Online Assessment Research

This page contains some of the research we found useful for those considering integrating online assessments into their courses.

Topic: Positive Research Using Online Assessments

Here is an article review about the research on formative online assessments found above. 

Kerr, S., Muller, D., McKinon, W., & Mc Inerney, P. (2016). An online formative assessment tool to prepare students for summative assessment in physiology. African Journal of Health Professions Education, 72-76.

Topic: The Pros and Cons of Online Formative Assessment 

Abstract:  Online and blended learning have become common educational strategy in higher education. Lecturers have to re-theorize certain basic concerns of teaching, learning and assessment in non-traditional environments. These concerns include perceptions such as cogency and trustworthiness of assessment in online environments in relation to serving the intended purposes, as well as understanding how formative assessment operates within online learning environment. Of importance also is the issue of how formative assessment benefits both the student learning and teaching within pedagogical strategies in an online context. This paper’s concern is how online formative assessment provides teaching and learning as well as how lecturers and students benefit from it. A mixed method questionnaire on formative assessment with a main focus on how formative assessment within online contexts operates was used to collect data from courses using Blackboard. Lecturers and students at a comprehensive university were the population. Various techniques for formative assessment linked with online tools such as discussion forums and objective tests were used. The benefits that were famous comprise improvement of student commitment, faster feedback, enhanced flexibility around time and place of taking the assessment task and importance in the procedure for students and lecturers also benefited with less marking time and saved on administrative costs. The crucial findings are that effective online formative assessment can nurture a student and assessment centered focus through formative feedback and enrich student commitment with valued learning experiences. Ongoing trustworthy assessment tasks and interactive formative feedback were identified as significant features that will deal with intimidations to rationality and trustworthiness within the milieu of online formative assessment.

Baleni, Z. (2015). Online formative assessment in higher education: Its pros and cons. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 228-236.

Topic: The Difference Between Online and Traditional Assessments (Link requires VPN to access)

Abstract: This article identifies the major principles of general theory, examines how these principles can be applied to an online environment, and identifies and describes several assessment issues that have special significance in a virtual classroom.  In particular, the issues of proctored testing, identity security, academic honesty, and use of online discussions for assessment purposes are examined.  Practical suggestions are included to assist both first-time and experienced online instructors develop assessment components for their online courses.  Throughout this article the emphasis is on the creation of assessments in a constructivist environment where the emphasis is on relationships, inquiry, invention, and the construction of understanding through collaborative work and discussion.

Rovai, A. P. (2000). Online and traditional assessments: What is the difference? Internet and Higher Education, 3(2000), 141-151.

Topic: Effective online instructional and assessment strategies

Abstract:  The purpose of this study was to better understand the instructional and assessment strategies that are most effective in the online learning environment. Faculty and students identified several strategies for maintaining instructional quality in the online environment, including the importance of using a variety of instructional methods to appeal to various learning styles and building an interactive and cohesive learning environment that includes group work.  Online assessment strategies include having a wide variety of clearly explained assignments on a regular basis and providing meaningful and timely feedback to students regarding the quality of their work. Effective assessment techniques include projects, portfolios, self-assessment, peer evaluations, and weekly assignments with mediate feedback.

Gaytan, J., & McEwen, B. C. (2007). Effective online instructional and assessment strategies. The American Journal of Distance Education, 21(3), 117-132.

Topic: Online assessment techniques

Abstract: This research addresses online assessment techniques from the viewpoint of that in traditional classroom. In traditional classroom “assessment has been practiced so teachers were better able to monitor student progress, to understand and promote learning, and to increase their ability to help students become more effective, self-assessing, and self-directed learners (Angelo & Cross, 1993). These elements are even more crucial in continual online assessment (Robles & Braathen, 2002).”

Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers 2nd edition (Preface & Table of Contents)

Angelo, T.A., & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers, 2nd Ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. 

Online Assessment Techniques

Robles, M. & Braathen, S. (2002). Online assessment techniques. Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 44(1), 39-49.

Topic: Online formative and summative assessment approaches (link requires VPN to access)

Abstract: Assessment is an integral part of both traditional and online education, especially when determining student learning outcomes. In the online learning environment, both formative and summative assessment practices require an understanding of the features and tools inherent to the electronic medium. Creating assessments for online education, either formative or summative, also requires application of constructivist learning principles to our collective understanding of the educational process and related goals. In this paper, we offer an overview of formative and summative assessment approaches suited to the online education environment.

Perera-Diltz, D. M. & Moe, J. L. (2014). Formative and summative assessment in online education. Journal Of Research In Innovative Teaching, 7(1), 130-142. 

Topic: Detecting Cheats on Online Assessments Using Data Mining

Abstract: We can find several online assessment applications, Windows oriented or Web based, licensed or gnu free software, proprietary or standardized. All of them executing basic questions and test interoperability stages: providing assessment items, training and/or evaluation, and the assignment of a grade. Tons of information resulting of this educational process is stored into databases, including starting times, local or remote IP addresses, finishing times and, the student’s behavior: frequency of visits, attempts to be trained, and preliminary grades for specific subjects, demographics and perceptions about subject being evaluated. We propose the use of data mining to identify students (persons) that commit cheat in online assessments (cyber cheats) and identify patterns to detect and avoid this practice.

Hernandez, J., Ochoa, A., Munoz, J., & Burlak, B. (2006). Detecting cheats in online student assessments using data mining. Conference on Data Mining, 204-210.

Topic: Online Formative Assessment in Higher Education: A Review of the Literature

Abstract: As online and blended learning has become common place educational strategy in higher education, educators need to reconceptualize fundamentals issues of teaching, learning, and assessment in non-traditional spaces. These issues include concepts such as validity and reliability of assessment in online environments in relation to serving the intended purposes, as well as understanding how formative assessment functions within online and blended learning. This article provides a systematic qualitative review of the research literature on formative online assessment in higher education.

Gikandi, J.W. (2011) Online formative assessment in higher education: a review of the literature. Computers and Education, 2333-2351.

Topic: e-Assessments and the Student Learning Experience: A Survey of Student Perceptions of e-Assessment 

Abstract: This paper describes a piece of research carried out at the University of Bradford into student perceptions of e-Assessment. An online questionnaire was delivered 130 undergraduates who had taken part in online assessment (either formative or summative) during the academic year of 2007-2008. The aim of the survey was to identify possible risks in planning e-assessments, as well as to gauge student opinion. 

Dermo, John. (2009). e-Assessments and the student learning experience: a survey of student perceptions of e-assessment. British Journal of Educational Technology, 203-214.