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Faculty Practices in Effective Online Student Assessment in Engineering and Technology

Abstract

Distance learning is recognized in the engineering and technology-related education profession as an attractive method of instructional delivery. The asynchronous and economical advantages of distance education and learning make offering and taking them very popular. The fast pace availability of the technology and its rapidly changing environment compel the profession to constantly evaluate, address, re-evaluate and re-engineer some of the assessment-related issues.

In this article, we discuss some aspects of online performance assessment in distance learning environments in engineering and technology. The article is built on the foundation laid by many previous studies and articles by the authors and others. It encompasses discussions on effective techniques on the use of technology for online student performance assessment. We rely on our own many years of online teaching as an experiential instrument in the former parts of this study while we use statistical analysis in the later part of the paper. The data used are collected from recent sample courses in engineering and technology taught by the authors and their colleagues. We conclude that the currently available automated robust and effective online assessment tools are significant in pedagogical assessment in engineering and technology. The results are confirmed through our discussions with the colleagues having similar experience at some other institutions of higher education. We plan to expand our database and revalidate our study through collaborative data-sharing efforts with our colleagues across the States in the near future.

Introduction

“Distance learning” and interchangeably used in this article “distance education” are commonly referred to as a field of education that investigates and examines pedagogical technologies and the design of advanced instructional systems used to deliver education remotely to students who are not physically present in the classroom. Present technology and the accessibility of the internet have made distance learning much more viable, and it has evolved from traditional ways to robust, more efficient, and more convenient for students and faculties. Online teaching and learning is progressively regarded as a means of increasing flexibility and robustness of delivery to provide for greater student access to, and control over, their learning whether they are studying on-campus or in distance mode, or offshore1, 2, 3.

Current technologies allow faculties and students to communicate asynchronously, at times and locations of their own choosing, by exchanging printed and or electronic information. New technology, such as Blackboard™, provides a more efficient and robust management system for remote classrooms. With this new trend in distance learning and education, in recent years distance education and learning have emerged as a popular method of instructional delivery in engineering and technology-related fields. Many faculties of engineering and technology may find themselves teaching online classes or thinking about teaching one. In this process, crafting online assessment techniques and rubrics without sacrificing the educational quality and security is a crucial issue to the faculty. This process can be quite challenging at times particularly for

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Mehrabian, A., & Buchanan, W., & Rahrooh, A., & Ali, T., & Moslehpour, S. (2010, June), Faculty Practices In Effective Online Student Assessment In Engineering And Technology Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--16943