Online assessment - the value of a friend's assistance

NACTA Journal, Sep 2003 by Gustafson, Cole R

Abstract

The availability of online computerized assessments is increasing, especially for economics principles courses. Scant information is available on student preferences, behavior, and learning that is accomplished with online assessments. This study investigates the performance of students in a macroeconomics principles course that recently adopted online assessment with an "open book, open friend" policy (e.g., students could use any resource, including friends, and take the test anytime or anyplace). Several strategies were developed that encouraged students to learn the material independently. Results of the analysis show that most students complete online assessments independently, even when assistance from a friend is permitted. Over half of the class did not rely on a friend and the remaining students utilized a friend's help only periodically. Use of a friend's help steadily declined over the semester. The overall impact of a friend's assistance on student performance was positive and statistically significant in about one-half of exams taken.

Introduction

The goal of this paper is to broaden the University community's knowledge and understanding of online assessment methods as a means of accommodating increasingly diverse learning and life styles of undergraduate students enrolled in large enrollment economics principles courses. This study investigates the performance of students in a macroeconomics principles course that recently adopted online assessment with an "open book, open friend" policy. Several strategies were developed that encouraged students to learn the material independently. Data were collected throughout the semester to quantify the number of students who actually did have a friend assist them during assessment and whether or not the presence of a friend improved assessment results.

Merits of Online Assessment

Faculty recognize that students have different physiological peaks (e.g. morning people v. nightowls), interpersonal skills (loners v. team members), learning styles, and study habits that impact learning (Graham, et al., 2001). These differences are most evident in large enrollment principles courses where majors and non-majors from across campus collectively engage a subject. Most faculty enjoy teaching, but are reluctant to teach large enrollment principles courses because of the perceived frustration in meeting these diverse needs of students, let alone being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of testing and paper grading. Becker and Watts found that most economics principles courses still rely on lecture presentations, visual illustrations, and multiple-choice in-class assessments.

Availability of online computerized assessments is increasing and economics principles instructors are starting to consider adoption (Vachris, 1999). Most economics principles textbooks now offer computerized assessment packages as part of their instructor materials. Online assessment methods accommodate the diverse needs of students by permitting them to balance workloads, take tests when they have the most energy, test in physical/emotional environments most conducive to learning, and receive instantaneous feedback if they possess that learning style preference. Online computerized assessments offer instructors numerous advantages as well, once initial network and development problems are overcome. Moreover, precious classroom time is increased if assessment occurs outside normal classroom hours.

A severe limitation of online computerized assessments is the possibility of cheating. Most colleges have an honor policy or code. Strategies to minimize plagiarism in online assessment include the use of passwords, "mastery" and "integration" questions, random questions to different students, and proctors at designated sites (Illinois Online Network, 2002), although the latter defeats many of the conveniences associated with online assessment. Proctoring online assessments is particularly difficult in large enrollment courses because room seating in computer clusters is typically insufficient.

An alternative, but more controversial, approach is to assume students will receive outside assistance despite instructor efforts to limit plagiarism and incorporate it into the assessment method by use of team responses, etc. The amount of independent learning on the part of each team member in this situation is unknown, however. Anecdotal evidence suggests that one team member often provides most of the responses and others participate as free-riders.

A review of literature suggests little is known about whether students prefer to complete online assessments individually or in team settings. Moreover, even less is known about actual student behavior and degree of learning accomplished when presented with that choice. To further understanding in this important area, a novel experiment was devised and data collected over a complete semester from an economics principles class that recently adopted computerized online assessment. The frequency of receiving a friend's assistance when completing an assessment and resultant impact on final course performance are delineated.