Online assessment types and tools


5. Online assessment tools

The next step is to think about the requirements for ICT tools to be used for assessment.

What functionalityfrom the tool do you need in order to develop digital assessment assignment?

For example, if you are going to develop a test using online tool, it may be important that the tool would have the function of uploading existing XML file function. If you are going to develop a test together with your colleagues, you will need a tool allowing collaboration with other people online. Before searching for ICT tool for your test, you could also think about:
  • What types of questions and answers will be used in your test?
  • Will you need to add pictures to questions and answers?
  • Will you need embedding slideshow presentation to blogs, webpages, etc.?
  • Would you like that the tool would allow to export tests (questions, answers) as a PDF, excel and/ or other formats?
  • What other functions of ICT tool do you need?
Another kind of requirements could be setted for assessement developed in Essay or written report format. You may need such ICT tool functions allowing individual or group Essay development, tracking history, checking individual contributions, searching for the keywords and even implementing descktop research.
If your assignment will be created as OER, you should also think about re-using and re-developing it. It is important that other people could download and, if licence allows, edit it. Choosing ICT tool for your OER development you should think about editability options:
  • will the ICT tool allow to download OER in editable version?
  • will the ICT tool allow to edit OER online?
  • will the ICT tool allow to edit OER for registered users?
  • will the ICT tool allow to edit OER without registration
  • will the ICT tool allow to edit OER collaboratively
Before choosing the ICT tool for developing your OER you should also think about usability and accessibility issues. Otherwise you could select ICT tool that perfectly meets your requirements for functionality, but it is very expensive or too complicated to use. Setting the requirement for the ICT tool you should also take into account:
  • is the ICT tool free of charge?
  • is it intuitive to use?
  • how attractive it is?
  • can you add Creative Commons license on you work?
  • what operating systems does the ICT tool support?
  • is any other requirements for usability and accessibility?
Below you can find the tables that you could use as the templates setting the requirements for ICT tool. There are four templates for different types of OER: