e-Assessment Policy and Practice – Making the

Connection

David Walker(@drdjwalker)

University of Dundee

Overview

• Locate e-assessment in context• Conditions for embedding e-assessment• Role of e-assessment in wider Technology

Enhanced Learning (TEL) strategy• Channels/stakeholders informing

strategy/policy• Embedding inclusion in policy and practice• Institutional efforts and annual cycle of

e-assessment• Consider factors that will shape policy in

the future

Not about bureaucracy…

You can view the full collection on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8181983@N05/ or by visiting www.vimrod.com

It’s about addressing…

“Do we have a policy on this?”

Colleague, University of Galway (2010)

What is e-Assessment?

You can view the full collection on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8181983@N05/ or by visiting www.vimrod.com

e-Assessment in Context• Rapid developments in field of e-learning in last 10 years

• Expansion of higher education system (mass higher education) – social, philosophical and practical implications

• e-assessment becoming particularly prevalent across the sector - majority of activity within science/engineering-based disciplines

• Growing body of research underpinning practice

• Emphasis on alignment of learning and assessment methods with learning outcomes (curriculum alignment)

Credibility Crisis?e-assessment “…must satisfy critics of its pedagogical fitness for purpose”.McKenna, C. & Bull, J. (2000). Quality assurance of computer-assisted assessment: practical and strategic issues. Quality Assurance in Education. 8(1), 24-31.

• Can e-assessment be used to assess appropriate levels of learning and skills?

• Are appropriate quality assurance procedures in place to ensure the validity/reliability/security of e-assessments?

Danger of Disjunction

“While assessment is one of the last things that university teachers consider when planning and developing courses, it is often the first thing that most students think about.”

Open University (Undated)

Embedding e-Assessment• Realising promise of e-assessment requires

strategic approach

• Need to address concerns about security and reliability to enhance credibility

• Ensure policy/strategy is practical and sustainable and aligned to institutional strategic aims

• Foster sense of ownership of policy across institution

e-Assessment Policy• Use of e- assessment systems and

emerging tools requires clear guidance

• Dundee first UK institution to develop a Senate approved policy in this area

• Policy and Procedures (2003) - broadly aligned with BS7988:2002

• Policy specifies procedures to be followed if e-assessment used in modules

• Regularly reviewed/updated

Informing Policy

Middle-Out

Top-Down

Bottom-Up

Envi

ronm

ent Environm

ent

Environment

Institutional Aims / Sectoral Agenda / Legal Duty

e-Learning Forum

Learning Lunches

e-Assessment Stakeholders

Student

This is nice and privateI am getting real feedback hereDo I know the answers?Can I learn from this?I am at home in this online environment

IT Desktop Administrator

Does the desktop software operate correctly?Are the “exam accounts” secure and available?Are the PCs well maintained and reliable?

Distance Student

Is my technology compatible?Is my connection reliable?Is this a replacement for F2F?

School Secretary

Can we book an IT suite for 240 students on Wednesday the 25th?Two students have additional requirements.

Lecturer

Which software should I use?Who can electronically author my questions?Can we use textbook questions?Is this assessment driving learning? Are my questions too simple?Is this technology reliable?Do the students find it tedious?Where can we obtain challenging questions?Are these assessments aligned with our learning outcomes?

Examinations Office

Are these results 100% reliable and secure?Do our procedures represent the best possible practice?Are procedures in place to address exam irregularities?

eLearning/Assessment Manager

Are the staffing levels correct?Is our software choice appropriate?Are the server specifications correct to cope with the expected load?Are staff education procedures in place?

IT Server Administrator

Is the server fully patched, reliable and secure?Is the software functioning correctly and reliablyDo we have monitoring and is it working?Are the logging and backup procedures working correctly?

Timetabling Officer

Can the proposed exams be fitted into the best rooms?Are assessments receiving appropriate prioritisation?

IT Database Administrator

Is the database correctly configured?Is it receiving and retrieving correct data?Is it properly secured behind a firewall?

Disability Services Manager

Do procedures address needs of students requiring reasonable adjustments?Is appropriate assistive technology available

Learning Technologist

Are staff adequately trained and aware of how the systems operate?Are assessments correctly scheduled?Will the exam run smoothly?Are contingency measures in place?

