Investigating online tests practices of university staff using data from a learning management system

Abstract

While research on online tests in higher education is steadily growing, there is little evidence in the literature of the use of learning management systems (LMS), such as Blackboard™, as rich sources of data on online tests practices. This paper reports on an investigation that used data from Blackboard™ LMS to gain insight into the purpose for and practice of online tests at the Charles Darwin University (CDU) Business School in Australia. Focussing on curriculum and pedagogical practices, the paper identifies indications of good practice as well as potential issues related to curriculum mapping, including possible misalignment between learning outcomes and online tests. It also affirms the versatility of using data from LMSs in the study of e-assessment in general and online tests in particular.