1 Assessment of Asynchronous Discussions within Online Courses David Wicks Assistant Professor Director of Instructional Technology Services Seattle Pacific University

2 Overview Instructors use a variety of techniques to assess student contributions to asynchronous discussions within online courses. Faculty often report confusion and dissatisfaction with their assessment techniques (Dennen, 2002). This presentation will discuss various assessment methods and introduce the concept of having students self-assess their work using a rubric.

3 Formative assessment Goal – Understand what students know (and don’t know) and provide timely feedback to improve their knowledge and understanding. Process –Read student postings and participate in discussion during the specified timeline –Provide alternative explanations, new content, and/or ask questions Grading – All students receive the same grade if they participate.

4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Formative Evaluation Advantages –Students benefit from one-to-one instruction –Just in time –Efficient grading Disadvantages –Enormous amount of time spent on discussion –Teacher-centered = Dead Threads –Knowledge construction or destruction? –Low expectations = limited discussion?

5 Summative Assessment Goal – Evaluate student performance after conclusion of each discussion Process –Read and assess student postings –Minimum instructor interaction during discussion time Grading –Feedback provided in the form of a grade –May use rubric to provide reliable measure of student performance.

6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Summative Evaluation Advantages –Objective measure of performance –Freedom from active participation in discussion –Knowledge construction – student-directed discussion Disadvantages –Enormous amount of time spent on assessment –May lack timely/informative feedback from instructor –May encourage quantity rather than quality

7 Which should be used? Both have strengths and weaknesses A hybrid approach may work best –Feedback without thread killing –Reliable assessment without an enormous time commitment

8 Self-Assessment of Discussion Possible component of discussion assessment solution –May: Clarify expectations of discussion Provide reliable, efficient method of assessment Add element of self-examination to discussion

9 Example of how self-assessment See handout

10 Questions or Comments?