- Final project assessment at end (only assessment).
- Low-stakes quizzes at the end of each module, plus final project assessment.
- No-stakes quizzes (for reinforcement only), plus final project assessment.
I'm not concerned about giving quizzes, timed or otherwise, to participants in the course. I expect these participants to have experience taking online assessments (our institution requires online training assessments for FERPA, etc). Furthermore, the target audience will be those of an age where they have taken online assessments through their academic careers.
Where I struggle is with ongoing assessments. I want there to be reinforcement of the topics being held, but I am concerned that no-stakes assessments will be ignored (no positive/negative impact, why bother?). The project at the end is what matters as it will demonstrate the ability of the student to appropriately utilize our campus LMS, so low-stakes quizzes might be seen as pointless and busy work. Our participants will be busy and the absolute last thing I want them to see low-stakes quizzes as aggravating speed bumps on the road to the final project. However, I feel a demonstration of participation and activity in each module is important so my path will be to add a single, untimed, multiple choice quiz to the end of each module. Taking the quiz (regardless of final score) will open the next module. Completing the last module's quiz will open the link to complete the final project. If I focus on the quiz being the key to the next module, regardless of the final score, I feel I can reinforce topics without making the quiz have an impact on their progress beyond being the gatekeeper to the next lesson.
I have always hated "busy work" in classes and that is why I am struggling here. However, I am hopeful that the quizzes will provide "a-ha" moments to the participants as to what is important, so I'd better be careful in the quizzes I create!
Nice to read about your project. I'm thinking about redoing the DIY-part of Blendkit and to work out a course more or less related to what you are doing. Instead of aimed at students, it would be aimed at staff. The main topic would be 'How do I set up my BlackboardCourse optimally? complemented with some educational insights?" I might even sneak in parts of the things Blendkit teaches us. ;)
ReplyDeleteRegarding to the quizzes to be able to pass to the next module: why don't you make the quizes about the final project ? You can ask things applied to what has been teached in the module on their ongoing project. And this more or less a as a quality check. you want them to be able to make a good project, so quizes related to what they can remember about the course are maybe not the best way to test ?
I apologize for my perhaps substandard level of English.