Distance education classes in higher education have drastically changed in the 21st century, and have provided a unique non-physical space for a wide variety of techniques to assess learning in a class. There are many benefits that come with taking an online course such as flexibility in study schedule, lower costs, and a variety of choices for course topics. However, in a non-traditional environment of teaching, educators have had to re-conceptualize some basic concerns of teaching, learning, and especially assessments. This has led some educators to question whether students benefit from online assessments the same way they do in traditional classroom settings. This post is going to discuss some of the benefits that have been identified for online assessments in higher education.
Technology plays an important role in student learning that is unique to distance education classes. When it comes to distance education, what works in face-to-face settings may not work in online environments which is something educators need to keep in mind in order to develop effective assessment techniques.
Online assessments can assist students in the development of self-regulated learning. Because there is no face-to-face interaction with educators who will typically remind students to stay on track, students must take charge of staying up to date and on track with their work. A study done by Wilson et al. found that the use of computer-administered multiple-choice questions as an online assessment had an encouraging influence on student enactment Wilson et al., as cited in Baleni, 2015).
When done correctly, distance education courses can also provide students and educators with richer and more immediate feedback as well (If you are interested in learning more about important elements of designing e-learning courses, check out my other blog post here!). In an article written by Baleni (2015), discussing the pros and cons of online assessment, they found that most educators indicated positive advantages of distance education courses such as less marking time, and reduced marking load, and that online assessment was better in most aspects than paper and pencil assessment. Students have also agreed with educators on this. When it comes to online quizzes, students are able to receive prompt feedback while also having enhanced flexibility around the time and place of taking the assessment.
As seen here, there are many benefits that come with distance education courses for both students and educators. However, there are always opposing opinions when it comes to integrating technology into classrooms, and some people would say there are also equally as many disadvantages when it comes to distance education. Comment down below what your thoughts are on online assessments in distance education!
References
Baleni, Z. G. (2015). Online formative assessment in higher education: its pros and cons. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 13(4), 228, 236.