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Course Gap Analysis: Improving Access

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Course Gap Analysis


 I originally started this post with the plan to reflect on course evaluation as I set about to improve my online courses in terms of engagement and completion rates.  However, I came to notice that the majority of the work I was doing was taking existing content and designs and adjusting or revamping. I noticed too that I was doing so in phases.

 In particular, I have been working on assessment which in my courses largely means exams, which are a good starting point or foundation for summative and formative assessment opportunities. I observed several stages, the first being improving access.

 Improving Access

 For exams, I started off working on moving exams and items online. I took book pdfs with the questions and then I converted them to text. From there, I stripped the questions and ran them through a GIFT format converter. I then upload the GIFT files quickly into the Moodle course question banks. I created a text file with an HTML template for formatting resources, such as readings, to be included with individual items as Moodle does not have a function for grouping questions around a single resource. To be organized, I created categories in the question bank to match units and lessons identified in the text. I was not able to assigne items to outcomes so I will have to use an external exam bank tool. I assigned each question an item code using a naming convention. I have tried to do work that could be duplicated by others.

 Certainly, this method does not lend itself to widespread use by teachers or developers; however, I was able to quickly put up usable items. Students online have already started completing the entry tests.
Online exam items

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