Course Development

Classroom Assessment Techniques for Distance Education: Self Assessment of Ways of Learning

Karen Hallett
Instructional Consulting

Descriptions

Self assessment prompts students to describe their general approaches to learning or their learning styles, by comparing themselves with several different profiles and choosing those that, in their opinion, most closely resemble them. This technique provides teachers with a simple way to assess student's learning styles or preferences for ways of learning. By finding out whether students consider themselves primarily "visual learners," "aural learners," or "tactile learners," for example, faculty can choose among instructional approaches.

Teaching Improvement

• better uses of available technology (effective uses)
• uses of appropriate strategies for distance education environment
• provide more contact with students, accessibility
• provide information about tailoring instructional activities to meet student's needs

Improving student learning

• improve opportunities to ask questions
• improve opportunities for input and feedback
• provide more contact with students accessibility

Criteria

• equally accessible from both sites
• immediacy of use
• adaptable to a wide range of learning situations
• require minimal time investment of students/instructor
• has continued use as learning tool for students, instructional resource for instructor.