Effectiveness of self-assessment quizzes as a learning tool

Abstract

To enhance the students' learning experience, self-assessment formative quizzes are being incorporated into the curriculum by several lecturers. With the technological developments in webbased delivery, online quizzes may be an effective learning tool, especially when courses are offered via external mode of study. Among the several advantages of providing online quizzes, the most attractive feature is providing the correct answer and appropriate feedback immediately after students attempt a quiz. This paper evaluates the overall performance of students in two engineering courses where self-assessment quizzes were made available through the e-learning system. As formative assessment, it was noted that the frequent attempts by students tend to cluster near the final examination period, however, a few students attempted them as soon as they were released. The results showed there is a strong correlation between students who attempt the quizzes and their overall student performance assessed by final grades. This paper will further discuss the important aspects that need to be considered when developing well formulated quizzes for technical courses and thereby maximising their potential as an effective learning tool.