The ‘Hidden Team’ ‘Front of House’

Evolution of Policy• Original policy redeveloped and re-approved in 2007 and

expanded to include guidance on use of emerging assessment tools e.g. ePortfolios, electronic submission etc

• Continued development in assessment and Web 2.0 technologies and approaches - prompted extensive revision to policy in 2009

• Revision process involved:

– Cross-team ‘framework’ meeting to identify key issues– Input from specialists on matters ranging from technical to

procedural. Cross-team approach to policy development – input from members of the ‘hidden team’ important

– Review of best practice in field including policies produced by fellow UK HE Institutions

Policy Issues• Greater emphasis on roles and responsibilities and

clearer stipulation on time scales for registration and preparation of electronic examinations

• Extended guidance on accessibility and disability support

• As use of e-assessment increases technical issues more frequent – greater clarity required on how technical issues will be managed

• Need for clarity on invigilation (aligned with University regulations on conduct of examinations)

Inclusive Practice• Inclusion = supporting disabled staff/students

and staff/students who are situationally disabled

• e-Assessment (TEL) has huge potential to enhance inclusion – or introduce new barriers

• Dundee has an active inclusion support network

• Web Accessibility Service co-ordinator involved across the range of TEL strategy activities – important contributor to policy

Shared Resource

Policy or Practice?

Institutional EffortsHow can an institution help to realise the promise of e-assessment?

• Enlist small groups across schools to pilot new initiatives over a fixed period

• Ensure appropriate channels exist to disseminate good practice e.g. Teaching Awards/Learning Lunches

• Offer appropriate academic professional development opportunities – include both internal and external contributors

• Support a culture of professional development and a willingness engage with new ideas/approaches

Annual Cycle of e-AssessmentSept.

December

March

June

Summer upgrade window

Testing & tuning

Modules begin

Annual framework

meeting

Mid semester window

Online exams

Online resit exams

Online exams

e-Assessment

education module

• Growth may occur each year

• Changes may be made to the systems

• A framework allows the process to be sustained

Summative e-Assessment

“Students can, with difficulty, escape from the effects of poor teaching, they cannot… escape the effects of poor assessment.” (Boud, 1995)

• High-stakes: concerns about validity, reliability, credibility, fidelity, fairness & transparency

• High salience higher levels of test anxiety

• Clear policy and procedures crucial

Formative e-Assessment“The clear advantage of online testing as part of formative assessment is that it is in a private space and, in most cases, it can be accessed at a time when the student feels appropriate.”

(Challis, 2005)

• e-assessment widely used for formative assessment

• e-Testing: automatic feedback to learners - allow

students to practice skills • Reflective journal/scientific log – comments left by

academics• Most prominent role for e-assessment?

Student Views"We need formative assessments! Online formatives should be available after every block.”

“So it’s a bit more relaxed sitting on a computer because you can, you can sit back and just click through whereas you’ve got all this going on in your mind but...you don’t have the added thing of writing down.”

“I think that on the whole this type of assessment it can work, and it can consolidate learning, and it can enable you to apply knowledge and understanding to situations and problem solving but I think on the other hand it can be a means to an end..."

Future of e-Assessment• Secure, stable, performing systems - many

institutions moving to hosted solutions• Innovation within and beyond existing (dominant)

assessment management systems• Policy issues around use of mobile technologies• Risk to large-scale testing posed by closure of IT

suites• Stronger links between educational

developers/learning technologists/academics – more effective assessments

• Increased sharing/sales of item banks• Clearer divide between (compliance) ‘testing in’

corporate sector and ‘assessment’ in education sector

Closing Remarks• Successful e-assessment/technology enhanced

learning dependent on numerous components – strategic, technical and procedural

• Range of stakeholders – academic staff, students, e-learning staff, IT staff, administrators, senior management

• Challenge is to accommodate growth, consider risk and accept rapid change

• Issues of sustainability – IT suite availability, staffing, licensing etc

• Policy/strategy should be informed through formal and informal routes – need to achieve shared ownership

Closing Messages

“e-Assessment has come a long way and is here to stay.”

Source: http://www.da.mod.uk/academy-events/e-assessment-in-practice

Contact Information

Dr David Walker

Library & Learning CentreUniversity of Dundee

Email: d.j.walker@dundee.ac.uk Twitter: @drdjwalker