How to estimate students' progress. Online teaching

Assessments, tests, or exams are dominant standards of gaging educational achievement. With advancements in technology education providers are moving away from paper-based tests and adopting online assessments.

 What is online assessment in education and why is it important?

Assessments are an essential component of structured learning. They are tools used by teachers to evaluate their students’ existing levels of knowledge as well as learning progress throughout the duration of a course. They assist teachers in analyzing their students’ understanding and gain insight into their evolving learning needs. Teachers can then modify their teaching accordingly.

Assessments not only enhance learning but also help develop effective teaching practices.

 What is the purpose of assessment?

Assessing a student’s level gives direction to their learning. Assessments help teachers measure their students’ level of understanding and adjust their teaching methodology accordingly. On the other hand, assessments give students an opportunity to demonstrate their learning and evaluate their proficiency levels.

Teachers use assessments to help students understand their strengths and weaknesses and support them in building their capacity to learn and improve.  

How can I track my students' progress online?

While formalized curriculums come with summative level assessments which can be used at the end of the course to assess your student’s performance as per the marking criteria provided, you may have to devise your own formative assessments to measure your students’ ongoing progress.

Planning, developing, and conducting such assessments is a continuous, time-consuming process, however, you do not have to be a tech genius to build effective evaluation tools. Here are some simple suggestions that can help you plan assessments which can be easily integrated into your existing teaching routine.

 Quizzes

– Multiple choice questions and cloze exercises can be used by teachers to assess students’ comprehension levels. There are many online platforms that can be used to generate such quizzes, however, please refer back to your employers IT policies before using them.

Discussions / Debates

– Students get an opportunity to share their opinions and develop presentation skills.

 Interviews

- Mock interviews are a great way to test a student's knowledge and problem-solving skills. They give students firsthand experience at asking and answering questions and help boost their confidence. Feedback from teachers can help them identify their weaknesses and work towards strengthening them.

Role plays

– Assigning students a real-life situation and encouraging them to initiate conversation gives them a chance to develop their communication and social skills. Teachers can assess their students   

Storytelling

– Teachers can use pictures and ask students to narrate a story. Storytelling encourages students to use their imagination and share their thoughts and ideas willingly. It not only promotes literacy but also emotional intelligence.

 Game-type

activities like scrabble, riddles, can help teachers assess students’ cognitive skills. Games also promote teamwork and collaborative problem-solving.

Peer Assessment

- Teachers can provide students a marking criterion to assess each other’s work. Students learn how to give constructive feedback (an important life skill) and self-valuate.

Is online assessment effective?

Yes, assessments help teachers align their teaching with the students’ learning objectives. They can identify the gaps and modify their techniques accordingly.

Whatever tools or strategies you choose, make sure they provide ample opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning.

Learning a new subject or language requires concentration and commitment, students can get frustrated easily, assessments help provide evidence of tangible progress that keeps students motivated.

Assessments come in many forms and serve many purposes. Effective assessments are not about technology, they are about identifying the extent of a student's knowledge and assisting teachers in improving teaching. They are about promoting learning and equipping students with skills they will need in the future.

- written by Preeti Lamba