Online assessment of SQL query formulation skills

Abstract

Being able to formulate useful SQL queries is a fundamental skill required by many software development professionals. Mastering this skill is a difficult process, requiring considerable practice and effort on the part of the student. In addition, assessment of SQL query formulation skills is a process that does not appear to have been thoroughly researched, and numerous problems are inherent to the approaches commonly taken in universities to do this assessment. This paper examines two of these approaches, identifies problems with them, and then proposes another method of assessment. The way that students are assessed in a subject has a significant impact on their learning approach, and it is crucial that assessment tasks are carefully designed and implemented to inculcate a deep learning experience. The online assessment method proposed is described, evaluated, and the challenges and benefits of using it are discussed. This is a work-in-progress and the conclusion states that further validation is needed, and there is opportunity for additional research and development in this particular area of assessment .