Comparative analysis of assessment schemes based on students’ performance in a postgraduate program of the Hellenic Open University

Abstract

Students’ assessment is a key element of academic procedures. The last decade online assessment has gained ground particularly after the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic. Written essays and written exams are fundamental methods of online assessment. In this paper a comparative analysis of two different assessment schemes adopted by the Hellenic Open University in two different academic semester of an open and distance postgraduate program is conducted and specifically in the Master Program «Education and Technologies in Distance Teaching and Learning Systems-Educational Sciences» in the Module «Design, development and management of distance learning programmes». The analysis is based on students’ performance both on written essays and written final exams. The analysis revealed that students’ performance has not significantly affected by the change occurred in the assessment scheme. Additionally, the analysis has focused on the weaknesses of the postgraduate students revealed, regarding the writing of an academic essay as well as on their weaknesses on online writing exams. The results indicate first that introduction, conclusions and consistency on APA system are elements of a written essay that trouble the postgraduate students and second the students performed better in the part of open questions compared to the part of closed-ended questions.