AN EVALUATION OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ ONLINE ASSESSMENT PERFORMANCES

A. Flynn, F. Concannon, and M. Campbell

Keywords

Blended Education, University Education, Formative and Summa-tive Assessments, Learning Styles

Abstract

Irish universities are adopting eLearning technologies to improve the quality of learning for third level students, across a variety of disciplines. As the technology to support blended learning is becoming more stable, there is an emerging awareness that the key source of value for students is derived from the pedagogic application of that technology rather than the technology itself. This research examines the quality of students’ learning as measured by assessment performances in a hybrid technology-supported education model. Tests are conducted on the efficacy of this model by examining undergraduate accounting students’ online assessment performances in comparison to similar off-line assessments. Students’ performances are then related to the frequency/time spent online and the student’s preferred learning style. We conclude that the introduction of eAssessments does improve the offline performances of undergraduate accounting students. However, these improvements are not universally observed in this heterogeneous group. Therefore, we recommend that in order to harness the benefits of learning technologies, pedagogic consideration should be given to the choice, variety, and level of difficulty of eAssessments offered to students.

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