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Using Online Microassessments to Drive Student Learning

Abstract It is not what is taught that has the most influence on students’ study behaviour, but rather what is assessed. Computer-assisted assessment offers the possibility of widening the scope of the material that is assessed, without placing excessive burdens on either staff or students. This article describes a computer-assisted assessment scheme comprising frequent, short, focused online assessments — termed “Microassessment”. It was designed and implemented with the primary aim of increasing the time students spent engaging with the learning activities of a module which was the second in a series of three introductory human anatomy and physiology modules. The impact of the introduction of the microassessments was evaluated by comparing results in the written end of module exam with the exam performance in the other two modules, where the continuous assessment tasks involved submitting completed workbooks at the end of each of the modules. The introduction of the microassessments resulted in a demonstrable improvement in the end of module exam performance and provides evidence in support of this specific pattern of continuous assessment as having a significant impact on student learning.