CAA 7 th International Conference July 2003 Dr Kevin Palmer Director, the Virtual Learning Centre Coleg Llandrillo

On-line Assessment and Free Response Input in Literature Learning Objects– a Pedagogic and Technical Model for Squaring the Circle Dr Kevin Palmer Director, the Virtual Learning Centre Coleg Llandrillo

Background X4l = Exchange for Learning National JISC Programme in re-using and re-tasking knowledge resources Build Learning Objects from currently available digital knowledge Two projects at Llandrillo – Literature and Key Skills The FREE as a spin-off development

An X4L Learning Object Pre-assessment – an interaction that ensures that the learner is equipped to benefit from the LO. Concrete – a ‘learning phase’ where the learner engages with the resource at a concrete level, taking for example the literal or intended meaning from the piece of literature. Reflective – the next learning phase where the learner reflects on the concrete, and seeks to apply to it other knowledge for the purpose of exploring it.

An X4L Learning Object Abstraction – the phase where the learner generalises the learning, and sees its application across a range of related and unrelated knowledge. Off-line active – the phase where the learner experiments with the knowledge, both going ‘off-line’ and exploring other issues related to the source knowledge. Generally, this requires the learner to write something of their own. Feedback – the final phase, where the learner is provided with feedback to their work.

The FREE Pedagogic assumptions of the Llandrillo LO and the FREE The need for some degree of prescription The need for an assessment that refers to standards of achievement The importance of active interaction in the LO The recognition that the learner’s response to the LO in Literature might still well be subjective The recognition that different users of the LO would arrive at understanding in different ways, and express that understanding in different, if largely predictable, linguistic manners The use of feedback and ‘teach-back’ The use of the assessment to jump into further debate The delivery of an active, participatory and experiential assessment

The FREE Limits to on-line learning and assessment in the humanities Pedagogic orientation – most LO’s are behaviourist, much Literature and humanities teaching is constructivist Input-output – most LO’s rely on closed input-output models, not unlike closed questions in teaching practice Predominant examples – yes/no, multiple choice, drag and drop Assumptions about the machine – something to do with binary… Result – an assessment culture in CBL that is at odds with the culture of teaching and assessment, at odds with teachers’ preferences, at odds with the Literary and Humanistic enterprise

The FREE How it works – the simple FREE Word appears in FREE input by the user/learner Word does not appear in FREE input by the user/learner Word selected by the FREE creator as significant – in the context of this project, the words were actual textual items from the poem, passage of narrative or scene of drama. Positive feedback, stating that we can see that the learner has identified the textual item and checking in the statement that the item is referred to correctly. Feedback stating that this idea or term appears not to have been supplied in the input, and suggesting how the term could be identified in the task.

The FREE How it works – the complex FREE Option in the inputFeedback output would be Answer contains reference to textual item only …you seem to have mentioned Blake’s use of the word x – have you considered..? Answer contains reference to rhetorical device only … you seem to be aware of rhetorical device a – examples of this might be… Answer contains textual device and rhetorical device in proximity … it looks as though you are aware of Blake’s… Answer contains textual device and rhetorical device but not in proximity … you have mentioned both x and y, but we are not sure whether you have seen the connection between them… Answer contains neither textual item of rhetorical device … we can’t see whether you are aware of…

The FREE Demo – read the poem first… For further information: – URL’s for viewing on-line versions of various examples of the simple FREE and/or

The FREE Future Developments Solve logical problems with current versions of the complex FREE (summer 2003 to December 2003) Produce a number of FREE examples for social sciences (September 2003 to June 2004) Work with the CETIS QTI Special Interest Group on interoperability questions and questions of FREE-based tests (through academic year ) Produce a graphical interface for lecturers to make their own FREE’s – a really hot potato (summer 2003, released as test to Wales ILT Champions September 2003)

For Further Examples sh/packintroduction.shtm Reports available: The pedagogic report The exit and renewal report From:

The Poem – for use in the demonstration LONDON [from The Poetry (1965)] Blake, William, : LONDON [from The Poetry (1965)] 1 I wander thro' each charter'd street, 2 Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. 3 And mark in every face I meet 4 Marks of weakness, marks of woe. 5 In every cry of every Man, 6 In every Infants cry of fear, 7 In every voice: in every ban, 8 The mind-forg'd manacles I hear 9 How the Chimney-sweepers cry 10 Every blackning Church appalls, 11 And the hapless Soldiers sigh, 12 Runs in blood down Palace walls 13 But most thro' midnight streets I hear 14 How the youthful Harlots curse 15 Blasts the new-born Infants tear 16 And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse Copyright © 1965, David V. Erdman. This text may not be reproduced, except for fair dealing purposes, without the permission of Chadwyck-Healey Ltd. and the copyright holder. Send your suggestions, comments or queries to our Webmaster. Copyright © 2001 ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All Rights Reserved.[ Top of page ]Webmaster Copyright[ Top of page ] Reproduced by courtesy of ProQuest Information and Learning Company under the auspices of the JISC X4L Programme