Designing & Developing Online Assessments

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Last revised: 03/17/2025 by tjs.

Overview

This article describes research-based recommendations for designing, developing, and implementing assessments in online courses.

Course Assessment Planning

When creating an online course, develop an assessment plan detailing the methods that will be used to measure student progress towards achieving the learning objectives of a course or learning module. Effective assessment also relies on a clearly expressed grading policy and plan to provide timely feedback and grades (Quality Matters Rubric, Standards 3.1, 3.2, 5.3).

Characteristics of Assessments: Sequence, Variety & Suitability

According to the Quality Matters Standards for Online and Blended Courses, assessments should be sequenced, varied, and suited to the level of the course. (QM 3.4)  

  • Sequenced: Assessments should be “sequenced in a way that enables learners to build on previous knowledge and skills gained in this course and prerequisite courses.”
  • Varied: Including different kinds of assessments in a course “provides multiple ways for learners to demonstrate progress & achievement and…accommodates diverse learners.”
  • Suited to the level of the course: The types of assessments in “lower-level” (e.g., 1000- or 2000-level) courses may not be appropriate to assess the learning objectives of higher-level undergrad or graduate courses. (See Aligning Assessments with Learning Objectives below.)

Types of Assessments

A variety of activities can be used for formative, interim, and summative evaluation of student learning, i.e., progress toward achieving the learning objectives

A well-designed course includes:

  • Formative assessment:  refers to activities that encourage students to engage with the subject matter and receive timely feedback as they are learning.
    • Examples: Knowledge Check, self-check quiz, submission of a preliminary draft for instructor or peer feedback, sample problem set with solutions
    • Process-oriented,” “assessment for learning,” typically has no or little impact upon the final grade
  • Summative assessment: refers to activities to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit or course (Tyler, Gagne & Scriven, 1967).
    • Examples: unit/ module test, midterm or final exam, research paper, presentation
    • Product-oriented, “assessment of learning,” graded, counts toward final grade
  • Interim assessments generally fall between formative and summative assessments.
    • Examples: concept quizzes, online discussions, problem sets
    • Like formative assessments, students complete interim assessments during a learning module or unit, and like summative assessments, they typically are graded and count toward the final grade.

Consider some of the different forms of assessment at these sites:

Aligning Assessments with Learning Objectives

Assessments of all types should measure one or more specific stated learning objectives. (QM Standard 3.1) An assessment’s validity relies on its alignment with the behavior described in the learning objective. Misaligned assessments can undermine student motivation and learning. When developing a course, be sure to match, or align, the measurable behavior of the learning objective (i.e., the action verb) with an appropriate type of assessment:    

Learning Objective Behavior Potential Online Assessments
List… Complete a “Fill in Multiple blanks” or “Short answer” quiz
Compare… Create a table or write an essay
Discuss… Participate in an online Discussion or recorded video conference
Analyze… Write a lab report or write an essay of literary analysis
Critique… Write an editorial or a review

Frequency

Assessments should be “paced to give learners adequate time to complete work in a thoughtful manner and demonstrate learning achievement.” (QM Standard 3.4) Plan formative assessment opportunities throughout your course to monitor students’ progress toward the objectives.

For larger projects, including summative projects to meet course objectives, consider breaking the assignment into component parts that students submit periodically to allow for feedback and promote student engagement.

Evaluative Criteria and Rubrics

When developing an assessment, determine “specific and descriptive criteria for evaluation of learners’ work” (Quality Matters, Standard 3.3), and share the criteria with students before they begin work on the assessment.  A rubric can be an effective way to organize and communicate assessment criteria. Grading rubrics include the specific expectations for an assignment and descriptions of performance quality.

Exemplars

If possible, provide examples of high-quality student work to “illustrate dimensions of quality and clarify assessment expectations” (Newlyn, 2013).

Assessment Instructions

Provide clear written instructions for all assessments.  In an online course environment especially, care should be taken so that all students comprehend your specific expectations.  

  • Briefly explain the purpose of the assignment and identify its associated learning objective.
  • Indicate the intended audience for a piece of writing or a presentation so that students can determine appropriate content and tone.
  • Break down more complex tasks into their component steps, listing them sequentially.
  • Include assignment parameters (length, citation style, format, font, etc.).
  • Provide guidance to the learner about how to uphold academic integrity. (Quality Matters, Standard 3.6)
    • Appropriate use of sources/resources, individual work vs. group work, etc.

Before an activity is assigned, ask someone who is unfamiliar with the course to review the instructions to point out anything that was unclear.  The first time a new activity is assigned, encourage student questions and revise the instructions to address any gaps.

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