Originally published 24 March 2018.
D2L offers a variety of formative and summative assessment tools, deciding which one to use is often seen as a challenge. This effective practice can help you make that decision.
| Quizzes | Surveys | Self-Assessments |
|---|
Feedback for learner | Feedback is released based on setup of quiz by instructor, may not be instant
| Feedback is released after completion in the form of a report | Feedback is instantaneous after answering question |
Reporting for learner/instructor | Reporting for Instructors – yes, they can see summative feedback on scores and particular answers | Reporting for Instructors – yes, reports are generated, and can be done so anonymously. | Reporting for Instructors – yes, but limited to who has taken SA and for time spent |
Use Case | Formative/Summative – ideally suited for summative assessment; with formative assessment, the tool takes too many clicks
| Ice breaker to get learners to access previous knowledge of a topic | Diagnostic – to help gauge learner retention midway through topic |
Use Case | Pre-Assessment – Use the quiz tool to act as a diagnostic before the course begins. Set up release conditions to provide content that learners need based on their answers.
| Diagnostic – to help gauge learner retention midway through topic | Self-Awareness tool – Learners can test themselves without the pressure of a graded item. They are allowed to make mistakes |
Use Case | Acknowledgment – Use the quiz tool as a form for agreeing to criteria in your course. “Check here to confirm you won’t cheat.” | Class Perception – builds a community of learning, as cohort can see opinions of other learners | Case Studies – Use the power of storytelling to elicit answers to demonstrate new knowledge! |
Use Case | | Course/Instructor Feedback – great for getting feedback on how a course was perceived | Ask your virtual tutor! – Use self-assessments to bounce ideas off of, and to act as your personal tutor
|
Use Case | | | Pre-Assessment – Inspire students to engage with class material by seeing how much they already know, and convey the course objectives simultaneously |