Towards authentic e-assessment tasks

Abstract

Teachers can now support e-assessment practices that allow students to demonstrate their understanding of complex concepts across a range of disciplines. Timely diagnostic and formative e-assessment tasks with strategic feedback are crucial to improving student learning outcomes, as well as the retention and progression rates of students throughout their program. Teachers can provide more authentic summative e-assessment tasks for students by incorporating online tools for students to use during an assessment. This paper will discuss an assessment design framework based on the use of interactive e-assessment tasks designed to engage students with an authentic assessment environment. The interactive e-assessments use a variety of resources including web browser plugins, Java applets, Quicktime VR and interactive Excel® spreadsheets to enhance assessment questions that are delivered within common learning management systems.