1. Formative online assessments using Questionmark Tracey Wilkinson School of Biosciences

2. Formative online assessment Why use formative assessment? What are the advantages and disadvantages? What kinds of questions can be used? What do the students think?

3. Why use formative assessments?

4. Advantages of online testing

5. What are the disadvantages? time and effort to construct good questions feedback (individual, interaction, justify) creativity and written communication skills higher order questions (Bloom’s taxonomy)

6. Logic and reasoning Train service suffers when a railroad combines commuter and freight service. By dividing its attention between its freight and commuter customers, a railroad serves neither particularly well. Therefore, if a railroad is going to be a successful business, then it must concentrate exclusively on one of these two markets. For the argument to be logically correct, it must make which one of the following assumptions? a.Commuter and freight services have little in common with each other. b.The first priority of a railroad is to be a successful business. c.Unless a railroad serves its customers well, it will not be a successful business. d.If a railroad concentrates on commuter service, it will be a successful business. e.Railroad commuters rarely want freight services as well. American LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) Answer = c

7. What kinds of questions can Questionmark provide?

8. True-false

9. Multiple choice (single best answer)

10. Multiple response

11. Multiple response feedback

12. Matching

15. Ranking

16. Ranking feedback

17. Fill in blank

19. Select a blank

20. Drag and drop

22. What do the students think? found them useful ask for more ‘under pressure to do well as teacher sees results’ useful for revision before summative tests and exams uptake

23. References Brown G, Bull J and Pendlebury M (1997) Assessing student learning in higher education. London: Routledge. Bull J and McKenna C (2004) Good practice guide in question and test design. Fry H, Ketteridge S and Marshall S (2003) A handbook for teaching and learning in higher education. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Miller T (2009) Formative computer-based assessment in higher education: the effectiveness of feedback in supporting student learning. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education 34:181-192. Nicol D (2007) E-assessment by design: using multiple choice tests to good effect. Journal of Further and Higher Education 31: 53-64. Wiliam and Black (2003) In praise of educational research: formative assessment. British Educational Research Journal 29:623-637.

24. Speak to Pete if you’re interested!