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Education Students Performance
Nour Eldin Elshaiekh Mohamed, Musa Fadlalla Ali
To cite this version:
Nour Eldin Elshaiekh Mohamed, Musa Fadlalla Ali. The Role of Online Diagnostic Exams on the Higher Education Students Performance. International Journal of Engineering and Information Sys- tems, 2017, 1 (8), pp.147-152. �hal-01628898�
The Role of Online Diagnostic Exams on the Higher Education Students Performance
Nour Eldin Mohamed Elshaiekh Assistant Professor, Information Systems University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman,
Email: noreldine@hotmail.com, P.O. Box 33, PC 616, Tel.: +96825446234, Fax: +96825443400, Musa Fadlalla Ali
Associate Professor, Department of Management University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman, Email: musaali@unizwa.edu.om, P.O. Box 33,
Abstract:Most of the current international exams and certificates have been changed to be conducted electronically online ; and in addition to keep up with current evaluation of ICT, this mechanism is used to improve the Higher Education institutions (HEI) students performance, the online diagnostic exams maybe is the one of ICT tools that could help effectively current century students.
This paper focuses on studying the role of the online diagnostic exams and its impact on HEI students’ performance.
The study was conducted by using survey interviews from some higher institutions teachers/students as a method to get the participants response and opinions about the main questions.
The researchers collected data from a sample of universities teachers and students in HEI. The research open ended questions were distributed purposely to 30 participants in the three selected ICT universities, the selected participants were those who were more closely connected to online exams (ICDL Online Exams), the analysis is based on thematic approach. The results explained the role of this kind of diagnostic exams in the improvement of the HEI student’s performance. Online Diagnostic exams allow teachers and instructors to evaluate and follow their student's academic performance online through using standard measurements.
The feedback of the exams may help teachers and students to evaluate and estimate how they can improve their academic progress. Students may know their real academic situation and thus will provide them a motivation to improve and develop their academic performance according to specific standards which will give teachers/students an impression of what teachers/ students should do to meet these standards.
Keywords: Diagnostic exam, online exam, academic performance, Higher Education, International Computer Driving license (ICDL).
1. INTRODUCTION
Recently higher education teachers/students are facing a problem of irregular academic performance due to several factors, they did not know where they are, they want to move forward, ICT tools should be there, therefore an online diagnostic exam is the one of the ways to do. And thus it would be one of the suitable best solutions, because diagnostic exam will identify where they have started, will consider the abilities that students have at a particular time to solve problems or answer questions in a course subject and can analyze these results to provide students with tangible knowledge to set realistic evaluation and help to monitor and take an early corrective actions for a particular issues, therefore the performance will be affected positively.
2. DIAGNOSTIC EXAMS IN EDUCATION
A diagnostic exam is a process of assessment to recognize an individual's specific matter of weakness and strength in order to verify their situation. Diagnostic exams in education evaluate students' understanding of a subject area or skills base. A teacher typically controls the system to ensure that it produce the output results, and will use the results to provide corrective instructions or place students within appropriately leveled positions. Some Universities also uses diagnostic exam concepts as a whole, aiming to reveal commonly held misconceptions in specific subjects (Spinelli, 2006).
3. WHY ONLINE DIAGNOSTIC EXAMS?
Due to the huge development in technology and communications, the world moved towards web-based technology society, therefore the online diagnostic exams can be conducted at user's own time, place and pace, the result will be generated immediately, teachers are able to evaluate their student's progress in continuing matter and the feedback will be fairness, more details and accuracy. Figure 1 shows online diagnostic exams evaluation result.
Figure 1: Online Diagnostic Exam Result sample 4. THE GOALS AND BENEFITS OF DIAGNOSTIC EXAMS IN EDUCATION
The main goal of a diagnostic exam in education is to evaluate the current state of a student's progress or aptitude in a particular area. Some diagnostic exams determine if a student qualifies for special education course activities in which students has either demonstrated mastery or need remediation, Allows for better variation plans for the students (Willoughby, 2010).
Another goal for a diagnostic exam in education it is a formative evaluation, using computerized tools which will keep up with information revolution and9 provides a frame of reference for later assessments, formative evaluation in the overall education activities is to specify whether a particular syllabus is effective as well as whether the teaching methods followed by teachers are effective or not.
