Date of Award

1997

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science Honours

Faculty

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

First Supervisor

Dr Arshad Omari

Abstract

This project and research has resulted in the development of a World Wide Web (WWW) based testing system. WEBassess can be accessed and used from any point in the world that has a connection to the WWW. The WEBassess system allows for the creation and completion of tests through the WWW interface. Scoring and feedback of submitted tests is completely automated, allowing students to see their test result immediately, including visual indicators for correct and incorrect answers. These test results may then be viewed by academic staff, showing complete test details, such as unit code, test title, score, percentage, date and time of test submission plus correct and incorrect answers. Through the logging of this information into the WEBassess database, profiles can be derived, indicating which students are having the most difficulty with certain questions. This information is stated against a student's identification number. The entire WEBassess system can be administered through a consistent WWW interface, including the addition, deletion and maintenance of pools of questions. User maintenance is also included in this administration module, allowing for the addition, deleting and alteration of Admin, Staff and Student level users. Security is implemented in the form of passwords linked to specific user identification details. A WEBassess user is presented with only the screens which their level of access allows, be it Administration (Admin), Staff or Student. The WEBassess system has been developed using a variety of software and hardware tools, the most crucial of these being an application called Lasso (Blueworld Inc, 1997) and the Filemaker Pro 3 (Claris Corporation, 1997) relational database. The Lasso application communicates with the Filemaker Pro database via a WWW server. The WEBassess system has been designed as a tool for student knowledge testing and feedback, rather than as a traditional assessment and scoring device. Features found in the WEBassess system have been created to comply with specific requirements for Edith Cowan University staff and students, whilst other features have been derived from similar testing systems currently in use on the WWW. The WEBassess system is presently at the level of preliminary user testing, from which initial changes to the system have already taken place. Several future developments for the system are envisaged, to be implemented after a prolonged period of end-user testing on the finalised program.

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