MPj04393590000[1] A friend of mine is carrying out research in classroom based e-assessment in developing countries such as Pakistan. The aim of the research is to assist primary school teachers with computer software that:

· Is aligned with the particular subject curriculum they follow in their schools.

· Provides pupils with challenges and interactive short quizzes and tests to take after completing a topic taught by the teacher in the classroom.

· Provides students with immediate and diagnostic feedback on their performance on each challenge or test they attempt.

· Helps teachers in identifying the individual pupils needing help in certain conceptual areas of the curriculum, in managing the overall classroom portfolio, and in assuring better teaching and learning within the socio-cultural context of their educational system.

You can help in two ways!

  1. The project is still in the stage where available literature on formative e-assessment is being critically reviewed and any bright ideas relevant to the topic are welcome.

  2. One very important aspect of the research is related to the kind of tools and technologies that should be utilized in developing the software product. This is done keeping into consideration the fact that the use of expensive tools, technologies and infrastructure does not help much in sustaining any change in the educational systems of developing countries. Therefore, Moodle (www.moodle.org) and other such open source learning management systems are being considered for the initial version of this project**.**

We need someone who can evaluate both Moodle and OpenMark, tell whether the functionality of diagnostic assessment used in OpenMark can also be integrated in Moodle, and how. Monetary remuneration is available for this activity.

The Open University (www.open.ac.uk) in the UK is one of the pioneers in establishing distance learning (also e-learning) programs for higher education. They are currently using OpenMark (https://openmark.dev.java.net/), their own open source Computer Assisted Assessment (CAA) system, as well as Moodle to develop formative assessment tests for their students enrolled in distance learning programs (http://labspace.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3484&topic=all). You will find some documentation on this at http://labspace.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3484&topic=all, and at http://labspace.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=381989&direct=1. After that we would need help in taking on the development of our own software from there.

If you know anyone who is interested, please leave a comment or drop an email to awais {at} chaoticity.com