Skip to main content icon/video/no-internet

Online Assessment and Diverse Learners

Online assessment involves the use of the Internet to deliver tests and other assessments to individuals whose performance is being evaluated. Various features of assessments, including the conditions under which they are administered, have been associated with different outcomes for diverse learners. This entry reviews the features of online assessments most closely associated with differential effects on diverse learners.

The Rise of Online Assessment

The use of online assessments is rising in all areas. This rise appears to be related to several parallel trends. First, the spread of Internet access is bringing the possibility of online interaction to individuals, families, and institutions. Second, there is a general movement toward greater reliance on online interactions for all manner of business and government activity both as a way to increase the accuracy of transactions and as a means of reducing costs through less reliance on human agents and the physical movement of information. Third, the growth of distance learning programs has created a need for online assessment for students who never set foot on a physical campus. Fourth, large-scale private testing programs such as the Graduate Record Examination have moved to computer-based delivery of tests to maximize access and speed the processing of test results. Fifth, there is growing interest at all levels of government at increasing the use of online assessments to provide enhanced monitoring of and accountability for student progress.

Challenges of Online Assessments for Diverse Learners

Online assessments present issues related to the phenomenon of the digital divide or the differences in access of different groups to the Internet and computers more generally. Although differences in simple physical access may be becoming less pronounced within advanced countries over time as computers and Internet access spread through schools and libraries and lower cost services to the home, some differences still remain with learners from certain countries, and those from less affluent or minority families enjoying less access. Patterns of differential Internet access are compounded by differences in social support for use, and by differences in use for exploratory and leisure pursuits, which lead to greater comfort and overall facility.

Benefits of Online Assessment for Diverse Learners

Online delivery provides the capability of making assessments more personalized and appropriate for diverse learners. Computer adaptive approaches to assessment allow the performance of learners on early parts of the assessment to influence the presentation of later assessment items so that the assessment can converge on an appropriate score in minimal time, a clear advantage for learners whose physical condition makes long assessments unusually challenging. Online assessments can be delivered in multiple languages to meet the needs of learners, and audio can be used where necessary to read aloud to those taking the assessment. Coupled with the capacity to deliver more diverse and complex assessment items, these capabilities allow developers of assessment to address the needs of diverse learners more easily.

  • assessment
  • learners
Gary J.Natriello

Further Readings

Everett, A. (Ed.).(2008). Learning race and ethnicity: Youth and digital media. Cambridge: MIT

...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles

Sage Recommends

We found other relevant content for you on other Sage platforms.

Loading