On-line Quizzes

As the second task for this week we were asked to complete three on-line quizzes relating to learner styles and how prepared you as a learner to take an on-line course. There were various questions asked and these were divided into several categories. Here is a sample of the questions:

Self-directedness

1. I am good at setting goals and deadlines for myself.
2. I have a really good reason for taking an online course.
3. I finish the projects I start.
4. I do not quit just because things get difficult.
5. I can keep myself on track and on time.

Learning preferences

1. I learn pretty easily.
2. I can learn from things I hear, like lectures or audio recordings or podcasts.
3. I have to read something to learn it best.
4. I have developed a good way to solve problems I run into.
5. I learn best by figuring things out for myself.
6. I like to learn in a group, but I can learn on my own, too.
7. I am willing to email or have discussions with people I might never see.

Study Habits

1. I usually work in a place where I can read and work on assignments without distractions
2. I can ignore distractions around me when I study.
3. I am willing to spend 10-20 hours each week on this course.
4. I keep a record of what my assignments are and when they are due.
5. I plan my work in advance so that I can turn in my assignments on time.
6. People around me will help me study and not try to distract me.
7. I am willing to use email and other online tools to ask my classmates and instructors questions.

Technology Skills

1. I am pretty good at using the computer.
2. I am comfortable surfing the Internet.
3. I am comfortable with things like doing searches, setting bookmarks, and downloading files.
4. I am comfortable with things like installing software and changing configuration settings on my computer.
5. I know someone who can help me if I have computer problems.

Computer equipment capabilities

1. My computer runs reliably on Windows NT/ Vista or on Mac OS 10.4 or higher.
2. I have a printer.
3. I am connected to the Internet with a fairly fast, reliable Internet connection such as DSL or cable modem.
4. I have virus protection software running on my computer.
5. I have headphones or speakers and a microphone to use if a class has a videoconference.
6. My browser will play several common multimedia (video and audio) formats.

My Thoughts:

We were asked to evaluate these questions and our feelings towards quizzes and were asked the following questions:

• What do you think about quizzes?
• Do they ask the kinds of questions you would need to ask of your learners? How general or context specific are these surveys?
• If you were designing such a survey for your students, what questions would you want to include?

 Here are my thoughts:

At first I thought the idea of online quizzes to be a good thing, however after having completed the on-line quizzes suggested for us, I have reservations about them. I am concerned that they are too simplistic for my students and just not suitable. They talk about online courses from a mature, short course perspective and not a undergraduate law student perspective. I am concerned also that if the student receives a low score from the quiz that they will be put off from the course. IN many cases this may be suitable but for a law student who is taking the module as part of their overall degree this could be detrimental.

The questions within the quizzes were split into several categories, IT skills and equipment was one I had most issues with as I straight away assumed, of course all my student are IT savvy and have all the equipment they need. They may have the equipment at university but do they have access to it all the time and do they have the equipment at home? Also do some of my overseas students have the same IT skills as my domestic students? I rushed into assuming my students all had the same IT skills. Therefore I think it is necessary to have a few training sessions at the start of a course to ensure everyone is at the same level. In the work place the students will be expected to have these skills so as an educator we must also ensure employability.

I do not think these quizzes ask the questions which are pertinent to my students. The questions are useful and make you think however I am not sure they are right within a degree context where we need to retain students and manage their expectations. Having said this, the second quiz where it asked what are your course expectations was a really good idea. We should be asking students “so what do you want to get from this course and how do you want to learn?” I have done this before in a research piece and there is such a strong discourse and bifurcation of opinions as to how they want to learn and what they want to learn. We can never please everyone and we must also take into consideration the edicts from the university management as to how they would like us to teach.

I took all three quizzes and scored, 58, 100 and over 70 respectively for the quizzes. It was easy to see what they wanted you to answer and so it was easily manipulated regardless of whether you answered truthfully or not.

If I were asking my students questions I would focus on the preparation of online course and the expectations of the course. I am not sure I would see value in asking questions which were contrary to the online course, because the students who are on the course do not have a choice as to whether they learn online or not. It is part of their degree and as such must be completed. A draconian view or not why highlight problems for you if you ask them a question which indicates online learning is not right for that student. What would we do if this was the case? Should we offer an alternative to online learning for just one student? I would like to know others opinion on this. Perhaps the answer is to ask the questions in the quizzes and then to go back as a tutor and discuss the matter with the student making them more at ease with the online course. I think anyone can do an online course and I am worried that these quizzes give the opposite view.

I am two minds as to whether these quizzes are useful or not? Nicola Greaves in her paper we were asked to read states clearly that online quizzes are useful for preparing students who undertake online courses and for retaining these students. I wonder how this works as part of a degree course where the module is compulsory and not optional. The student has no choice but to undertake the course. Can we prepare the student better by highlighting their inadequacies of taking the course? I think I would like to know more about what happens in the instances where a student is not suited to an online course but it is compulsory, how do we as educators manage this?