Assessment Tools for an Online Class

The surge of technology in the world plus the advent of Web 2.0 tools have opened doors for educators to provide opportunities for student-centered learning and authentic activities and assessments. No longer is learning considered a process by which knowledge is transmitted from teacher to student through traditional classroom methods. Instead, students have more autonomy, which brings with it responsibility for their own learning. The role of the instructor becomes that of facilitator and coach for the learning that will take place within the classrooms of 2008. (McLoughlin, 2001)

The purpose of this paper is to discuss an online course which is in the developmental stages. The course will be offered to students in the future when curriculum changes are implemented within the nursing program at Rhodes State College. The course overview will be described as well as four learning objectives for selected course modules. The application of Bloom’s taxonomy will be examined for each objective. In addition, four assessment tools will be aligned with the objectives and discussed in terms of use, benefits, and potential challenges. Issues of diversity and plagiarism prevention will be integrated throughout the paper.

NSG 127 – Professional Concepts in Pediatric Nursing for the LPN, is designed for LPN’s who are transitioning into the RN program. The course provides the student with advanced concepts needed for applying the nursing process in the care of clients in the pediatric population. Common health problems related to human needs of the pediatric client are studied with integration of growth and development concepts. The course content is presented according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs using the nursing process as a framework. The student builds upon previously acquired knowledge from the sciences and humanities and their practical nursing education.

NSG 127 is offered in an online format. Because there is no clinical component within this course, case studies are used to provide authentic clinical situations that a nurse is likely to encounter. A variety of online activities and assessment tools are utilized to address the diverse characteristics of students, including, but not limited to, learning preferences and technology experience and adeptness. Students will actively engage in an assortment of individual and collaborative learning opportunities designed to build a sense of community and create a learner-centered environment.

Students enrolled in NSG 127 are Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN’s) who are transitioning into the Associate Degree Registered Nurse (RN) program. These students are given partial credit for the pediatric education they received in their LPN program of study. The LPN’s enrolled in the course represent a diverse group of individuals. Some may have only recently completed the LPN course, while others may be seasoned practical nurses. The instructor must assess the characteristics of the group in order to plan meaningful learning experiences.

The entire course is divided into 8 modules, which include an orientation to the course plus 7 other content modules related to health problems common to pediatric clients. While objectives and assessment tools will eventually be developed for all 8 modules, the discussion within this paper will be limited to a description of four of these modules.

A clear, concise, and captivating orientation module sets the tone for the entire course. Information regarding policies, expectations, and the format of the course provide the framework in which student-centered learning can take place. Likewise, active student engagement within the orientation module provides the instructor with valuable information regarding demographics and student characteristics. By inviting students to participate in sharing their learning styles and course expectations, the instructor is able to customize activities that will facilitate progression throughout the course.

Objective	Assessment Tool	Bloom’s Taxonomy Level
The student will describe their preferred learning style and expectations for the course.	Zoomerang – pre-course survey	Comprehension

During the first week of the course, students will be given the link to the pre-course survey which was created by the instructor using Zoomerang software.

After the survey is completed, results will be shared anonymously with the class to increase diversity awareness. By sharing the survey, in addition to ice-breaker activities within Module 1, students will benefit from getting an idea of who their peers are as well as their learning preferences.

Zoomerang allows the instructor to customize survey questions for specific populations. Zoomerang is very user friendly for both the designer and respondent. If support is needed, Zoomerang offers assistance through a network of FAQ’s, email support, and tutorials. In addition to general surveys, Zoomerang can be used for pre and post-course assessments and online testing, offering a choice of several different question formats (ie. multiple choice, open ended, and likert-scale assessments).

Although there are many benefits in using Zoomerang, there are also some challenges. The greatest drawback is the cost of Zoomerang, which is $75 per month. Unless the college purchases a site license, it would be cost prohibitive for faculty members to purchase it for individual use. There is a free trial download available, which would be useful for one group of students; however the survey could not be repeated for subsequent academic terms due to its expiration after 30 days. Since many courses are offered every term within the academic year, the free-trial edition does not allow one to collect on-going data for contrast and comparison functions. Therefore, for long term use, Zoomerang will only be useful if the full version is purchased.

