For my Learning Management System, I decided to design it based on one of the courses I teach, Principles of Teaching and Learning. In this course, the students are assessed with four (4) coursework pieces and one final examination. As one of the assessment items for the course ETEC 565, we were required to build a complete exam with a variety of questions types which were specified. Seeing that the Final Quiz for Principles of Teaching and Learning had the questions types specified, I decided to use a past paper that had all the relevant items.
As I began the process of designing the exam in Moodle, I reflected on the information I interacted with as I read the different articles. Some were gentle reminders, some jolted me, and some provided support whilst others provided good insights into assessing through a Learning Management System. One of the articles that presented some pointed information was by Gibbs & Simpson (2005). In this article it provided the views and opinions of various persons on assessment as they pursued various courses. Gibbs (1992) as cited in ‘Conditions under which assessment supports students’ learning, stated that “If you are under a lot of pressure then you will just concentrate on passing the course. I know that from bitter experience. One subject I wasn’t very good at I tried to understand the subject and I failed the exam. When I re-took the exam I just concentrated on passing the exam. I got 96% and the guy couldn’t understand why I failed the first time. I told him this time I just concentrated on passing the exam rather than understanding the subject. I still don’t understand the subject so it defeated the object, in a way.” This comment made me reflect on the students at my institution to the point where I wondered how many of them only concentrated on passing the exam.
At this point I thought to myself that my department needs to rethink its teaching and assessment strategies, but I would also do the same especially for my teaching. For me, I want to be a part of the process, where “Assessment is one of the most powerful drivers of innovation and change in education, as it defines the goals for both learners and teachers” (DfES, 2003, p.32, as cited in Gibbs & Simpson 2005). To achieve this I realize that there would be need to start with how for example an exam is designed. As I placed the various items in Moodle based on a recent Final Paper for my students, I reflected on how the change could be made. It made me realize that it would not be an easy one, as other facilitators would have to be comfortable with the idea and also students would have to be taught so that they want to understand the course and not just prepare themselves to pass the examination.
The task of building this exam was time consuming but a task I enjoyed seeing that I have never built an exam in Moodle before. I was pleasantly surprised of the different questions types that can be selected and also the fact that images or graphics can be included as part of the questions. This all made me wonder if there were any more functionalities in Moodle that I had not yet explored. Also Moodle has much to offer as a Learning Management System, and more specifically its Assessment component. There is therefore need for me to do more explorations in Moodle and also to utilize it as a blended approach with my students. This I hope to accomplish for the upcoming school year. The experience in setting up assessment in Moodle has been an enlightening and empowering one for me. It has made me eager and rearing to utilize with my students.
Gibbs, G; Simpson, C (2004). Conditions Under Which Assessment Supports Students’ Learning. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. 1. p.p. 3-31.