Computer Based Assessment Tools
The following is an extract from an article I am writing to inform trainers about assessment tools:
Assessment tools are those tools which allow trainers and assessors to: develop, manage and administer assessments, as well as to collect assessment results and to compile statistics based on a number of parameters.
Assessment tools could be used both in distance and in face to face modes. The advantages of using an assessment tool over using pen and paper are manifold:
Firstly an assessment tool enables the user to manage the assessment questions. This means that all the questions pertaining to a particular subject are collected in a question data bank. A number of tags could be added to these questions, for example, in which subject they could be used, the level of difficulty, etc.
Secondly performing assessment tools allow users to define questions from an extensive set of question types, such as multiple choice questions, drag and drops, etc.
Thirdly these tools allow the definition of assessment parameters, for example: Generate different assessments for the same subject but keeping the same level of difficulty, randomise the answers, e.g. in multiple choice, so that copying answers and cheating become more difficult, generate assessments to be used for training purposes whilst others to be used for the summative exam, defining the duration of assessments [per assessment or per question], etc.
Fourthly assessment tools usually come with reporting suites that enables the assessor to get advance reporting by: individual student performance, group performance, session performance, particular questions which posed a problem, performance of the same assessment over different groups of students, number of times a question from the question bank was used, etc.
Fifthly, assessment tools can also be used to generate surveys and questionnaires and collect their results, such as for example, end of training feedback questionnaires.
Assessment tools in general are still limited in the way they handle free text assessment types. Even though a number of them have features which enable automatic handling of these types of questions using certain keywords and semantics, in general the performance of such features is still not up to the level required by most assessments. What they never the less offer is the possibility of an assessor to score the free text answer and then allow for the score and comments to be recorded within the tool for reporting and analysis purposes.
Assessment tools can improve the development, delivery and management of assessments however some generic best practices for assessments are still valid whether the exam is delivered in pen and paper format or over a computer:
Having a good question base for a particular subject. The less questions there are, the more the assessment become repetitive and the less ‘formative’ instances can be created – where the students can do practice assessment drills and learn form their mistakes.
Having the possibility of delivering assessments online does not automatically mean that the assessment is secure: In a face to face environment, a proctor supervises that no cheating takes place during exams. Even if advanced security features enable the more advanced assessment tools to be used to administer exams in distance mode, the cheating factor is still important. Decide on the importance and criticality of the assessment before deciding on the mode [distance or in a class]. A class exam can be delivered using a computer, thus enabling all the other advantages that an assessment tool can offer.
Assess the validity and reliability of an assessment before delivering it. By validity it is meant the degree the assessment actually assesses the student on the knowledge of the subject officially being tested. Reliability means the degree that different sessions of the assessment or the assessment being delivered to different people will result in similar performances for similar knowledge. This means for example, that two versions of the same assessment have the same level of difficulty and that the assessment does not discriminate for gender or age or other skill that has nothing to do with the assessment.
Examples of assessment tools are:
Perception by Questionmark [www.questionmark.com]
Question Tools by Question Tools [www.questiontools.com]
