Selecting the Right Assessment Strategy -
Most online courses will end with a quiz in order to assess whether or not the learner understands the material.
However, it's important to keep in mind that the assessment methods should vary depending on what it is that you want to measure.
While they have a lot in common, elearning can have very different desired end results for the people who take the course.
Three of the most important areas include:
- Memorization and recall
- Conceptual understanding
- Application for processing
The goal of online courses is to promote a mix of the three it is often the situation. The measurement of each requires various strategies. So, asking questions is not a "one-size-fits-all" method.
Below are some evaluation strategies to follow based on the primary purpose of the course content.
Remembering and Memorization
- Multiple choice questions
- Answer the questions in blanks
- Matching questions
- Timed recall
- Note taking
- Recitation
Conceptual Understanding
- Open-ended questions
- Standard math problems
- Discussions (with questions)
Process Applications
- Word problems and equations
- Repetition of the experiment
- Recreate work from the past
- Discussion (with questions)
One area where the majority of people are familiar with is memorization and recall. It's important to remember though that this is only the beginning.
Applying new information is a better measure of the effectiveness of the course since it indicates that the participant has internalized the content so that it can influence their behavior. That is what most organizations focus on when evaluating the ROI impact of any training initiative.