Online self-assessment and students' success in higher education institutions

This paper validates effects of online self-assessment tests as a formative assessment strategy in one of the first year undergraduate courses. Achieved students' results such as test scores and pass rates are compared for three different generations for the same course but also judged against the exam results of other courses taught in the same semester. The analysis points out that there is a statistically significant difference between the groups for half-semester tests and exam pass rates after online self-assessment tests were introduced. Positive effects on students' success are approximated for the overall institution using a simulation model. Results point out that a small increase in pass rates could significantly impact the overall success i.e. decrease of dropout rates. Students' results from three different generations were compared.Inspecting effects of online self-assessment tests on students' success.Simulation model of course pass rates in higher education institution.

[1]  Allison Littlejohn,et al.  Reusing Online Resources: A Sustainable Approach to E-Learning , 2003 .

[2]  Thomas Buchanan,et al.  The efficacy of a World-Wide Web mediated formative assessment , 2001, J. Comput. Assist. Learn..

[3]  Olle Bälter,et al.  The effect of short formative diagnostic web quizzes with minimal feedback , 2013, Comput. Educ..

[4]  Beverly M. Klecker.  The Impact of Formative Feedback on Student Learning in an Online Classroom. , 2007 .

[5]  P. Black,et al.  Assessment and Classroom Learning , 1998 .

[6]  Erik Cobo,et al.  A web-based learning tool improves student performance in statistics: A randomized masked trial , 2010, Comput. Educ..

[7]  Felix Mödritscher,et al.  e-Learning Theories in Practice: A Comparison of three Methods , 2006 .

[8]  Charalampos Stergiopoulos,et al.  Comparison of oral examination and electronic examination using paired multiple-choice questions , 2011, Comput. Educ..

[9]  Andrew Greasley.  Using business-process simulation within a business-process reengineering approach , 2003, Bus. Process. Manag. J..

[10]  J. W. Gikandi,et al.  Online formative assessment in higher education: A review of the literature , 2011, Comput. Educ..

[11]  Maria Morant,et al.  Data Mining in Higher Education , 2011 .

[12]  Bartholomäus Wissmath,et al.  Efficient learning using a virtual learning environment in a university class , 2011, Comput. Educ..

[13]  D. Henly,et al.  Use of Web-based formative assessment to support student learning in a metabolism/nutrition unit. , 2003, European journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe.

[14]  David McConnell,et al.  Implementing Computer Supported Cooperative Learning , 1994 .

[15]  Liwen Chen,et al.  Improving student performance in a first-year geography course: Examining the importance of computer-assisted formative assessment , 2011, Comput. Educ..

[16]  Andrina Granic,et al.  Design, implementation and validation of a Europe-wide pedagogical framework for e-Learning , 2009, Comput. Educ..

[17]  José Ramón Hilera,et al.  An experiment for improving students performance in secondary and tertiary education by means of m-learning auto-assessment , 2010, Comput. Educ..

[18]  Tom S. Vreeland.  Commentary by Tom Vreeland on Littlejohn, A. (2003) Reusing Online Resources, Chapter 14: Assessing Question Banks, by Joanna Bull and James Dalziel , 2004 .