Leveraging Online Testing to Enhance Student Learning

Purpose As more courses move to online testing, it is important to understand how it can be used to enhance student learning. Adopting online testing strategies which have been documented to be effective (including increasing the frequency of testing, allowing the students to take the test “open book” and allowing the students two opportunities to take each test) may enhance student learning. This study assesses whether adopting these strategies, facilitated by online testing, leads to greater student learning. Design/methodology/approach I gathered data from eight sections of an undergraduate auditing course in which students in four sections of the class were tested using six online tests taken by the students outside of class. These six online tests were “open book” and allowed the students two opportunities to take each test. Scores from a common final exam are then compared to those from four sections of the same course where three in-class, traditional paper tests were administered. I also surveyed the online test group to gather information regarding their perceptions of online testing. Findings Students in the online group scored significantly higher on the tests and the final exam. Additionally, the online group reported a positive perception about their experience with online testing. Practical implications Online testing did not impair students’ learning, and if the testing environment is designed correctly, online testing may increase student learning. Originality/value Instructors considering introducing online testing should consider introducing some of the specific strategies and practical implications described in the chapter to increase student learning.