Managing Information Flow for Flexible Assessment of Student Learning in Large Lecture Classes

Large lecture courses provide numerous logistical challenges because of the volume of information about student performance that invariably arises due to the number of students involved. These challenges tend to limit the options associated with the assessment of learning. The advent of computer-graded tests was considered a triumph decades ago, in a large part because it took advantage of the efficiency of information organization that computers afford. The World Wide Web provides new efficiencies in information management that can support new flexibility in assessing what students learn in our courses. By utilizing online database software, information flow is enhanced, and this fact allows the inclusion of a variety of optional assessments for students. Providing choices of assessment to students acknowledges differences in learning styles and provides additional methods for students to succeed in entry-level courses.