Using technology to manage student
assessment in online courses
Content management systems have built-in assessment tools, but those tools are sometimes
limited, especially when assessing video assignments, and the nature of how they work
sometimes makes them an inefficient and inflexible way to assess student work in online
courses. This presentation will explore variety of online tools that can be used or adapted for
this purpose.
Dr. Andrea Peach & Dr. Harold Peach
Georgetown College
Topics
Using authentic assessments in online classes
Considerations for storing assessments and comments
Tools to use to provide feedback for assessments
Using Authentic Assessments in Online
Classes
Portfolios
Blogs
Podcasts
Games
Websites
Videos
Research
Papers
Presentations Observations
Authentic Assessments
Individual Projects
Group Projects
Some ideas about group-based projects
Assign specific roles to each group member.
Team Leader: Coordinates the
efforts of the team,
communicates with the
professor.
Have each group member upload their specific
part of the task to the assignment and give credit
based on their individual contribution.
Require group members to inform you about
non-contributors by docking all of the grades if a
group member doesn’t participate and no one
informs the instructor.
Allow group members to determine interaction
techniques but require the group leader to
inform you about the interaction and to invite
you to participate.
Reviewer: Reviews the entry for
content accuracy, copyright
adherence, readability, etc.,
and pre-assesses with rubric.
Designer: Locates media
(images, video, etc.) for the
blog posting, copies in the text,
and designs the look of the blog
posting.
Researcher: Finds resources for
the blog posting
Writer: Writes the text for the
blog entry
Scoring Authentic Assessments with
Rubrics
Students are provided with the final project rubric in the course syllabus.
At key points in the course, students are asked to comment on how they plan to fulfill particular
areas of the rubric in their final project.
Students self-assess their final project and turn in the self-assessment and final project before
the end of the class. The comments must include specific information on why the scores are
appropriate, including citing specific course content and including references where appropriate.
Professor reviews the self-assessment, comments on areas still needing attention, and returns
rubric and feedback to student.
Student fixes problems, comments on the specific changes on the rubric, and turns in final
project and final rubric.
The quality of the rubric self-evaluation is a part of the final grade of the project.
Rubrics, continued
Advantages:
◦ Student is aware of the connections between the final project and course content throughout the
course.
◦ Student is repeatedly made aware of each requirement of the final project.
◦ Professor can address potential project concerns throughout the semester (formative evaluation)
instead of waiting until the end of the class.
◦ Professor can use the rubric to locate the student areas of strength and weaknesses by reading the
student comments on the rubric and then reviewing the specific area of the final project.
Rubrics may either be created using Word or Excel, or can be embedded into the LMS.
Example of one criteria in a final project rubric:
Examples of Rubric Criterion
Criteria
Content
GCCF 1.1, 1.6
TF-2A, TF-5-C&D
iNACOL D.7, A.7
(10 pts)
Multimedia elements
GCCF 1.1, 1.6
KY 1, 6
TF-5-C&D
iNACOL D4
(10 pts)
3 (Target)
Content reflects module objectives, is designed and
created for the intended audience, is interesting and
engaging, and is appropriately presented. It uses
appropriate technology based on student characteristics
and instructional intent. Content contains user-created
original text (not merely copied from another source)
and / or media as well as high-quality external online
articles or media. All sources are appropriately cited.
Exceptional work!
2 (Met)
Content reflects module objectives, is designed and
created for the intended audience, is interesting and
engaging, and is appropriately presented. It uses
appropriate technology based on student characteristics
and instructional intent. Content contains mostly highquality external online articles or media. All sources are
appropriately cited.
Uses at least two instructionally-relevant, high quality,
multimedia element (video, audio, animation, screen movie,
etc. NOT including graphics-based presentation from above
requirement) for instructional purposes. Both of these
multimedia elements were created or modified in some way
by you. Other media found on the internet is properly
inserted and cited. Media is saved at appropriate size and
formats (multiple formats when appropriate) and use minimal
disk space. Instructions for use and requirements (plugins) are
made available from the online module. Media abides to fair
use guidelines.
Uses at least two instructionally-relevant, high quality,
multimedia element (video, audio, animation, screen movie,
etc. NOT including graphics-based presentation from above
requirement) for instructional purposes. One of these
multimedia elements was created or modified in some way by
you. Other media found on the internet is properly inserted
and cited. Media is saved at appropriate size and formats for
web site and use minimal disk space. Instructions for use and
requirements (plugins) are made available from the online
module. Media abides to fair use guidelines.
