• Education -> Online Education and MOOCs

• 0 Comment

Are MOOCs and other online learning platforms using online assessments effectively?

Emory Reisenstein

MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and other online learning platforms have revolutionized the way we learn and have provided access to education to people from all walks of life. Online assessments have played a crucial role in assessing a student's knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. However, the question arises as to whether these online assessments are being used effectively or not.

From my experience as a user of these platforms, I would say that MOOCs and online learning platforms are using online assessments effectively to a large extent. Online assessments offer several benefits such as instant feedback, flexibility and accessibility, and personalized learning. Let me elaborate on each of these benefits.

Instant feedback: The online assessments provide instant feedback on the students' performance. Once the students have taken the assessments, they can see their scores immediately, and they can also see where they need to improve. This feature allows them to be accountable and responsible for their learning.

Flexibility and accessibility: Online assessments can be taken anytime, anywhere, as long as there is a stable internet connection. This gives students the flexibility to study at their own pace and on their own time. Moreover, online assessments are accessible to students with disabilities, as they can take the assessments using assistive technology that suits their needs.

Personalized learning: Online assessments can be customized to suit the learning needs of individual students. The assessments can be designed to test the students' understanding of the course content, and the feedback can help the students to focus on their weak areas. This type of personalized learning can help the students to progress at their own speed and achieve the best results.

However, there are some limitations to the use of online assessments. One of the major limitations is the issue of cheating. Online assessments can be vulnerable to cheating, such as copying answers or using external sources. This can affect the integrity of the assessment and the validity of the results. Therefore, it is crucial to design the assessments in such a way that they discourage cheating. For example, by using randomized questions or proctoring tools, the risk of cheating can be reduced.

Another limitation to the use of online assessments is the lack of interaction between the instructor and the students. Unlike traditional classroom assessments, online assessments do not allow for face-to-face interaction between the instructor and the students. This can lead to a lack of motivation or engagement among some students.

In conclusion, MOOCs and other online learning platforms are using online assessments effectively to a large extent. The benefits of instant feedback, flexibility and accessibility, and personalized learning are undeniable, and these benefits have contributed to the success of online learning platforms. However, there are also some limitations to the use of online assessments, such as the issue of cheating and the lack of interaction between the instructor and the students. Therefore, it is essential to design online assessments in such a way that they address these limitations and enhance the learning experience for all students.