Again the importance of community within courses, even on-line, appears to be the key factor in enhancing learning and achievement for students. A study done at the University of Northern Colorado found that graduate students stated the importance of the sense of community in the on-line courses every time they were asked to evaluate their achievement it was connected to their sense of community. It was important to all students to be able to communicate on-line. The sharing of viewpoints and experiences enhanced the learning of other students within the course. Overall students believed that polling, breakout groups and discussion boards were formative assessment that contributed to their success due to their ability to belong to the community and communicate with one another in these formats.
The text cites Harasim and others (1996), in reflecting on the evaluation of online courses, state: “In keeping with a learner-centered approach, evaluation and assessment should be part of the learning-teaching process, embedded in class activities and in the interactions between learners and teachers” (p. 167). The number one tip was to create dialogue as a source of assessment. The rubric on page 211 is very detailed and lists the suggested criteria for discussion in an on-line course for evaluation. Other suggestions that the text included in relation to formative assessment involve student self-assessment and collaborative assessment, as well as, taking into account student participation as a part of the grade. It stated that significant weight should be placed on students that are interactive. This is a strong connection to the evidence provided in the research done at the University of Northern Colorado in that it is extremely beneficial to have a sense of community and rewarding students for participating with others is an essential part of the course for all students to achieve and gain the most from their on-line courses.
References:
Glassmeyer, D. M., Dibbs, R. A., & Jensen, R. (2011). DETERMINING UTILITY OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT THROUGH VIRTUAL COMMUNITY Perspectives of Online Graduate Students. Quarterly Review Of Distance Education, 12(1), 23-35.
Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom, (2nd ed.). San Franciso: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0-7879-8825-8, pages 3-65.
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