There are many successful ways in which an instructor can assess learning in a face-to-face classroom, so why then should a blended instructor consider using online assessments as a regular means to judge learning?

Providing assessments online can add variety to the types of assessments used.  Formative assessments work particularly well online, allowing students to assess their own learning at their own pace.  Aside from ungraded test questions for students to practice, giving students the opportunity to do peer reviews work particularly well online.   Summative assessments can benefit from the variety that a substantial test bank offers, allowing for the rotation of questions. Assessments can also be set to give feedback immediately to students.

Once you’ve decided the type of assessment you’d like to use online it’s important to plan for not only the success of your assessment but, for student success as well.  Make sure that your assessments address the learning outcomes you have set for your students.  You might even want to make this your first formative assessment to see where students stand at the start of your lesson/unit.  Use the same assessment again throughout or at the end of what’s been taught to give your students comparative data.

As you are designing your assessments, consider how much time your students will need to complete the assessment an plan accordingly to ensure that students are given ample time to complete the activity.  Also, remember that clear instructions are important, especially if you intend to deploy the assessment asynchronously.  The rubric located here is a good starting place to designing successful online assessments.

Here are some examples of assessments in Blackboard from the University of New South Whales.

For more information on online assessments and how to develop them, visit: http://www.cshe.unimelb.edu.au/assessinglearning/03/online.html

Some excellent Blackboard video tutorials and instructions on developing online assessment in Blackboard can be found online at, http://ondemand.blackboard.com/assess.htm

What are some concerns you have about using assessments online and what are some ways in which you think you might be able to overcome them?  Please share your thoughts by using the comments feature for this post.