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Article
Publication date: 21 June 2021

Arnab Kundu and Tripti Bej

Presently the whole world has been experiencing a pandemic threat of coronavirus diesease 2019 (COVID-19) and at the same time facing unprecedented changes in everything including…

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Abstract

Purpose

Presently the whole world has been experiencing a pandemic threat of coronavirus diesease 2019 (COVID-19) and at the same time facing unprecedented changes in everything including education. E-learning has evolved as the only alternative of knowledge transmission even in third world nations, and e-assessment has been playing an increasingly important role in this digital transformation of education. But how far and of what depth it has made its place among students' minds need to be studied to leverage its full potential to transform students' learning needs. This study reports an investigation made in this direction.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey consisting of 40 questions in Google Forms was conducted to collect primary data on students' perception of e-assessment among 200 Indian students pursuing higher education from several geographical locations. The quantitative methodological approach was followed. The data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially.

Findings

The results were analyzed based on the model of acceptance and usage of e-assessment (MAUE), and findings revealed that students' overall perception toward e-assessment was of moderate level and this perception varies depending on their gender, academic level, nature of the stream of study and their economic condition. Of the eight domains investigated, students showed better perception in the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, compatibility, subjective norms and self-efficacy domains, while they cut a sorry figure in domains like awareness, resource facilitation and information technology (IT) support. It became evident from their responses that COVID was instrumental in enhancing their interest in e-assessment.

Social implications

The implication of this study lies in strengthening e-assessment by attending to the factors as noted in the MAUE in India and alike developing nations having huge space left for e-learning to reach a boom.

Originality/value

This is an empirical investigation conducted in India on the state of students' perception of the e-assessment in the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak. To do this work, the authors conducted online surveys, and the write-up of the findings focus on the survey data only.

Details

Higher Education Evaluation and Development, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-5789

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 April 2012

Claus A. Usener, Tim A. Majchrzak and Herbert Kuchen

To overcome the high manual effort of assessments for teaching personnel, e‐assessment systems are used to assess students using information systems (IS). The purpose of this…

Abstract

Purpose

To overcome the high manual effort of assessments for teaching personnel, e‐assessment systems are used to assess students using information systems (IS). The purpose of this paper is to propose an extension of EASy, a system for e‐assessment of exercises that require higher‐order cognitive skills. The latest module allows assessing programming exercises in conjunction with particular test‐driven‐development and back‐to‐back testing.

Design/methodology/approach

EASy was developed following a design science research approach. To prove the effectiveness of the approach, the authors discuss findings from a survey that was conducted with almost 200 students from a programming lecture and present quantitative and qualitative findings.

Findings

Most students reflected positively on using EASy. EASy proves to be a versatile tool and the extension meets the authors' aims. Several details require further investigation, most notably usability and the support of tutors.

Research limitations/implications

E‐assessment is a field that requires much future research to enable commercial‐scale systems for assessment of higher‐order cognitive skills. The authors' research is currently limited in the number of exercise types the system supports.

Practical implications

EASy is a research tool despite being used in actual lectures. It is not yet a general e‐assessment solution.

Originality/value

While EASy is a research prototype, its usage in lectures demonstrates the practicability of using e‐assessment. EASy currently is one of the few systems with advanced capabilities. The paper strongly contributes to the knowledge base on building e‐assessment systems; thus, it is relevant both for practitioners seeking to establish e‐assessment and to researchers trying to understand the future needs towards comparable systems.

Details

Interactive Technology and Smart Education, vol. 9 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-5659

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2011

Anders D. Olofsson, J. Ola Lindberg and Ulf Stödberg

The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of students' meaning‐making processes, as they are part of an e‐assessment practice via written blog posting upon their…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of students' meaning‐making processes, as they are part of an e‐assessment practice via written blog posting upon their own, and their co‐students' performances, presented online through shared video media.

Design/methodology/approach

The research relies on qualitative data to provide an analysis of students' use of the educational technology tool called VoiceThread©. These data were provided by collecting Swedish higher education students' postings and comments in relation to two video clips published in VoiceThread. The formal learning sequence model by Selander together with theories on communication and reflection were used in the analysis.

