Using Java applets to help make online assessment interactive

Abstract

For those involved in designing online environments special attention must be afforded to interactivity. Online tasks should involve students actively engaging with tools and resources they will potentially use in their later employment. Java applets, embedded in course web sites, can enhance educational material with animations, applications that are responsive to student choices, and provide interactivity to engage students in active learning. The interactivity inherent in these applets allows a student to explore, to make errors, and seek their own solutions. They can all be incorporated into online assessment to allow students to interact with real tools.