Online-Community+Assessment

grabinsky, m
**__ Evaluation Overview __** A program evaluation is an important and necessary component of curricular change and innovation. A program evaluation determines:
 * Program Evaluation: **
 * How the program could be improved;
 * Is the program worthwhile?
 * Are there better alternatives?
 * Are the program goals appropriate and useful?

[| Shackman.G (2009)]

** Assessment Definition: ** Assessment is a process of obtaining information to make educational decisions about students, to give feedback to the student about their progress, strengths and weakness (Kellaghan & Greaney, 20011).


 * Assessment is the most important tool to support student learning.

Constructive Alignment is a learning and teaching principle devised by John B. Biggs.
 * Constructive Alignment Model: **
 * The intended learning outcomes; (What do we want the learners to know?)
 * The learning activities; (How will the learners learn?)
 * The assessment of learning (How will we know the learners have learnt?)

All these elements should be aligned to each other, which supports a deep learning of students.



[|Biggs, (2009)]


 * Constructivist Evaluation: **
 * Is a form of evaluation based on the propositions (basic assumptions) undergirding the constructivists’ paradigm?
 * The constructivist paradigm differs from other knowledge paradigms
 * It is based on three fundamental assumptions (ontological, epistemological and methodological (G.Egon & Y Lincoln, 2011)


 * Constructivist Process: **
 * Constructivist evaluation is a process for doing evaluation that meets two conditions. It is organized by the claims, concerns and issues of stake holding audiences, and it utilizes the methodology of the constructivist paradigm. (G.Egon & Y Lincoln, 2011)


 * Guidelines: **
 * 1) Elicit from the stakeholder groups their constructions about the form and process of the evaluand and the range of claims, concerns and issues they wish to raise in relation to it.
 * 2) Provide a context and a methodology through which different constructions of the evalund.
 * 3) Generate consensus with respect to as many constructions, and their related claims, concerns, and issues, as possible.
 * 4) Collect and provide the information called for in the agenda for negotiation.
 * 5) Establish and mediate a forum of stakeholder representatives in which negotiation can take place.
 * 6) Develop a report, probably several targeted reports, that communicate to each stakeholder group any consensus on constructions and any resolutions.
 * 7) Recycled the evaluation to take up still unresolved constructions and their attendant claims.


 * Different way of Assessment: **
 * Assessment made by the Teacher - (The teacher is an expert in their field)
 * Self-Assessment - (An individual student or a student group assesses their own work/actions)
 * Peer-Assessment - (Students assess the outputs or action of other students)
 * Diagnostic - The assessment takes place before studying (pre-test)
 * Formative - The assessment takes place during studying
 * Summative - The assessment takes place after studying (exam)
 * Quantitative - Assessment measures the amount of knowledge (multiple choice) How many things the student can mention.
 * Qualitative - Assessment involves making judgments against criteria (rubrics) How well the student has achieved the learning outcomes
 * Continuous Assessment - Different kinds of assignments, tests and exercises are assessed throughout the course


 * Different Assessment Methods: **
 * Written Exam
 * Oral Test
 * Group examination
 * Literature examination
 * Entry-level test
 * Case Exercise
 * Written reports
 * Design assignments
 * Continuous Assessment

The following are essential parts in choosing the correct assessment methods.
 * Choosing the Assessment Methods: **
 * How it suits the object
 * How it supports the aims of the study period
 * What kind of performance should be confirmed by assessment?
 * Reflect on what kind of learning is being pursed

**__ Evaluation of the UOIT Online Environment __** “What is the best way to assess the online-community of the UOIT MEd program?”
 * A graduate survey and interview could be an appropriate platform for evaluating the online community (Blackboard, LMS).
 * Students are a mobile population, new students are constantly entering the program and the mature students are ready to exit the program.
 * Blended Learning

// The UOIT MA in Education is unique and at the leading edge in both its objectives and approaches to learning online. Not only does the program deal with the most recent issues around the interactions between digital technology and education, but the professors do so using approaches that favour collaborative learning, co-construction of knowledge and peer tutoring. //


 * The full Program Description can be found at: [|gradstudies.uoit.ca]

An online course or content management system (CMS) like Blackboard allows faculty to engage students in Hybrid or Asynchronous online sections with multimedia content using formats like imported images, PowerPoint, podcast audio and video lectures and demonstrations.
 * Blackboard for Assessment: **

[|Blackboard]

A survey is a research method for collecting information from a selected group of people using standardized questions or interviews. Surveys also require:
 * What is a Survey? **
 * Selecting populations for inclusion
 * Pre-testing instruments
 * Determining delivery methods
 * Ensuring validity
 * Analyzing results

Surveys can be conducted through.
 * Survey Format: **
 * Face-to-face interviews
 * Telephone interviews
 * Paper questionnaire’s
 * Online questionnaire’s
 * Combination of these methods

[|Survey Methodology]


 * Graduate Student Survey Example: **




 * Interview Questions Example: **


 * 1) What are the strengths and weaknesses with the variety and quality of the technologies and tools available for your use in teaching online courses?
 * 2) Describe the types and levels of technical and pedagogical assistance that is required when teaching in this program?
 * 3) What processes should be used to support instructors who transition from teaching face-to-face to teaching online?
 * 4) How should student and instructor expectations be managed in our online program?
 * 5) How should instructors in our courses manage faculty-student interaction?
 * 6) What advice would you give other instructors in managing student feedback and communication in our courses?