Abstract:

Nowadays there is a common practice to use LCMS-type (Learning Content Management Systems) e-learning tools for course management, study materials creation, presentation, and management, as well as assignments and tests management. Most of the LCMS support only traditional types of test questions like multi-choice, True/False, gap filling, matching etc. that are difficult to use when for example programming skills are to be evaluated. The LCMS Moodle, one of the most widespread and favourite environments, belongs to this number. Moodle is open source system, so the specialized question types can be implemented for example in the form of new modules. The modules should make the evaluation of practical tests easier and support more effective way of writing the source code. Several such modules were developed at the Faculty of Informatics and Information Technologies, Slovak University of Technology Bratislava to support skills-based assessment in HDL (Hardware Description Language) model design field. The one, presented in this contribution is suitable to be used with various programming languages. It was called Drag&Drop module and we used it already to prepare the test questions for midterm tests in VHDL, SystemC a Assembly language. The comparison of students’ achievements in case of classical type of knowledge test (paper test), more innovative web test with traditional types of test questions and the Drag&Drop test will be presented in the paper.
The Drag&Drop module was developed within the frame of Hewlett Packard Technology for Teaching (HPTFT) funded project implementation. It can easily be incorporated into the Moodle Content Management System and is based on Drag&Drop technology, that is especially suitable for tablet PCs' touch-screen (Personal Computer) and stylus but can equally comfortable be used on standard PC. The module functions include assignment creation, test creation, test activation, test ending, and results preview on the teachers side. On the students’ side, there are two main functions available – take the test and view the results. The assignment creation starts from the working design or program, prepared by teacher, to ensure the correctness of the solution. The teacher then decides and marks in the text, which rows will be excluded from the code and replaced by the gaps. Any number of rows can be excluded from the code. This gives the teacher possibility to prepare the test on various levels of difficulty. The excluded rows can then be enriched by any number of incorrect/confusing statements, allowing thus to make the test even more difficult. The rows are then mixed together and presented in one pool, were students will pick out the rows to replace the gaps in the code.
The first results have proved, that this kind of online test provides more realistic image about the students’ knowledge in the area of digital systems modelling, compared to the traditional types of test questions.

Keywords:

knowledge assessment, VHDL, SystemC, asembly language, Moodle, Drag&Drop technique.