scholarly journals e-Assessment for learning and performativity in higher education: A case for existential learning

Author(s):  
Jennifer Charteris ◽  
Fran Quinn ◽  
Mitchell Parkes ◽  
Peter Fletcher ◽  
Vicente Reyes

<p class="Normal1">This paper provides a critical and contextualised exploration of assessment for learning (AfL) as an important area of scholarship in higher education, particularly in online learning environments. Although AfL can speak to a range of education discourses, the specific focus here is on the performativity and experiential learning discourses around individual and collective notions of AfL in online settings (e-AfL). We argue that e-AfL practices that emphasise performativity and are used primarily for technicist purposes impoverish their potential to promote learning. We explore the existential notion that e-AfL can transcend formulaic and procedural interpretations of formative assessment in higher education. Rich, divergent approaches to e-AfL can support students in higher education courses to develop their funds of identity, thereby enhancing learner reflexivity and agency.</p>

Author(s):  
Geraldine Torrisi-Steele

Online learning experiences are becoming the norm for an increasing number of higher education students. Although there are clear advantages to online learning in terms of flexibility and access, many students struggle to succeed, especially in purely online learning environments. To a large extent student success in online learning environments is dependent on students' ability to self-regulate and ‘learn for themselves'- both abilities related to academic metacognition. Unfortunately, even at university, many students do not have well developed metacognition. It is therefore important to consider carefully metacognitive scaffolding in the design of online learning experiences. However, the models of instructional design commonly used in online learning tend not to place great emphasis on the importance of metacognitive scaffolding. The aim of the present chapter is therefore to increase awareness of metacognition, as one of the important considerations in the design of online learning environments that can help to maximize chances of student success. Towards this end, a framework of instructional design that is more sensitive to metacognition is developed.


Author(s):  
Lesley Wilton ◽  
Rubaina Khan ◽  
Clare Brett ◽  
Paul C. Alexander

Private discussion entries (called “notes” in this chapter) provide opportunities for instructors to engage with students for social and cognitive support in discussion-based online learning environments. Situated within discussion threads, embedded private communication allows for personalized engagement with students to support learning through in-place feedback, redirection, and encouragement. Nine themes of the affordances of private notes were identified through the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data gathered from four instructors and the activities of 278 students in 11 online graduate education courses. The benefits of private, in-place interactions identified by the instructors include encouraging authentic participation, building trust and social presence, redirecting conversation, providing advice about learning online, and more. A discussion of the importance of in-place private communications in online learning for providing feedback, reassurance, and guidance is supported by examples and followed by suggestions for future research.


Author(s):  
Geraldine Torrisi-Steele

Online learning experiences are becoming the norm for an increasing number of higher education students. Although there are clear advantages to online learning in terms of flexibility and access, many students struggle to succeed, especially in purely online learning environments. To a large extent student success in online learning environments is dependent on students' ability to self-regulate and ‘learn for themselves'- both abilities related to academic metacognition. Unfortunately, even at university, many students do not have well developed metacognition. It is therefore important to consider carefully metacognitive scaffolding in the design of online learning experiences. However, the models of instructional design commonly used in online learning tend not to place great emphasis on the importance of metacognitive scaffolding. The aim of the present chapter is therefore to increase awareness of metacognition, as one of the important considerations in the design of online learning environments that can help to maximize chances of student success. Towards this end, a framework of instructional design that is more sensitive to metacognition is developed.


Author(s):  
Vanessa Paz Dennen ◽  
Curtis J. Bonk

Motivating online learners is a key challenge facing instructors in both higher education and corporate settings. Attrition rates and low participation levels in course activities are frequent instructor complaints about online learning environments. Part of the problem is a lack of sophistication in online tools and courseware (Bonk & Dennen, 1999). Added to this problem is that, even when tools exist for engaging and motivating students, instructors lack training in how to effectively use them. Instructors not only need to know the types of online and collaborative tools for engaging students, but also how to embed effective pedagogy when the technologies are weak.


2011 ◽  
pp. 704-715
Author(s):  
Vanessa Paz Dennen ◽  
Curtis J. Bonk

Motivating online learners is a key challenge facing instructors in both higher education and corporate settings. Attrition rates and low participation levels in course activities are frequent instructor complaints about online learning environments. Part of the problem is a lack of sophistication in online tools and courseware (Bonk & Dennen, 1999). Added to this problem is that, even when tools exist for engaging and motivating students, instructors lack training in how to effectively use them. Instructors not only need to know the types of online and collaborative tools for engaging students, but also how to embed effective pedagogy when the technologies are weak.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-107
Author(s):  
Dilani Perera-Diltz ◽  
R.J. Davis ◽  
Sedef Uzuner Smith ◽  
Carl Sheperis

As self-regulation for successful online learning is a relatively new focus in online education, more attention is directed toward initiatives to help students become more cognizant of their learning efforts in online learning environments. Grounded in the idea that self-regulation is feedback dependent, we argue for the necessity of instructor feedback on student performance in online classes.  The specific focus is instructor feedback on students’ online discussion contributions.  To assist instructors in managing their feedback practices in large online classes with numerous discussion entries, we present a feedback pool that includes a range of predetermined comments instructors can choose from while assessing their students’ discussion participation. 


Author(s):  
Melissa Fanshawe ◽  
Nicole Delaney ◽  
Alwyn Powell

In higher education learning environments, there is a dual need for educators to use supportive strategies to motivate students throughout the course, while also aiming to increase the capacity of students to self-regulate their learning. Using instantaneous tools to deliver formative or summative feedback through digital technology has been shown to lead to higher achievement and retention rates. This chapter shows how digital badges can provide instantaneous feedback to support students to feel belonging in the online community and develop self-regulation skills. Instantaneous feedback tools can be used to provide teacher presence throughout higher education courses to increase student engagement, retention, and achievement.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document