Exploring Online Assessment Techniques: Wikis & Discussion Boards

September 28, 2006Margaret (Peggy) Cassey, MPH, RN, BCOffice 1024 College of Nursing (MC 802)

312-996-9245mcassey@uic.edu

• Definition: – “A Teams Site (Wiki) is a collaborative Web site set

up to allow user editing and adding of content. Through Blackboard the Wiki feature is referred to as ‘Teams Site’.”

• Benefits:– Students accomplish an otherwise impossible task for

the time frame– Faculty can see the history of student edits

Source: http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/itl/blackboard/09i.shtml

“Healthy People 2010 Wiki”

Context of the Wiki/“Teams Site”

• Community Assessment Paper– 77 Chicago Community Areas (CA)– Each student compares single community health data

set to Chicago, the United States, and the Healthy People 2010 (HP 2101) national goals

– Also looking for the health issues for the largest population subset in the CA

– Group prepares a shared HP 2010 site

Map Source: http://www.cchsd.org/chicago.html

Analytical Paper “Wiki” Rubric

• Criteria/Requirements: – APA Format & 10 page limit– Minimum of 5 data *resources & 5

evidence based *resources– Up to 2 points for “HP 2010 Shared Wiki”

Participation. • (Point allocations and component details are further

explained in the complete paper rubric.)• Papers are submitted via Safe Assignment

FOCUS of Today’s

Presentation

Shared Teams Site

Discussion Board Assessment Tool

• What does the literature say?– A Synthesis of Sloan-C Effective Practices,

August 2005– http://www.sloan-c.org/publications/books/v9n3_moore.pdf

• Criteria set in the sequential “Learning Object”• Course link created “discussion board”• Interaction encouraged by “required” response to 2 other

students’ postings• Disallow new threads & “subscribe” • Grade the forum

Unit I: Technology Tool Sets Click on the link above … to enter the learning activity. This activity will guide you … After completing the learning unit, go to the discussion board to respond to this item. To receive full credit for the assignment, you must also post a response to two other students' postings…

I agree with both the advantages & disadvantages of using a PDA. I know that I would have a difficult time keeping track of a PDA if I had one, and I'd be even more paranoid of damaging the small, EXPENSIVE equipment. But as you mentioned, it is a tool that we will all most likely be encountering in our clinical practice in the near future, so while it has its disadvantages, they seem to be outweighed by its benefits. Hopefully we will all be able to keep up with this technology!

Updates from the BB users conference

• Subscribe to the BB discussion board – Directions to BLKBRD-L archives and

settings: http://is.asu.edu/instruction/faq/usingBLKBRD-L.html

• BB Blog http://bbfs.blogspot.com/ • New Assessment Tools: Project Caliper