Findings

The data and the analysis show that shared video media and blogging embrace a potential to facilitate communication and reflection among online higher education students. In addition, the design of the course seems to strengthen the use of formative e‐assessment.

Research limitations/implications

The research reported on in this paper should, preferably, be followed by additional research on educational technology, social software and e‐assessment; informed design of practices of formative e‐assessment; and the role of formative e‐assessment in the facilitating and enhancement of the students' learning and meaning‐making processes.

Practical implications

This paper provides researched‐based ideas of ways in which teachers in online higher education can design their courses, if they want to cultivate the students' communicative and reflective skills.

Originality/value

This paper provides an important insight into the use of shared video media and blogging in online higher education, especially, the way it can be designed for within a formative e‐assessment course approach.

Details

Campus-Wide Information Systems, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1065-0741

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2017

Rajasekharan Pillai K. and Ashish Viswanath Prakash

The purpose of the study is to analyse the perception of students toward a computer-based exam on a custom-made digital device and their willingness to adopt the same for…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to analyse the perception of students toward a computer-based exam on a custom-made digital device and their willingness to adopt the same for high-stake summative assessment.

Design/methodology/approach

This study followed an analytical methodology using survey design. A modified version of students’ perception of e-assessment questionnaire (SPEAQ) was used to elicit information from the subjects, who were drawn from a first-year post-graduate course in management and commerce, soliciting voluntary participation in the survey. SmartPLS 2.0 was the major analytical tool used to understand the theoretical robustness of observed and latent variables through structural equation modelling. The final model was retained based on the structural significance of the path coefficients.

Findings

The results of the study offer ample evidence to establish the proposed theoretical relationship. It was found that the subjects of the study maintained a positive attitude toward e-assessment. Hence, the introduction of e-exams for high-stake assessment is suitable to current generation students.

Research limitations/implications

Findings of the study may be irrelevant to students who are not subject to e-learning processes, as an e-assessment can only be effective when students have ample exposure to working on computers.

Practical/implications

A major practical implication of the study is that e-exams will positively influence the outcome of education and effectiveness of the teaching–learning process. Technology, as an eclectic paradigm, can amplify the educational outcome by boosting the competency of students to meet challenges of any emerging situations.

Originality/value

The idea of an e-exam, using a custom-made device, is unprecedented. This paper offers a convincing empirical evidence to academic administrators to integrate e-assessment with e-learning programs.

Details

Journal of International Education in Business, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-469X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 April 2017

David Gañán, Santi Caballé, Robert Clarisó, Jordi Conesa and David Bañeres

The purpose of this paper is to present an innovative web-based eLearning platform called ICT-FLAG that provides e-assessment tools with general-purpose formative assessment…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an innovative web-based eLearning platform called ICT-FLAG that provides e-assessment tools with general-purpose formative assessment services featuring learning analytics and gamification.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports on the technical development of the platform driven by the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing software methodology, which guides the platform construction, including the analysis and design steps.

Findings

The ICT-FLAG platform is technically tested by integrating it into a real e-assessment tool. Results are positive in terms of functional and non-functional aspects as well as user’s satisfaction on usability, emotional state, thus validating the platform as a valuable educational tool.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen technical paper as article type, validation of the impact of the ICT-FLAG platform in the learning process is not provided. Ongoing research with this platform is to measure the learning outcomes of its use in a real context of eLearning.

Practical implications

The paper shows implications of the main technical issues and challenges encountered during the integration of the ICT-FLAG platform with external eLearning tools, involving relevant aspects of interoperability, security, modularity, scalability, portability and so on.

Originality/value

This platform can fill the gap of many e-assessment systems, which currently do not have built-in analytical and gamification tools for learning, thus providing them with the experience to improve the quality of education and learning.

