Assessment Strategies Teaching Online Workshop

Three assessment strategies are employed throughout the workshop. In the first method, the reflective journal entries and instructional design templates are stored together in each participant's ‘digital drop box’ and combined to make up their ‘Teaching and Learning Portfolio’. Together these documents provide insights about the learner’s efforts, progress and achievement in the development of their online course (Arter & Spandel, 1992). The portfolio is useful to assess the degree to which the learners have internalized the new knowledge and skills they developed.


With the second approach, the contributions to the small group discussion are assessed according to the criteria laid out in Edelstein and Edward's (2002) rubric for ‘ Assessing Effectiveness of Student Participation in Online Discussions’ in order to encourage meaningful participation in asynchronous discussion groups. This follows the recommendation outlined by Graham et al. (2001) that the evaluation of participation be based on the quality of submission rather than the length or number of the postings.

The third method examines the responses to the questions in the instructional design template. The instructors use the following 5 point rating scale to assess the completeness of the final submissions of the templates;

5 - excellent, all requirements for the activity have been completed
4 - very good, most requirements for the activity have been completed
3 - good, over half of the requirements for the activity have been completed
2 - fair, half of the requirements for the activity have been completed
1- unsatisfactory, less than half of the requirements for the activity have been completed
0 - no requirements for the activity have been completed

The certificate for the Teaching Online Workshop is issued on a pass/ fail basis. The learners need to complete the majority of the activities to receive their credit.

Aside from providing constructive feedback, the purpose of the assessment instruments is to simulate the experience of an authentic online course, in which learners are able to monitor their academic progress by going to the ‘online grade book’. Additionally, it allows the designers to identify the participants that successfully complete the assigned learning activities that comprise the Continuing Medical Education certificate. Instructors also use the assessment information to consult with students who do not successfully complete these requirements in order to determine remedial work to earn the credit.

References

Arter, J. A., & Spanel, V. (1992). Using portfolios of student work in instruction and assessment. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practices, Spring, 36-43.

Edelstein, S. & Edwards, J. (2002). If You Build It, They Will Come: Building Learning Communities Through Threaded Discussions. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume V, Number I, State University of West Georgia, Distance Education Center, Available online: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/spring51/edelstein51.html

Graham, C., Cagiltay, K., Lim, B., Craner, J., & Duffy, T. M. (2001). Seven principles of effective teaching: A practical lens for evaluating online courses. The Technology Source, March/April. [online ] Available: http://ts.mivu.org/default.asp?show=article&id=839.