Designing an Online Self-Assessment for Informed Study Decisions in Higher Online Education

L.E.C. Delnoij, J.P.W. Janssen, K.J.H. Dirkx, R.L. Martens

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstractAcademic

Abstract

An online self-assessment for informed study decisions in higher online education is being developed following a design-based research approach. The rationale behind the self-assessment is that better decision making will address the ongoing concern of non-completion in higher online education. In the process of designing the self-assessment, five sources of validity evidence are collected: evidence on content, predictive value, internal structure, response processes, and consequences. Evidence on the content, internal structure and predictive value of the subtests was collected by means of a literature study and correlational research. Subsequently, in a user study, prospective students’ opinions were investigated regarding the content of the self-assessment and the feedback provided aligned to the subtest. Based on the validity evidence collected so far, the prototypical self-assessment consists of four constituent tests – numerical skills, discipline, social support, and study intentions – and related feedback. The feedback consists of information on the obtained score, including a visualization, information on what was measured and why, and an advice for further preparation. At the conference, an interactive demonstration of the current prototypical self-assessment is provided and futures steps in collecting validity evidence, on users’ response processes and the consequential validity of the self-assessment are to be discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 26 Aug 2021

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