Impact of Formative E-Assessment on Attendance

Abstract

E-assessment is an established and growing approach that can offer several advantages compared to traditional pen and paper assessments, such as instant feedback, online/remote interaction, and automated personalization. In this study, we investigate the impact of introducing formative e-assessment in a compulsory science module of an undergraduate degree programme. In particular, we compare two paired cohorts, from consecutive academic years, before and after replacing pen and paper formative assessment activities with digital alternatives based on the Numbas e-assessment platform. We find that introducing eassessment correlates with a marked and statistically significant increase in student attendance. Module evaluation comments from students indicate an overall view of e-assessment as beneficial and engaging.