Student interactions with e-assessment > Student views and outcomes

Question 18
How might dyslexic, dyscalculic and other groups of students be disadvantaged by online assessments rather than paper-based assessments?

What motivates this question?

In a recent JRME editorial, Cai et al. (2020) noted that “an important question for the field is how to prevent technology from reproducing or even widening the inequities in learning opportunities across groups of students” (p. 525).

The aim with this question is to check that, for example, dyslexic students are not disadvantaged from being assessed electronically. There is some anecdotal evidence that this may be the case, perhaps due to the added difficulty of accurately copying an answer from paper to the e-assessment system. Other groups may also face systemic disadvantage, e.g. students using a second language.

What might an answer look like?

Rather than specific conditions such as dyslexia, the research should perhaps focus on more general “impairments of cognitive function (attention, memory, etc.)” (Cinquin et al., 2019).

Historical data could help to address the question. This would require details of students’ e-assessment attempts, as well as being able to cross-reference whether students have reasonable adjustments for exams (usually taking the form of extra time allowed). The question could then be addressed by checking whether there is a significant difference between how this group of students have done in e-assessment (both in uncontrolled and controlled conditions) compared to other types of assessments.

Another approach would be to investigate the mechanisms behind any differences in group outcomes by closer observation. This could either be though direct observation of students using an e-assessment system in a lab setting, or by scrutinising their rough work completed on paper and comparing with what they entered into the e-assessment system.

References

Cai, J., Morris, A., Hohensee, C., Hwang, S., Robison, V., Cirillo, M., . . . Hiebert, J. (2020). Improving the Impact of Research on Practice: Capitalizing on Technological Advances for Research. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 51(5), 518-529. https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2020-0165

Cinquin, P. A., Guitton, P., & Sauzéon, H. (2019). Online e-learning and cognitive disabilities: A systematic review. Computers & Education, 130, 152-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.12.004

Cliffe, E. & Rowlett, P. eds., 2012. Good Practice on Inclusive Curricula in the Mathematical Sciences, National HE STEM Programme: Mathematical Sciences HE Curriculum Innovation Project. Retrieved from https://www.mathcentre.ac.uk/resources/uploaded/inclusivecurricula.pdf (6 August 2021)