Online assessments are an essential part of any teacher’s toolkit, and they allow you to assess students without spending hours grading papers and tests. They can be used in various ways: as diagnostic tools within the classroom, summative assessments after a unit has been completed, or formative assessments that help guide instruction. But before designing your following online assessment, consider these tips for success.
Make sure Your Students have the accessibility.
You may have heard the buzz about online assessments and how they can be a great way to supplement your existing classroom assessments. But if you’re a teacher looking to use this technology in your classroom, there are some essential things to keep in mind.
First, ensure your students have access to the internet and its resources. If they don’t, an online assessment will not be very useful. Next up: making sure they have access to the right technology. Suppose only some have a smartphone or tablet at home. In that case, an online assessment may be out of reach for them because it will require using one of those devices and having an internet connection to log into the platform where their test results are stored.
After that comes making sure that every student has all required equipment (e.g., headphones) before starting any testing—and then checking back in periodically so nobody gets left behind or loses focus from lack of resources needed for completing tasks (e.g., forgetting headphones).
Choose the right platform.
Choosing a robust exam platform is vital for your online assessment. It can make or break how effective it is for you, so take some time to think about what’s important to you and your school. The best way is by asking yourself:
- What are your goals?
- How much does it cost?
- What features does it have?
Be aware of the tools at your disposal.
If you’re starting to explore the world of online assessments, you must know what tools are available to you. Some of the most popular online assessment tools have their pros and cons. This way, you can choose which online exam delivery platform best fits your needs.
Keep your students informed about what to expect.
As you launch your assessment, ensure your students have a chance to read the instructions. Explain what is expected of them and allow them to ask questions about the process, including whether or not they can take it more than once. Also, explain how long the assessment will take each student (it’s worth noting that most online reviews are timed).
You must also let them know if there are any specific guidelines for writing in an online format. If there are no limits on length, provide examples of good responses (and some bad ones), so they know what they’re supposed to be doing and how it should look. In addition, encourage them to practice writing an essay before starting their actual submission by completing a sample prompt on paper ahead of time—this step can save you and your students time later when correcting essays!
Conclusion
The key to setting up online assessments is to be prepared and adaptable. Use the tips in this post to build your assessment platform and use new tools and technology. Keep an eye on what other educators are doing, try out new things yourself, and work with others who have experience in this area so that you can share knowledge.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
Nina Lewis says
Great post. Very helpful. My nephew’s teachers actually have a great online platform for assesments!
heather says
I enjoyed reading this post and learned a lot. I wish we would have had this when I was going to school so helpful in early learning and keeping on track.
Bea LaRocca says
This is a helpful guideline for teachers who are looking to set-up on-line assessments for their students and I feel that this post is helpful to parents as well who are looking to be more involved in their child’s education and who may have questions for their child’s teachers regarding these assessments. Thank you for sharing
Sandra says
Amazing information thank you.