Summary
IEICE Information and Communication Technology Forum
2014
Session Number:COMM1
Session:
Number:COMM1-2
Formative Assessment as a Technique for Improving Student Engagement and Learning Effectiveness in Self-regulated E-learning Environment
Ikpe-Justice Akpan,
pp.-
Publication Date:2014-08-10
Online ISSN:2188-5079
Summary:
Despite the growing interest in e-learning across spectrums (learners, academic programs and educational institutions), the challenge of getting students engaged and maintaining active participation in self-regulated e-learning environment to ensuring learning effectiveness remains a challenge. This is particularly problematic in non-traditional online courses involving practical real-life projects. The challenge is further compounded where a single cohort comprises traditional and non-traditional learners with diverse backgrounds (from different regions, learning infrastructures and generational differences with different technical capabilities). Meeting learner’s personal goals and achieving the course objectives/learning outcomes can be difficult in such circumstances. This paper shares the author’s experience as Instructor utilizing formative assessment and end-of course self-evaluation to addressing these challenges in a senior undergraduate level Collaborative Project Management course. The results show that, formative assessment can enhance Instructor’s understanding of learners’ backgrounds while providing students an opportunity to express personal goals and expectations, and tailoring instructions to meeting their personal learning goals/objectives increases students’ interests and active involvement throughout the course, and enhances better performance and achievement of overall individual learning goals evidenced by students’ self-evaluation.