Assessment and Evaluation - e-learning

Experiential Inquiry Learning Task: Assessment & Evaluation in E-Learning

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1. Top 5 E-Learning Assessment Tools & Strategies

(Referencing the Ontario provincial LMS, D2L/Brightspace)

1. Rubrics within LMS: Built-in rubrics in D2L allow teachers to align tasks directly with the Achievement Chart’s four categories (Knowledge, Thinking, Communication, Application). Students receive transparent, criterion-based feedback rather than just grades.

2. Quizzes with Feedback Loops:  Online quizzes can provide immediate, descriptive feedback (a Growing Success principle) so students see what they know and what needs work before final evaluation.

3. Discussion Boards as Assessment for/as Learning:  Forums in the LMS allow teachers to track communication and thinking skills, while students learn to self-assess and peer-assess through structured prompts.

4. Digital Portfolios: Tools like ePortfolio in D2L collect multimodal evidence (videos, images, reflections). This supports triangulation of data; observations, conversations, and products; stressed in Ontario policy.

5. Video/Audio Feedback: Instead of text-only comments, short personalized video or screencast feedback has been shown to improve clarity, motivation, and student uptake of feedback.

2. Review & Reflection: Math & Assessment
Ontario’s Achievement Chart provides an alternative to traditional point-based math tests. Instead of 20/20, teachers assess across four categories:

Knowledge/Understanding (facts, procedures)

Thinking (problem-solving, reasoning)

Communication (explanations, models, clarity)

Application (transfer of math skills to new contexts)

This model acknowledges that a student may excel in procedural fluency but need growth in communicating mathematical reasoning. It shifts assessment from just answers toward process, skills, and transferability.

3. Guiding Questions

A) How has assessment & evaluation changed in the 21st Century?

Assessment has shifted from being summative, point-based, and teacher-driven to becoming formative, criterion-based, and student-inclusive.

Assessment for and as learning now sit alongside assessment of learning.

There is greater focus on feedback, self-assessment, and digital tools that allow students to track their progress in real time.

Inclusivity is prioritized: Growing Success emphasizes fair and equitable assessment for ELL and special education students.

Yes, it should change, because today’s learners need critical thinking, digital literacy, and self-regulation skills, which can’t be measured by simple tests alone.

B) How can online platforms (D2L, LMS) change how & how much feedback we share?

LMS tools allow timely, ongoing, descriptive feedback (aligned with Ontario’s principles) instead of just final marks.

Parents can also access portals to see progress transparently, which strengthens home-school communication.

Features like embedded rubrics, progress tracking, and multimedia feedback increase both quantity and quality of teacher-student interactions.

Research shows students respond better to video or audio feedback because tone, encouragement, and nuance are clearer.

C) Example of a 21st-Century Assessment Strategy/Resource

One strong example is video feedback strategies studied by educators at Monash University, who found that five-minute video reviews of student work led to stronger motivation, deeper understanding, and positive student reactions.

This reflects Growing Success principles: timely, descriptive, and student-friendly.

It also demonstrates how technology enables assessment that is more personal, authentic, and effective than written notes.

Another Ontario-based perspective: educator Rodd Lucier’s work on networked assessment highlights that teachers’ thinking on evaluation is shaped by collaborative, connected practice; showing that assessment today is not isolated but shared in professional networks.

References
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2010). Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools, Grades 1–12.

Yuhas, D. (2018). How Giving Students Feedback Through Video Instead of Text Can Foster Better Understanding. KQED / Hechinger Report.

Lucier, R. (2014). 25 People Who Influenced My Thinking on Assessment. The Clever Sheep.

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