ClassMarker Quiz

is a professional online testing website which assists individuals in creating easy to follow online tests/quizzes. This site assists the user/s by automatically marking and collating the results of the test or quiz for you (ClassMarker, 2009). This website has been designed to be used for a variety of different purposes such as for business training, educational purposes, recruitment, distance learning and online education and self study (ClassMarker, 2009). There are two accounts in which you can open with ClassMarker (2009) these are class based (free program) and the external testing (requiring a fee). While using ClassMarker I found that it offered a range of selections for the creator to use for responses to questions within the test/quiz. These responses not only come within the multiple choice form (as many do) but also allows for the selection of multiple responses, true and false, free text, punctuation and essay style (ClassMarker, 2009). Within the classroom the use of these questions within the test/quiz allow for educators to incorporate questions designed to enhance cognitive skills (higher order thinking skills) which can demonstrate a formative approach to assessment (Reid & McLoughlin, 2002). Taking the formative approach to assessment this quiz creator can be used throughout a unit of work which may contain modules e.g. students may be completing a unit on recycling and the educator has created a webquest / wiki with weekly modules of learning experiences. At the end of each learning module the students may take an online quiz to show their understandings of the knowledge learnt throughout their journey. This will also provide the educator with a compilation of the students progress to contribute to their report cards and progress reports to their parents. Although this type of assessment can be commonly referred to as a traditional means of assessment it could also be swayed into an authentic means of assessment through the selection of questions and also by allowing the students to create their own quiz for others to participate in making it relate to them personally and have meaning to the real world.
Olivers learning framework (as cited in Australian University Teaching Committees, 2003) basis itself on the interaction of the three aspects of learning tasks, resources and support. This framework supports the use of the quiz as a formative tool of assessment within a unit of work. Within the example of the recycling unit students are presented with a problem scenario based on recycling and work through a series of learning tasks (represented by the webquest) to try and find the solution. The next phase within the framework relies upon the resources needed to complete these learning tasks of course this would relate to the webquest but also to the incorporation of the online quizzes to assess for their understanding throughout their learning journey. The online quiz also contributes to student support as it supports the students in their learning by showing them what they have learnt and what they may need to revise.
As well as Olivers ICT framework this fits in well with Kearsleys and Schnidermans (1999) engagement theory as it is providing students instant feedback on their performance helping the students create a solution to the 'recycling problem' and sharing it with other learners.
Although this website seems to be an effective means of assessing students on line, I personally found that certain aspects of this program were hard to use, follow and understand. After days of navigating my way around the page and countless visits to the help page I finally produced a very simple multiple choice test called Learning Management. I selected this topic as I thought it would be fitting in nicely with my degree and highlights just a few important aspects of it. As it was not aimed at the students within my class I was unable to test it on them and if it did obtain certain information in regards to their current unit of work, it would be a bit tough trying to find the resources and time (when I am present) to allow them to complete and comment on the test.
Here is a link to my quiz :
http://www.classmarker.com/embedded_quizzes/?quiz=861da0e4c3d5776f319fa7d69ce3b7d0


References

Australian University Teachers Committee. (2003). Learning Design. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm


ClassMarker. (2009). Free Quiz Maker for online Testing. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://www.classmarker.com/


Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm


Reid, N. & McLoughlin, C. (2002). Computing Assisted Assessment: Designing online quiz questions to assess a range of cognitive skills. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://www.editlib.org/p/9989