Online Learning to Assess Students Learning Outcomes (A study case of Higher Education in Indonesia)

The Background

The subject of Global Perspective is designed for the 2nd semester of students in Faculty of Education. The online learning is powered by the Moodle system which students can access is in www.besmart.uny.ac.id. Basically, this program runs based on 9-weeks after face-to-face lesson in the class. This course discusses the basic concepts and implementation of the global perspective from various social disciplines, the notion of a global perspective, the globalization process, the characteristics of globalization, the impact and role of globalization, and global issues. Global Perspective provides a discourse for students to think globally and act locally on issues relating to environmental, economic, political, social, cultural, educational, and other aspects of life. Whenever students finish their course in class, I give another exercise that must be completed through online learning.

The using of online learning allow students to get more chance in sharing their ideas about various social issues over the world such as poverty, disaster, population, or global warming. They are hoped to be able to participate in discussion board, multiple choice quizzes, or submit their assignment. To determine the quality of student learning outcomes, the assessment is developed according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. The students’ evaluation, therefore, will reflect on two domains as cognitive and affective from all three different characteristic in learning behaviour (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor). The cognitive domains are measured by six aspects: (a) knowledge, (b) comprehension, (c) application, (d) analysis, (e) synthesis, and (f) evaluation.

Implementing Bloom’s Taxonomy through Online Learning

To be familiar with the learning, students are required to join online learning simulation outside class by reading the course instructional material. They try how to entry multiple choice question­­­­­­, submit in the discussion board and assignment. During the semester, students are asked to be accustomed to reading material before answering task in online learning. To assess cognitive domain, exercises are designed respectively based on the six characteristics of Bloom’s Taxonomy, while problem-solving questions are designed related to the affective domain assessment.

In assessing cognitive domain, I put skill of Knowledge and Comprehension in the multiple choice quizzes. Example questions are: (1) UNEP (United Nations Environmment Programme)  was established in..  or (2) What is a greenhouse effect?. In this task, student whether they attend the class or not will demonstrate their understanding easily as long as they read the course module. However, in the higher level of taxonomy such as application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, those who were absent in the class often get hard to answer. The questions might be: (3) A global issue related to greenhouse effect must be addressed by all citizens in order to.. (4) How can you relate between think globally and act locally?, (5) What should you do to participate in addressing global issue? and (6) What program do you think best as an effective strategy related to global warming? Similarly, problem appear when they share in discussion board that I start with problems solving questions. It is clearly that they need build their concept first before giving their argument with critical thinking. Some students respond that online learning now becomes a big issue since it still a new method of instruction at higher education institutions. I noticed that beside less of skill in understanding concept, there is a problem related to technology competency.

My team have given some suggestion to address those problems. Firstly, reading journal and articles need to be more promoted as a compulsory activity every week rather than a suggestion. Secondly, a particular rubric is needed to assess student online learning. Bloom has developed cognitive and affective aspects and it would be benefit if I can modify based on the course objectives. We also need to promote research skill from problems solving questions so those questions are designed which students can do a little observation about the case.

The cognitive and affective rubrics (Topic : Global Warming) might be as follows:

Cognitive Domain

(1)   Knowledge

-          Name the environmental organizations in the world

-          Identify the role of each environmental organization in the world

(2)   Comprehension

-          Describe the process of reducing carbon dioxide emissions

-          Predict the impact of greenhouse

(3)   Application

-          Demonstrate a simulation of the process of global warming

-          Develop strategies to address global warming

(4)   Analysis

-          Analyse cause and effect of global warming for urban development

-          Determine what aspects of life that might be threatened

(5)   Synthesis

-    Create a simple program that can be applied directly as a result of thinking

      globally and acting locally

(6)   Evaluation

-          Compare the advantages and disadvantages of global warming strategy

-          Convince the efficiency of each strategy of global warming

Affective Domain (Problem-solving questions in discussion board)

-          Show awareness of global warming issue

-          Get involved in addressing the issue of global warming

Discussion

As my evaluation related to Blooms’s Taxonomy requirement, online learning has more powerful in assessing cognitive and affective domain, while sitting in the class is better in assessing regarding psychomotor aspect. I also evaluate that for instructor, online learning allow me to give written feedback due to large class which often difficult to give oral feedback one by one student. Basically, students are allowed to ask me about their feedback out of class but sometimes those who live rather far distance from university are not able to discuss their learning process with instructors. As a result, communication through online learning is clearly helpful for them to get feedback.  The one that might be difficult to handle with this online learning is due to many students (more than 100), so sometimes I need more time to assess all entries before the following task comes.

Recently, students are facing the online learning powered by Moodle which provided for learning course only such as downloading material, submit assignment, and have discussion with instructors and classmates. I learnt that this program has not yet as good as what we have in MyUni which the system has been integrated with the learning course and account activity like email or library. My students are now try to get used to this technology so probably there is a little information that students are evident to engage with this system. I also snoticed that many factors play important roles in higher education learning such as: building critical thinking which requires students read journals and articles, improving the awareness of technology competency, promoting particular rubrics embedded in the course module, and giving a good start for students to engage with research skills. By comparing those two online learning systems and considering the influenced factors have given me ideas on how to implement online learning in the future.