The two primary benefits of administering examinations online were: (1) the large cost savings of the substitution of machines for labor in grading, and (2) the potential for enhanced student learning due to more frequent assessment.
Another significant benefit is immediate feedback to students on homework assignments and examinations. Upon submission of the assignments and exams, the software provides students with answer keys and their own responses.
(Andrew P. Barkley, 2001). According to Suen and Parkes, “The advantage of [computer-assisted testing] is the efficiency in scoring and report generation.” Carlson (p. 16) concluded, “Instantaneous feedback is an excellent learning tool for the student.” Rapid feedback rewards well-prepared students and motivates students who did not perform well to increase effort levels. The linkage between student preparation and performance is a strong motivational tool, which gives students the opportunity to increase learning outcomes through expeditious and continuous knowledge of performance, early on in the course and throughout the semester.
The frequent influences that donate to student‟s success on evaluation make it difficult to allocate either failure or success exclusively to the efforts of the teacher, which show that there is a tension between administration and educators about the value of diagnostic evaluation and whether syllabus should make students exactly meet their objectives (Willoughby, 2010).
5. THE PROBLEM
Even though the growing use of ICT tools in HEI students still they did not gain the full effectiveness, affects and advantages of using ICT in the education activities, this could be a reflection of the less acknowledgement of the role of using these tools, for example online diagnostic exams as the one of the most important tools that will increases the effectiveness of their performance. Based on the problem raised the following research paper question is posed:
What is the role of online educational diagnostic exam in the higher education student‟s performance?
6. RESEARCH MODEL
The following research model (Figure 2) was developed based on the Advantages of diagnostic exams in education field which identified in the literature section, in order to assist this study in answering the above question.
Figure 2: Role of Online diagnostic exam in HEI field 7. METHODOLOGY
Qualitative research method will be used to answer the main research question and it
involves an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter, all open ended questions derived from the above mentioned advantaging‟s of using online diagnostic exams in education. It is possible to examine the environment of human actions and the behaviour aspect by highlighting and gaining insight from the respondents‟
points of view. The interview is a method of collecting data through a series of questions and observations (Patton, 2002). In this research, 30 interviews were carried out with 21 male and 9 female people in different HEI teacher/students using purposive selection of participants which were the people who is close to use ICDL online diagnostic exams.
8. DATA ANALYSIS
Open ended questions (interview) were used to collect the data needed to answer the research paper question about what is the role of online educational diagnostic exam in the higher education student‟s performance. This will include data which has been collected from multiple education institutions including faculty and students. (Table:1) provides a summary explanation of the interview feedback.
The thematic data analysis method has been used to analyse the collected data to generate the result of the paper.
This kind of analysis is move towards for dealing with data that includes the formation and use of „codes‟ to data.
Table 1: Summary of Interviewees Feedback Interview Question General Feedback
/Interviewees
Most Frequent Feedback
Comments and Suggestions Q1. Do you think that Online
Diagnostic exam used to evaluate the Current State
(anywhere/ time) for all students? How could this be
The Online Diagnostic exam will completely evaluate the current status of students immediately and
detailed diagnostic reports
Used to evaluate the status of
students immediately, represent 34.3%
Online Diagnostic exam is used to improve students‟ performance by
getting the current status of the students in the
Interview Question General Feedback /Interviewees
Most Frequent Feedback
Comments and Suggestions beneficial? to understand the strengths
and weakness of each student
subject with details
Q2. How important do you think the online diagnostic exams Aptitude in a Particular
Area to the students performance?
The online diagnostic exam, will updates, increases in a
particular area of conducting online exams.
Support the students skills e.g.
how to conduct online exams, represent 26.5%
Will improve student‟s skills, confidence like preparing the students to
take different online exams of international
certificates e.g. PMP exam.
Q3 Briefly explains how the online diagnostic exams will
Qualifies for Special Education Activities in your
institution?
The online exam will qualify the students for special educations activities
in the education e.g. ICDL exams, PMP exams est...
and DSS processes
Will maximize the knowledge of the students in solving specific problems, represent 23.5%
Will makes the students be qualified to run and execute many activities in
the field of education
Q4 To what extent does the online diagnostic exams will provides the Evaluation using
Computerized Tools?
