Assessing Student Learning in Online Classes

Assessment & Feedback, Digital Learning

Besides managing online teaching, another important consideration is how to assess students’ learning according to course requirements and provide feedback effectively. Face-to-face assessments differ from online assessments. In a typical face-to-face classroom, assessments often consist of a single test administered on one day with a variety of question types. In an online setting, however, it is often necessary to separate assessment components so that each can be matched to the most appropriate online tool. Should the assessment be synchronous or asynchronous, group-based or individual, iterative or one-time? How should feedback be communicated to students online?

General Guidelines for Assessments 

When designing online assessments, many of the same principles used for paper-based assessments still apply:

• Align questions with learning objectives.
• Use varied question types.
• Create original questions based on the updated syllabus.
• Estimate completion time by attempting the assessment yourself.
• Use scenario-based questions that require application of knowledge.

Additional Considerations for Online Assessments

For online assessments, you may also wish to consider the following:

• Randomize questions where possible.
• Use anti-plagiarism tools (e.g., Turnitin) where appropriate.
• Inform students in advance, the assessment format (i.e., question types and the number of questions per type).