Details

International Journal of Web Information Systems, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-0084

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2009

Lily Wong

To remain globally competitive, there is increasing pressure for universities to incorporate a greater use of technology and innovation into their curriculum. In response, many…

Abstract

To remain globally competitive, there is increasing pressure for universities to incorporate a greater use of technology and innovation into their curriculum. In response, many higher education institutions have adopted a blended learning approach, which combines traditional face‐to‐face delivery with online teaching resources, to deliver course content. At Victoria University this is now policy and all units offered by the University are required to have an online presence by the first semester of 2009. Our first‐year core accounting unit is taught in Australia and overseas locations including Hong Kong, Malaysia and Beijing. There are a number of variations of how this blending occurs and the extent to which it is used may be influenced by a number or factors. These include the technical skills and time allocation of the teaching staff, professional IT support, student motivation, internet speed and access, explicit connection to assessment, and ease of use for assessment tasks. Some of these issues were addressed when this unit was moved to the online learning platform of WebCT. This paper documents the design and implementation of e‐assessment and online resources in this introductory accounting unit and monitors its impact on learning outcomes.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 October 2019

Mounir Kehal

The post-globalization epoch has placed academic institutions internationally in competitive situations where knowledgeable, effective and capable decisions have come to provide…

Abstract

Purpose

The post-globalization epoch has placed academic institutions internationally in competitive situations where knowledgeable, effective and capable decisions have come to provide the comparative edge. Academia has turned to explicit – and even conceptualizing on tacit – knowledge management to elaborate a systematic approach to develop and sustain the intellectual capital needed to succeed, in response to the employment market demand for its products. To be able to do that, you must be able to visualize your organization as consisting of nothing but knowledge and knowledge flows. The use of web-based technologies in academic institutions for their diverse practices has been widespread in colleges and universities for several decades. These applications include surveying stakeholders, assessing classes, reporting on faculty development and assurance of learning (AoL) data to mention a few. Further advances have led to the integration of applications that not only enable the sharing of knowledge but which also support the reporting requirements necessary to obtain and retain accreditation, for example; likewise, satisfy the supply of intellectual capital to the employment marketplace. The purpose of this paper is to portray the relationship between AoL and accreditations at large in business schools, with the particular articulation of a modus operandi and relevant model that could facilitate curriculum improvement likewise.

Design/methodology/approach

Observational research (or field research) is a type of correlational (i.e. non-experimental) research in which a researcher observes ongoing behavior. There are a variety of types of observational research, each of which has both strengths and weaknesses. A select set of business schools and leading accreditation agencies have been observed and reported upon in pertinence with the expected practices and modus operandi toward assuring learning.

Findings

The use of web-based technologies in academic institutions for their diverse practices has been widespread in colleges and universities for several decades. These applications include surveying stakeholders, assessing classes, reporting on faculty development and AoL data to mention a few. Further advances have led to the integration of applications that not only enable the sharing of knowledge but which also support the reporting requirements necessary to obtain and retain accreditation; likewise, satisfy the supply of intellectual capital to the employment marketplace. In this paper, the author aims to portray the relationship between AoL and assessment at large with real-life examples and approaches.

Research limitations/implications

Observational research types are organized by the extent to which an experimenter intrudes upon or controls the environment. Observational research is particularly prevalent in the social sciences. It is a social research technique that involves the direct observation of phenomena in their natural setting. This differentiates it from experimental research in which a quasi-artificial environment is created to control for spurious factors, and where at least one of the variables is manipulated as part of the experiment. Henceforth, other research methods may be engaged in to quantify and investigate the phenomenon of AoL vs international practices reported upon as per internal and external forces acting on business schools.

Practical implications

The diversity of approaches followed by business schools and encouraged by accreditations agencies is immense and at times may be connected to the choices such schools make as to how they ought to measure the learning curves of their constituents. Herein, a practical AoL approach is transcribed, as liaised with assessment and evaluation data.

Social implications

Academia has turned to explicit – and even conceptualizing on tacit – knowledge management to elaborate a systematic approach to develop and sustain the intellectual capital needed to succeed, in response to the employment market demand for its academic products and services. To be able to do that, you must be able to visualize your organization as consisting of nothing but knowledge and knowledge flows.