The encampment the uses computer tools in the
education issues and purposes which will give
them some confidences
Will put the students in the ICT
specialize and professional level,
represent 29.3%
It is motivation of using ICT internally and externally and their day
life Q5 In your opinion is the
online exam will Specify whether a specific Syllabus is
Affective to the students experience or not?
Will give the students good view of their syllabus if it‟s affective or not therefore will help their further plans
They will know more details about what they learn and
its importance, use represent 15.3%
Will put the students in the right track regarding to their syllabus content s
& structure.
Q6 In your opinion, is the online exam will Specify
whether syllabus makes students meet their objectives?
Will give the students good view of their syllabus if its meets their needs or not so they can choose the right
way
They will know more details about what they learn and
its importance, represent 12.5%
Will put the students in the right track regarding to their syllabus and what
they will take by the end of their studies and carries 9. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The most participants were decided and agreed with the roles and importance of implementing online diagnostic exams in order to improve the performance of the students in HEI, they agreed that it will confirmed to the students in terms of their knowledge, experience and academic issues in order to bring those students to where they need to be.
The most important role according to the participants feedback is that the online diagnostic exams will improve students‟ performance by getting the current status of the students in the subject with more details; the second benefit is to provide them by a Aptitude to their performance, then it will increases they ICT tools uses skills, and finally the online diagnostic exam will put the students in the right track regarding to their syllabus and what they will take by the end of their studies to compare it if it meet their need or not. Over all s diagnostic exam can show how much students have grown in a class or in their knowledge of a subject for the carries issues.
This findings is supported by Betts (2011), who believes that diagnostic online exam testing produces positive gains to identify students‟ strengths and weaknesses, provide data that assist in decision making, used to help individual improve performance, Creative assessment, by contrast, magnets on information gathered in the assessment process to recognise learning needs and regulate teaching.
10. CONCLUSION
The online diagnostic exam is possible to experience direct the scope, period, and arrangement of the official exam. From my viewpoint, the diagnostic results hedges help the academic institutions and the teachers to plan an overall move towards to preparation with the most suitable arrangement, command, length, and extent. Results from online diagnostic exam can provide students with tangible knowledge to set practical goals and to help decide the
suitability of pursuing exacting exam. As a first guideline that assesses the exam-taker's relation strengths and weaknesses, the online diagnostic exam also provides teachers with exact details about the student‟s familiarity with and understanding of the relevant subjects.
Based on the results of the paper and their feedback, the online diagnostic exam is intended to meet the student's particular needs and it will affect positively their academic performance.
REFERENCES
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Authors
Dr.NourEldin Mohamed Elshaiekh Education: • (2010) : Ph.D. in Knowledge Management, Faculty Of Creative Multimedia, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya, Malaysia.
SPECIALIZATION: Knowledge Based Decision Support System. • (2003): M.Sc. in Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science, University of Gezira, Wad Madani, Sudan. • (1997) : B.Sc. In Information Technology, Faculty of Information Technology, (Future University formerly Computer Man College, Khartoum, Sudan. He is the Assistant Professor of Knowledge Management, his initial education was in information technology and computer science. His research and consultancy interests for the past nine years have been spread between Knowledge Management, project Management and teaching and learning theory. His expertise and research interests are in the field of knowledge management, Web application, project management, and decision support system. His is member of many associations like Sudanese KM association, Sudanese ICT association, and Knowledge Management Online Membership. He published more
than 25 Journal and conference paper, please check:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=djQI9osAAAAJ&hl=en www.researchgate.net/profile/Nour_Eldin_Elshaiekh/publications.
Musa Fadlalla Ali –Associate Professor. He received PhD in Accounting and Finance, from Sudan University Of Science and Technology - Sudan 2009 . PhD in Business Administration, from Alneiln University – Sudan 2006 .M.sc .Business Administration, from Omdurman Islamic University – Sudan 1998. BSc. in Accounting, from University of Khartoum – Sudan 1985. He worked in administrative posts in government and banking sector during the period between (1986 - 2003). He joined the Open University of Sudan in 2003. He taught Management and accounting courses for both undergraduate and Post – Graduate Studies. He participated instructional designing of (16) textbooks in management and accounting to be in line with open and distance n learning. He is Co- author of (4 ) books. He supervised more than (30) researches for higher diploma and Master degrees. He joined University of Nizwa as a faculty member in the department of management, college of Economics, Management and Information systems in Sept. 2016.
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