Need help designing a rubric?
Some resources..
http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/rubrics.htm - Authentic Assessment Toolkit
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php - Rubistar
http://www.rcampus.com/indexrubric.cfm - iRubric
http://www.learner.org/workshops/hswriting/interactives/rubric/ - Developing Writers Rubric
Creator
Creating a Rubric in Moodle
YouTube Video - Rubrics in Moodle 2.2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXavtUhDINA&feature=youtu.be
Moodle Documentation – lots of information
Considerations for student projects
If you have students create authentic assessments, some considerations include:
Storage: Where will your students store the projects to be assessed?
Submitting the Assignment: How do students submit the project? How will you know that the
student has submitted the project?
Feedback: Where will your feedback reside? How will your students know that you have
graded the assignment?
Grade: How will you get the results back into the gradebook on your LMS?
Storage: Where will your students store the projects to be assessed?
LMS
◦ Pros: easy to access for both student and professor
◦ Cons: space limitations may exist; some feedback options may not be available; may not be able to
comment on live document, etc.
CLOUD
◦ Pros: can collaborate / comment on live document; some assessment tools can access cloud-based
assessments
◦ Cons: setup may be difficult / confusing; space issues;
◦ Some sites to consider: Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, Office360, YouTube
Submitting the Assignment
How do students submit the project? How will you know that the student has submitted the
project?
◦ Use the LMS Assignment Tool
◦ Submit a URL
◦ Add a comment that describes how to find the project
◦ Use the features of the Cloud tool
◦ Dropbox will notify you when a new document has been uploaded
Feedback and Grades:
Where will your feedback reside?
◦ LMS:
◦ Upload the rubric to the LMS
◦ Use the LMS rubric feature to score the rubric (if available)
◦ Store the grade in the gradebook
◦ CLOUD:
◦ Some cloud assessment tools store the feedback in the tool
◦ Add grade manually to the LMS gradebook
How will your students know that you have graded the assignment?
◦ LMS: Should notify students of assessment
◦ CLOUD: Some cloud tools contact the students when feedback is added
Web-based Feedback Tools
Kaizena
https://kaizena.com
Kaizena - Google Drive Extension – works with Google drive documents
◦ Getting started -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpu6fzr2gH8
◦ Tags - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHIsJgLHQ5g&feature=youtu.be
Pros:
◦ You can make tags that are related to your rubric
◦ You can add audio feedback and resources
Cons:
◦ Google-Docs and Chrome only
◦ Must install extension
Screen Capture Tools
Use Screen Capture tools to give video / audio feedback while scoring web-based assessments
Examples: Free
◦ Jing: http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html - email, upload to http://screencast.com, share through
social media
◦ Screen Cast O Matic - http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/ - nothing to install, send to YouTube or
video file.
◦ Screencastify (Screen Video Recorder) - https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/screencastifyscreen-vide/mmeijimgabbpbgpdklnllpncmdofkcpn?hl=en (Chrome Extension) – 10 mins, publish to
YouTube or Drive
◦ Explain Everything (app) - http://www.morriscooke.com/applications-ios/explain-everything-2
Camtasia Studio – costly but amazing
Live assessment using video-conferencing systems like Go To Meeting, Big Blue Button, etc.
Audio Feedback
Voice Record Pro -- https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/voice-record-pro/id546983235 (app)
Vocaroo - http://vocaroo.com/ - web-based, no software
Embed audio into PowerPoint by using the Audio feature (PowerPoint)
Digital voice recorder
Audacity - http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ (Download the LAME app to save as MP3 file)
Video / Audio Assn Feedback /
comments
VidBolt - https://beta.vidbolt.com/ - leave comments on videos
Coach’s Eye - https://www.coachseye.com/ - compare your performance over time
VoiceThread - http://voicethread.com/ - video / audio feedback / peer feedback
LiveText - https://www.livetext.com/site_assets/pdf/Video_TrainingManual_7_30_14.pdf
YouTube – Create video annotations https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/92710?hl=en
SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/ (application ideas for use in teaching http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/07/teachers-guide-to-use-of-soundcloud-in.html) –
you can add comments in general or to a specific part of a recording
Share your ideas
Contact Information
Andrea Peach, Ed. D. – Andrea_Peach@georgetowncollege.edu
Harold Peach, Ph.D. – Harold_Peach@georgetowncollege.edu