For NSG 127, in the orientation module, Zoomerang allows the instructor to easily and quickly assess the students enrolled in the class, and it also gives the students a voice in allowing them to share their individual and diverse needs and expectations. Although Zoomerang is not a collaborative tool, it offers a means for individual student engagement. Results of the survey can be easily downloaded and showcased in a Power Point presentation for sharing with the students. Peers knowing characteristics of each other will help to promote a sense of community within the online learning environment.

Because students are completing the survey independently, and because the survey requests personal information regarding learning styles and student expectations, there is no risk of plagiarism. In most cases, plagiarism is not an issue when completing surveys of any kind.

Module 2 – Common Health Problems of the Pediatric Client Related to the Human Need of Oxygenation

Module 2 includes the study of pediatric common health problems related to oxygenation, both respiration and circulation. The most common occurring health problems of pediatric clients include those that interfere with the human need of oxygenation. By exploring various disease processes, the student can learn to recognize commonalities and differences as they apply to nursing care. Mind mapping facilitates learning by pictorially showing relationships between the etiology/pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, management, and health promotion/disease prevention aspects of the disease process.

Objective	Assessment Tool	Bloom’s Taxonomy Level
The student will illustrate key points of common health problems through mind-mapping.	Concept /Mind-mapping software	Application

Students will choose one common health problem related to oxygenation to research. Each student will research a different disease process. Choices will be honored on a first-come, first-serve basis. After gathering information about the common health problem, the student will create a concept map using mind-mapping software depicting the key points of the disease process as well as the inter-relationships of the concepts. Mind maps will be shared with the instructor and other students via a class wiki. (Note: See Module 3 for discussion of the wiki as an assessment tool). Each student will post their map plus a narrative description of the map to the wiki. The finished project will be a collection of oxygenation interferences in one location where comparisons and contrasts can be noted. Individual students participate in the research and the creation of a concept map; however after the concept maps are shared, peers are invited to post comments and suggestions regarding each concept map, making the second part of this activity collaborative.

A generic mind map illustrating the key point categories to be included on individual concept maps will be shared with students as a guide for their individual projects. The arrows depict the inter-relationships between the concepts. For example, based on the pathophysiology, specific signs and symptoms will be manifested. Likewise, by knowing the etiology of a disease, specific health promotion and disease prevention strategies can be identified.

According to Wikipedia: “A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, decision making, and writing.” (Wikipedia). There are various mind-mapping software programs available, many of which have a free trial version. My experience with mind-mapping tools is limited to Inspiration software, which was used to create the sample generic mind-map. This software was fairly easy to use, however I found the “Help” tab useful in allowing me to search for instructions on how to perform various program functions. Other benefits include a fairly large selection of color choices and graphics that can be imported into the map. The export function allows the map to be converted into a jpg or gif format, for easy insertion into web-based and word processor applications.

The introduction of technical software within a non-technological course, such as nursing, may be perceived as too steep of learning curve by the students. Students enrolled in online courses have varying levels of computer expertise. If technical issues arise with the software, or if students lack confidence in their ability to use the software, these issues may become frustrating, causing the student to lose sight of the purpose of the project.

Mind-mapping as an assessment tool was chosen because it allows the student to transfer ideas from textbook readings to a visual diagram, extracting key points related to the common health problem. According to an article by the Digital Media Center at the University of Minnesota, mind-maps “enable students to create a visual representation of the relationships between ideas or things.” “The brain makes sense of the world by discerning and creating patterns; in the same way, learning happens when students perceive and construct patterns.”

Since each student will be researching separate disease processes, plagiarism and cheating are minimized, as each mind map will be different. Furthermore, the mind map will be unique, as it will be created from diverse perspectives represented by the class members.

Module 3: Common Health Problems of the Pediatric Client Related to the Human Need of Physiological Safety

This module explores interferences in physiological safety as they relate to anomalies and disease processes often observed in pediatric clients. The nursing process, which incorporates assessment, analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation, is used as the organizing framework for delivering care to the patient. Based on the analysis of assessment data collected from primary and secondary sources, the nurse formulates a plan of care individualized for the patient. Outcome criteria are established and evaluated. Based on the evaluation, it is decided whether or not the goals have been met and plans for modification emerge.

Objective	Assessment Tool	Bloom’s Taxonomy Level
The student will collaboratively formulate a nursing care plan for the pediatric client with an interference for the need of physiological safety	Wiki	Synthesis

Students will be divided into groups of 2 or 3 students based on class size, and each group will be assigned to read a case study involving a common health problem related to the need for physiological safety. Because this course does not include a clinical component, case studies offer authentic learning experiences for students. The wiki that was used in Module 2 for the mind maps will again be utilized for the nursing process assessment in Module 3. Pages on the wiki will be created for each group to enter information for the 5 steps of the nursing process. A rubric will be provided as a guideline for the required elements of the nursing process. Both peer and instructor assessment feedback will be given via the discussion threads within the wiki.

Wikis provide a virtual environment in which students can engage in learner-centered experiences, thereby facilitating authentic assessments based on social interaction, communication, and collaboration.(McLoughlin, 2001). Wikis are affordable (inexpensive or free), easy to use, and accessible from any web browser, anytime, anywhere.(Driscoll, 2007). There are many wiki engines from which to choose. I chose WetPaint because of its ease of use and the ability to perform extra word processing features, such as tables, color and font choices. Furthermore, images can be inserted. WetPaint also allows the wiki to be private, by invitation only, which allows the instructor to have some control over who contributes to the wiki.

One weakness of the wiki is that entries can be edited by anyone causing potential ownership issues. Another challenge that has been reported by educators is the competitive behavior that sometimes results within the wiki, i.e. students trying to out-do each other instead of working collaboratively toward a common goal. For both of these challenges, the purpose of collaboration should be emphasized throughout the assignment and students should be encouraged to not view constructive feedback as a threat, but to view it as a learning opportunity. The wiki needs to be monitored closely by the instructor so that information can be verified as being accurate.

A wiki, created within WetPaint, was chosen for this module because it offers a collaborative activity in which students can learn from each other. I have recently piloted a wiki in a face-to-face nursing class that I currently teach. Although I have not had long-term experience with the wiki, nor have I surveyed students regarding their perceptions, anecdotally, I have received many positive comments from students regarding its use and benefits for learning. Surprisingly there were very few technical issues associated with using the wiki for the nursing process. I believe the use of a wiki within a totally online class will be beneficial and effective as an assessment tool.

Because writings are transparent and visible by everyone, plagiarism could result, however it is not a huge threat. The whole purpose of the visibility is for students to learn from each other. Each student group will be working on a different case study. While there may be some similarities, it would not be likely that students could copy each others’ work.

With the emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention, patient teaching is a very important aspect of nursing. In order to effectively teach a patient, the student nurse must not only possess a knowledge base regarding the subject matter, but must also be able to explain the content to the client and family members, taking into consideration various developmental and cognitive characteristics of the learners.

Objective	Assessment Tool	Bloom’s Taxonomy Level
The student will design a teaching plan for a pediatric client and the family regarding a common health problem.	Zoho Show	Synthesis

Recognizing student autonomy and individual learning preferences, students will be allowed to choose a topic for teaching as well as the pediatric age group to which the teaching plan will be addressed. The teaching plan will be developed and published within Zoho Show. Students will be required to include at least one picture or graphic image within the presentation. The student may supply a link to the project within the discussion board, or they may choose to embed the Zoho Show within the wiki. Instructor and peer feedback will be given via the wiki.

