An Open Source Self-Assessment Platform as Technological Tool for Distance and Open Education Learners

Abstract

This paper explores the use of the WikiEducator E-quiz platform as an educational tool to enhance self-assessment techniques applied by distance and open education learners. Anderson’s Model explains six different types of interaction: student-student, student-teacher, student-content, teacher-teacher, teacher-content and content-content. The model has a number of intertwining links with higher order thinking skills—analysis, evaluation and creating—of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy. Most of the learner-participants in this pilot study presented in this paper were privileged to have access to a computer, mobile phone and Internet, that enabled them to access, edit and add content to the E-quiz platform. A review of literature involved two main topics, namely self-directed learning and self-assessment. This study was qualitative in nature and conducted at a university in Ghana. Initially, Bower’s affordances analysis was used to test the efficacy and appropriateness of the WikiEducator E-quiz platform for distance education. The affordances analysis not only assisted in analysing the platform and the tasks to achieve, but also identified the gaps. Learners who used the platform critiqued and reflected on the platform from their own perspectives. Two of the principal author’s colleagues were instrumental in offering their opinions of the platform from a teacher’s lens.