a student’s response to previous questions to alter the subsequent form of the test. More generally, e-assessment includes the use of peer-assessment and assessed e-portfolios, blogs, wikis and forums. Predictions for the future include the use of e-assessment in MOOCs (massive open online courses); the use of learning analytics; a blurring of the boundaries between teaching, assessment and learning; and the use of e-assessment to free human markers to assess what they can assess more authentically.

Examining the use of e‐assessment in higher education: teachers and students’ viewpoints

“…E‐assessment can be defined as the use of a computer as part of any activity related to the assessment (Jordan, ) and it has become an ordinary practice in the higher education sector, in the 21st century (Gikandi et al., ). It is characterised by being a continuous process that uses information and communication technology for the presentation of any assessment activity (Hettiarachchi et al., ).…”

Teaching and Learning at Scale: Futures

“…MOOCs therefore need to make use of the full range of computer-based assessment options. These currently include selected responses (such as multiple-choice questions); constructed responses (in which learners construct their own responses); essays and short-answer questions; peer assessment; and online tools that can be used to showcase work, including e-portfolios, blogs and wikis (Jordan, 2013). None of these options is new, but as these forms of assessment play an important part in learning at scale, more work is needed to explore how they can best be implemented and validated.…”

“…However, unless multiple-choice questions are underpinned by extensive question banks, there is the danger that answers will be shared online, making them unsuitable for summative assessment. There is a need to build on what we already know about e-assessment (Jordan, 2013), so that appropriate forms can be built into pedagogy at scale.…”

Un Nuevo Enfoque para la Puntuación Automática de Problemas cuya Resolución se basa en Diagramas

“…El sistema facilita una nota muy precisa, aunque a veces no representa fielmente el nivel de conocimiento adquirido por el alumno ya que en algunos casos descarta por lógica o intuición algunas de las respuestas o bien puede acertarlas por pura casualidad. Las ventajas de este sistema de evaluar a partir de preguntas con respuesta fija son por una parte su sencillez y por otra parte que se pueden utilizar en muchos ámbitos (Jordan, 2013;Afzal et al, 2014). Formación Universitaria Vol.…”