Author: Mel Powell, m.j.powell@derby.ac.uk

JISC e-Learning Activity Area: e-Assessment

Higher Education Academy Subject Centre: Business, Management, Accountancy and Finance

This case study illustrates...an effect on learning, an effect on exam results, an effect on student personal development, student satisfaction with e-learning, innovation in learning and teaching, an influence on educational research, staff satisfaction with e-learning, staff personal development, a positive effect on retention

Technology Used

What technologies and/or e-tools were available to you?

The computer-based formative learning and assessment system was produced using TRIAD software. Our CIAD department had substantial expertise with the system and created all the materials from our content information. The module team had already used TRIAD software with the CIAD department to create summative assessments for the module. This meant that the module tutors did not need to develop any further expertise in design or technology applications. The CIAD team had also shown us demonstrations of a variety of learning and formative assessment materials which they had developed for other faculties and modules. We could see that they system was ideal for developing interactive graphics, links with data in Excel, presenting learning materials with interactive feedback and activities. It also required very little computing skill from students. Experience of mouse use is all that is required. As the summative assessments for this module were also designed and presented using TRIAD software, students could become used to the interface and types of questions before undertaking a summative assessment.

The TRIAD software allowed us to create a progressive learning system within each unit to allow for individual student differences in understanding, knowledge and skill. When a student enters an answer to a question or undertakes an activity, they enter a pathway of feedback responses. An incorrect answer or activity, depending on its nature, will elicit a feedback explanation and a subsequent loop into another example before taking the student back to the question for another attempt. In addition, the system allowed us to monitor student access in terms of the date of access, the number of times they accessed, the time spent at each access, the level of progression at each access and a summary score. This was important because we could monitor how students were progressing and intervene at an early stage (week 3) when students were failing to engage or struggling to achieve learning outcomes.