Utilizing High-Stake Online Assessment Reports To Improve Attainment Of Student Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Due to digitization in the education field, learning management systems (LMS) are widely used for teaching and conducting assessments. These LMS allow creation of randomized question pools, provide a secure examination environment, and generate reports post-assessments, such as the item analysis report. Item analysis report calculates two summary measures: difficulty level indicating the percentage of students who answered the question correctly and discrimination index indicating the quality of each question. These summary measures serve as the basis for improving test questions' quality and assessing the attainment of course learning outcomes. These system-generated reports help identify topics that are well-understood by most students. Appropriate remedial actions can be taken to ensure all course learning outcomes are attained by most students.

This research aims to compare students’ performance in the final examination using item analysis reports spanning over three consecutive semesters. Descriptive and inferential analysis is used to examine differences in difficulty levels of the same questions measured in all three semesters.

Conclusion: The percentage of students, who solved multi-part questions on data analysis correctly, was higher than those in the preceding semester and this increase was statistically significant. Remedial teaching strategies, such as providing formative assessments using instant feedback, were useful in improving the attainment level of the course learning outcome.

Teaching Implications: Closely monitor students’ performance using post-assessment reports. Provide more support using formative assessments to improve students’ performance. It is recommended to keep the format and structure of formative and summative assessments consistent.