Formative assessment in b-learning: effectively monitoring students learning

ABSTRACT

One of the objectives of Higher Education is the development of learner autonomy so that students can become effective and efficient learners, with the capability for lifelong learning and for actively engage in the development of a knowledge society. Complementing formal education with learning management systems (b-learning) can provide the means to change from a learning-teaching transaction which is teacher-centred to one which is student-centred. In a study with polytechnic mechanical engineering undergraduate students enrolled in a blended learning course, formative self-assessment instruments in a learning management system were used to stimulate independent study and the improvement of academic achievement. The results indicated that the academic achievement in the course is influenced by the completion of self assessment, that the academic achievement of students who had carried out self-assessment tasks are higher than those who didn't and that the self-assessment grade is a significant predictor of the final course grade, with a very high positive association between both. This allows the use of these assessment instruments as monitoring tools for teachers and students.

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Index Terms

• Applied computing

  • Education

    • Computer-assisted instruction