Originality/value

This research is conceptualized upon as per the international standards and expectations from the field with an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business framework in mind and aims to link AoL to curriculum management and through e-Assessment in a practical manner.

Details

Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, vol. 36 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1026-4116

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 April 2015

Abbi Godfrey Nangawe

The increasing availability of the internet has facilitated the development of web-based tools for the assessment of students’ learning in higher learning institutions (HLIs)…

Abstract

Purpose

The increasing availability of the internet has facilitated the development of web-based tools for the assessment of students’ learning in higher learning institutions (HLIs). However, research reveals that the use of such tools is largely dependent on the attitudes of academic and non-academic staff. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate those attitudes from the standpoint of Eric Rogers’ (1983, 2003) theory of diffusion of innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

This is study of the attitudes of higher education staff members towards web-based student assessment, using Eric Rogers’ theory of diffusion of innovation as a lens.

Findings

Promisingly, the survey of staff members in (HLIs) in Tanzania, a developing country, indicates moderately favourable attitudes towards adoption, diffusion and sustained use of web-based assessment of student learning.

Originality/value

This is a unique look at HLIs in Tanzania and how staff attitudes are leaning in favour of embracing online assessment technology.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 7 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 June 2009

Andrew Stone and Mike Dearing

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of City & Guilds' development of simulation‐based assessments for its ICT user qualification. These simulations are authentic…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of City & Guilds' development of simulation‐based assessments for its ICT user qualification. These simulations are authentic scenario‐based replicas of word processing and spreadsheet software, which present a series of tasks that the test‐taker completes as if they were using actual software, thus demonstrating their ICT competence.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology for the pilot study involved running a series of small trials at five customer sites, with test‐takers completing a detailed questionnaire. It is from this questionnaire that most of the conclusions about the simulations are drawn.

Findings

The case study explains the reasons why City & Guilds wanted to pursue this development work and presents the findings of a pilot exercise in which the simulations were trailed by a group of learners and tutors. The strengths and weaknesses of the simulations are evaluated, particularly in terms of assessment validity, and opportunities for further development work are discussed.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this paper is that the sample used for trialling was small; this was a necessity imposed by tight budgets and deadlines. Furthermore, the authors were required to use the existing City & Guilds test delivery platform, which had implications for the type of simulation that could be developed.

Originality/value

In terms of originality, it is the authors' opinion that the paper has value because it offers a unique insight into the challenges faced by a vocational awarding organisation in its efforts to develop new assessments. Although the technology involved is not completely new, it is believed that the candid evaluation of the simulations will be of interest to anyone working with e‐assessments, regardless of their level of familiarity with the UK education system.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 51 no. 5/6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 September 2016

Ignacio Traverso-Ribón, Antonio Balderas-Alberico, Juan-Manuel Dodero, Ivan Ruiz-Rube and Manuel Palomo-Duarte

In a project-based learning experience, the detailed monitoring of the activities in which team members participate can be useful to evaluate their work. However, the project…

Abstract

Purpose

In a project-based learning experience, the detailed monitoring of the activities in which team members participate can be useful to evaluate their work. However, the project activity produces a large amount of data that can be hardly assessed by a single project supervisor. This poses a scalability issue if the number of users or projects size increases. In this vein, the purpose of this paper is to make the assessment of online learning experiences more sustainable.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes a learning-oriented collaborative assessment method, supported by an open data framework. Also, an architecture for the extraction of different indicators to facilitate the assessment process is presented.

Findings

The assessment method and the open data framework were applied to a project-based course on web engineering. This experience has provided positive evidences because the grade measurement was backed up with assessment evidences and calculated with less effort.

Research limitations/implications

At the moment, results indicate that apparently there are no significant evidences against the sustainable evaluation practices for students’ summative evaluation. Nevertheless, when more data become available, a more statistically significant analysis could be made to determine the influence of the assessment practices in the final result of the evaluated skills.

Originality/value

In contrast to various existing proposals for e-assessment, the strategy focuses on assessing learning experiences in software development projects. Also, the approach is based on the reuse of information from external process supporting tools by integrating a number of metrics in a non-intrusive way.

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