Take-home and Online Timed Assessments at an ODL Institution

The University of South Africa (Unisa), Africa's largest open distance learning institution, was forced to explore different possibilities to move away from the traditional venue-based examinations due to the astronomical cost and limitation of venues all over the world to assess students. Alternative technology-enhanced assessment types were identified and it included take-home and online timed assessments. As the Unisa systems did not provide for alternative assessments, it had to be reconfigured by way of action research to accommodate different forms of technology-enhanced assessments. Various parties had to be consulted and the needs of the academics and stakeholders from support departments had to be addressed. Feedback was provided by the module lecturers and students who participated in the pilot. The positive feedback and high participation rate of students expressed their readiness for online alternative assessments. This project provides a huge opportunity for future research on alternative assessments and the way we incorporate technology-enhanced methods to a much greater intent in the way we teach.