Assessment & Evaluation

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Faculty Support

RODP Standards and
Template Guidelines

Phase Three: Assessment and Evaluation

Assignments

The developer must decide whether to use the Desire2Learn Dropbox tool or to explain assignments via regular web pages.
The advantages of the Dropbox tool include the integration with the gradebook (including the instructor view and the student view), the ability to set availability dates, and a standard interface. A major disadvantage is the number of steps in the assignment submission process. Some students find this difficult to understand.
A tutorial on Submitting an Assignment using the Dropbox Tool has been made part of the RODP template and is available to all students. If the Assignment tool is not used this tutorial should be hidden or deleted from the course.
A major advantage of explaining assignments using a regular web page integrated into the Course Module units is that the assigned paper (or other file) can be explained in greater detail and in the flow of instruction inside the units so that instruction and assessment and evaluation become a seamless whole to student perceptions. That is, assignments submitted via the assignment tool seem to grow out of instruction inside the modules.
The Assignment link on the navigation bar connects to a page with a link to the Assignments tool and another link to an organizer page where other types of assignments can be linked. If the Assignments tool is not used, the developer should hide or delete the link to the Assignments tool page.

Quizzes, Tests, & Exams

Desire2Learn calls its testing tool the "Quizzes" The name is somewhat misleading because this is the same tool that should be used for major tests and exams.
Desire2Learn questions may include multiple choice, true/false, multiple response, short answer (fill-in-the-blank), calculated (includes random numbers), matching, and paragraph (open response) questions. All except the paragraph question can be graded by the computer.
The Quiz Tool is already added to the course - it should not be added again. All quizzes, tests, and exams will be listed on the same quiz tool page. These quizzes and tests may be organized by subject, chronologically, or by importance (quizzes in one place, tests in another).
Individual quizzes should be placed in the table of contents of the appropriate content module (either interspersed within the content in the order they should be taken or at the end in a separate section for quizzes). Including the quizzes (& tests) in the table of contents will make them available as links in the calendar.
Each quiz created is automatically included in the gradebook.
Some developers have used FrontPage forms for evaluation in the past. These forms are NOT appropriate for RODP courses and should be converted to Desire2Learn quizzes.
The construction of questions and quizzes is a subject usually requiring at least a couple of hours of instruction. Please seek further training opportunities especially for evaluation techniques.
Third party quiz construction software products are available. Respondus is recommended. It has a free and commercial version. Some developers find Respondus more user-friendly for quizzing, testing, and surveying student development. Also, it offers randomization in presenting test/quiz items to students, which is especially useful in avoiding proctored tests and quizzes.
RODP offers an on-campus infrastructure of proctoring for students . Course developers who wish to use proctored exams may build a requirement for proctored midterm and final examination into their courses. Proctors are available at all the TBR instittuions. Each semester a set of dates for the proctored midterms and finals are announced early in the term for professors' convenience.

Calendar

The calendar can be linked to many pages which appears in the table of contents of a content module. This includes quizzes and content pages.
The major dates within the course should be linked to the calendar.
To create a link, click on the number of the day in the calendar. There will be an Add entry button. During the add process there will be a drop down menu to choose an Internal link.
The student may view a global calendar with entries for all enrolled courses. The calendar dates may also be downloaded to the student's handheld (Palm OS).