Zoho Show is one of the tools that are included in the Zoho "suite" of web hosted applications. Zoho Show allows students to collaborate and create presentations in “real time”. It is very similar to Microsoft Power Point. In fact, Power Point presentations can be imported easily into Zoho Show. Zoho tools are in the category of peer-to-peer collaboration tools, which have been found to be beneficial especially for e-learners. In an online class, synchronous collaboration facilitates relationships within the virtual environment. While Zoho Show has the capability of being used synchronously, it can also be used asynchronously. This is an advantage, allowing both individual and team work on a project.

Students who are working on a project from different locations may not be able to coordinate their schedules to use Zoho Show synchronously, which could be a disadvantage, however this challenge is common for all synchronous tools. As with other software applications, and with different levels of computer expertise within a non-technological class, students may become frustrated in trying to navigate within the software application. The frustration related to computer issues may over-power the original intent of the project.

I chose Zoho show for this activity because it offers a platform in which students can showcase their work in a creative, graphic way and post it to the Internet. Peer and instructor assessment can be accomplished by having the project visible on the web. As an added bonus, the project could possibly be used at a later date by the student in actually presenting a teaching plan to a client. It could be easily accessed and reviewed with a client within the clinical setting or anywhere that Internet access is available. While Zoho Show has the capability of being a peer-to-peer collaborative tool, I chose to use it as an individual project. Although collaborative design does not occur during the creation of the teaching plan, collaborative assessment occurs after it is published and reviewed by peers and the instructor. This activity could certainly be adapted for a collaborative activity in which groups of students work on the same teaching plan.

Because there are a wide variety of Zoho Shows that have been published on the Internet, plagiarism could be an issue for the teaching plan. There is a tag search function within Zoho Show to view published projects. If plagiarism is suspected, the instructor can utilize Internet tools to search for other works that may have been copied.

By using a variety of authentic assessment tools, students will have the tools and knowledge base needed to care for pediatric clients in acute care settings, prepared to progress to the next level within the nursing program. In a two year, associate degree nursing program, it is impossible to present all the information needed for nursing practice; however, if students have been challenged to critically think through assessment activities that promote deep learning, they will have the needed tools to adapt and apply knowledge to various clinical situations. Nursing in the 21^st century requires high levels of critical thinking. Overall course objectives include the following:

According to the Ohio Department of Education, recent research has projected that there will be critical skills needed by people living in the year 2020, in order for them to have a competitive advantage in the global economy. These skills include:

· “Good communications skills/Ability to work in teams/Ability to build relationships.”

· “Ability to think critically/strong problem solving skills/Practical application of knowledge”

· “Strong ethics/Good work habits/High level of personal responsibility/Positive attitude about work”

The traditional classroom is quickly becoming passé. Research has shown that deep learning is more likely to occur if students take ownership and are actively engaged in their own learning. With education quickly moving toward more online and blended learning formats, it is critical that educators provide authentic experiences and assessment tools from which the student can develop these essential skills to thrive in the future.

This paper has presented a proposal for the use of four authentic, student-centered assessment tools to be implemented in a future online nursing class at Rhodes State College. Each tool has been described according to its benefits, challenges, and specific uses within the proposed course. In addition, objectives have been identified and leveled according to Bloom’s taxonomy. Although the proposed course will not be offered for a year or so, in the meantime, it is my intent to test these assessment tools within the classes that I currently teach. In so-doing, current face-to-face and online nursing classes will become environments that are less teacher-centered and more learner-centered. This goal cannot be accomplished in one semester, but it will eventually be realized as new assessment tools are introduced gradually during each academic year.

Driscoll, Kelly. Collaboration in Today's Classrooms: New Web Tools Change the Game. MultiMedia & Internet@Schools May/June2007, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p9-12, 2007.

McLoughlin, C. & Luca, J. (2001). "Assessment methodologies in transition: Changing practices in web-based learning." ASET Conference, July, 2000.

Ohio Department of Education. Subcommittee for Education in the New Global Economy. “New Research Reveals Top Ten Skills for 2020.” A KnowledgeWorks Foundation Publication. September 2008 Volume 3, Number 7