Innovation Profile 133

Testing yourself

A baby spends more time failing than succeeding. What keeps the baby trying to do things is feedback; if you fall over you are not doing walking the right way; if mummy can obviously hear you but does not give you what you want, you are not doing talking the right way.

If you are trying to learn something the ability to continually test yourself and get feedback is critically important.

Before interactive digital systems were available assessment for learning opportunities were limited. Now it is not necessary to wait for your teacher to assess work. Many different kinds of test can be incorporated into online courses and students can take tests as many times as they like.The Learnwise VLE enables teachers to easily create many different kinds of test and assessment; multiple choice (single or multiple answer), 'fill in the blanks', model answers and submitted assessments. Students can get immediate feedback on how successfully they understand a topic. You can get more information about Learnwise, from Granada Learning, at http://www.learnwise.net/. You can also get a free demonstration of the Learnwise Server.

Of course tests are not the only way to get feedback. Learnwise supports communities of learners with email, chat and forums. A student may only have one teacher they can ask questions of, but there may be 30 other students in the class willing to help them know if they understand something correctly.

So if a VLE can speed up the learning process, by adding assessment-for-learning capabilities to the information presentation, learning module and practice aspects of learning, there is an improvement which could be measured. This might be an improvement in either quantity or quality of learning - or both - by enabling students to cycle through the learning process more effectively.

And if students can see their success more easily, there may also be an improvement in their attitude to learning.

The Granada Learning Group profile on our web site will give you an overview of the company and a list of other Innovation Profiles connected with it.

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If you know of examples of innovative use of ICT-for-learning that others would be interested in, please email innovations@eep-edu.org

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