{"id":4280,"date":"2020-03-28T09:17:12","date_gmt":"2020-03-28T03:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.iilm.edu\/?p=4280"},"modified":"2020-03-28T09:17:12","modified_gmt":"2020-03-28T03:47:12","slug":"computer-assisted-assessment-caa-formative-assessments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iilm.edu\/blog\/computer-assisted-assessment-caa-formative-assessments\/","title":{"rendered":"Computer Assisted Assessment (CAA) for Formative Assessments"},"content":{"rendered":"

Keywords: Computer Aided Assessment, Formative Assessment, Online Assessment, Formative Feedback, E-learning<\/span><\/p>\n


\nThe role and scope of ICT (information and computing technology) expanded<\/span>
\nmainly in 1990s and became a hot topic of research in education. The rationale given for using assessment through computers is that due to global development of online learning, online assessment should be used to complement it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Computer-assisted assessment (CAA) is a broad term which describes the<\/span>
\napplication of computer technologies to the assessment process. This may include<\/span>
\na variety of activities which assess knowledge, understanding and skills using one<\/span>
\nor more technologies such as the Internet, intranets, CD-ROM and optical data<\/span>
\ncapture systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

Approaches to Computer Aided Assessment (CAA) can be divided in 2 systems:<\/span><\/p>\n

\uf0b71.\u00a0 Automated marking of paper forms, using optical mark reader (OMR) e.g.,<\/span>
\nCAT test for management courses, and<\/span><\/p>\n

\uf0b72.\u00a0 Computerized marking in which questions are presented and responses<\/span>
\nassessed entirely by the computer software, with no paper involved e.g.,<\/span>
\nthe online test and Quizzies.<\/span><\/p>\n

CAA software can provide immediate supportive feedback for each question,<\/span>
\ntailor the answer given, making\u00a0this particularly suitable for informal self-<\/span>
\nassessment and Formative Feedback by tutor. It is fundamentally useful in testing basic knowledge required in any subject like Terminology, and fundamental conceptual knowledge. There are a plethora of Assessment tools that can be used for assessing student’s learning capacity and knowledge gained.<\/span><\/p>\n

This blog is sharing the experience of designing and running of online quizz that I had made using the Question-Mark Perception software in collaboration with Nottingham Trend University UK.<\/span><\/p>\n

I had applied it for Fashion UG students in Level 2 of studies where subject of Pattern Making was tested. MCQs were reinforcing their learning in conceptual way, as students tend to ignore it in a skill based subject. It was a five minutes short quizz with ten questions (pictures and visuals were also part of questions) though some students finished it in 3 minutes. The quiz gave me an option to save the questions online that could be used for future batches as well. Gradually a teacher can start making a “question pool” ready to be implemented as when needed in a very organized and quick way. It took me a few days to design, re-think, pilot run, and saving a final copy. Students could run it anytime and at their own place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Students’s feedback was quite positive as the reult was immediatly sent to them as soon as they completed the test. The best part, as per student’s perception, was that it was quick and took only few minutes.\u00a0One of the important piont that was noted in\u00a0 students’ feedback was that they felt “Marking was fair”.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"See<\/p>\n

My perception of its pedagogical advantage as a Formative Assessment is<\/span>
\nexplained below with the help of following points, though some of them<\/span>
\ncame as realizations only after the execution:<\/span>
\n\uf0b7 a. Testing the knowledge gained by setting significant milestones; and<\/span>
\nthe associated loopholes\/gaps in the same before the summative<\/span>
\nassessment. One of the learning outcomes of this module is to<\/span>
\nacquire and apply basic knowledge of the subject.<\/span>
\n\uf0b7 b. Informal, timely, appropriate and correct feedback for the test<\/span>
\ntaken.<\/span>
\n\uf0b7 c. Easier method of record generation when used as a means of<\/span>
\nassessment<\/span>
\n\uf0b7 d. A means of supporting the administration part and tracking of<\/span>
\nlearning<\/span>
\n\uf0b7 e. And, last but not the least, as a tool for learning information<\/span>
\nmanagement skills – how do you manage answering questions in the limited period?<\/span><\/p>\n

The use of CAA in universities of UK and US is growing (McKenna, 2001)<\/span>
\nand there are at least 3 reasons why we might want to introduce ICT-<\/span>
\nbased assessment:<\/span><\/p>\n