OEC Assessment Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An online instructor wants to gauge student understanding mid-module without affecting grades. Which assessment type is most appropriate?
- Summative quiz
- Formative poll or knowledge check (Correct answer)
- Proctored final exam
- Peer-graded portfolio
Correct answer: Formative poll or knowledge check
Formative assessments like polls or knowledge checks monitor learning progress without contributing to final grades.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes criterion-referenced assessment?
- Students are ranked against each other on a curve
- Student performance is compared to a fixed set of learning objectives (Correct answer)
- Assessment difficulty adjusts based on prior responses
- Grades reflect improvement over the semester
Correct answer: Student performance is compared to a fixed set of learning objectives
Criterion-referenced assessment measures student performance against predefined standards or objectives, not against other students.
Question 3: A teacher notices students consistently miss questions about a specific concept. What is the best evidence-based response?
- Reduce that topic's weight in future assessments
- Re-teach the concept using a different instructional approach (Correct answer)
- Curve all scores upward to compensate
- Eliminate that concept from the curriculum
Correct answer: Re-teach the concept using a different instructional approach
Using assessment data to identify gaps and reteach with varied strategies is a core principle of data-driven instruction.
Question 4: Which feature of a well-designed online rubric most directly supports student self-assessment?
- It is shared only after grading is complete
- It includes clear, descriptive performance levels students can apply to their own work (Correct answer)
- It uses numerical scores exclusively without descriptors
- It is created solely by the instructor without student input
Correct answer: It includes clear, descriptive performance levels students can apply to their own work
Transparent rubrics with descriptive levels allow students to evaluate their own work against explicit criteria before submission.
Question 5: What does 'authentic assessment' mean in an online learning context?
- Using a proctored webcam to verify student identity
- Tasks that simulate real-world application of knowledge and skills (Correct answer)
- Assessments that are identical to those used in face-to-face courses
- Any assessment verified as free from academic dishonesty
Correct answer: Tasks that simulate real-world application of knowledge and skills
Authentic assessment requires students to apply knowledge to realistic, meaningful tasks rather than recalling isolated facts.
Question 6: An educator sets different assessment deadlines for different students based on documented needs. This practice is best described as:
- Academic dishonesty accommodation
- Differentiated assessment or accommodation (Correct answer)
- Summative evaluation modification
- Criterion-referenced grading adjustment
Correct answer: Differentiated assessment or accommodation
Providing differentiated deadlines or accommodations ensures equitable access to assessments for students with documented needs.
Question 7: Which strategy best prevents construct-irrelevant variance in an online written assessment?
- Requiring handwritten submissions scanned and uploaded
- Providing clear, unambiguous instructions and removing barriers unrelated to the skill being assessed (Correct answer)
- Limiting the time allowed so all students feel equal pressure
- Grading anonymously without reading student names
Correct answer: Providing clear, unambiguous instructions and removing barriers unrelated to the skill being assessed
Construct-irrelevant variance occurs when factors unrelated to the target skill affect scores; clear instructions minimize such interference.
OEC Assessment Strategies 2
An online instructor wants to gauge student understanding mid-module without affecting grades.
Which assessment type is most appropriate?