Abstract:

The Wikitest platform (http://wikitest.esna.pt) is intended to be a technological answer based on the web 2.0 and User-Generated Content (UGC) concepts, aimed at consolidating pupil´s knowledge in a variety of areas. It can be adapted to a variety of languages and currently supports Portuguese, Spanish, French, English, German and Italian.

There are four different levels of users: the “administrator” who has full privileges, the “specialist” who has the ability to edit questions, the regular user who, after registering, can select his tests and the questions therein, and finally the anonymous user who can use the remaining functions.

The compilation of the tests is based on a database of previously inserted questions, which are characterized with a subset of the Learning Object Metadata (LOM) model. New questions can be inserted by any type of user. For each question, the user creates a set of multiple answers, indicating whether or not they are correct.

Anyone can create automatic tests, which are basically collections of random questions retrieved from the database. In order to create a new test, the user has to access his area, using combo boxes to select the subject of the test. There is also the possibility of choosing questions by language, with or without images or by means of keywords. After this step, the user can specify how many random questions should be integrated in the assessment.

The tests are presented in four output formats: Portable Document Format (PDF), PowerPoint Open XML Presentation (PPTX), HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) version 1.2. This support to multiple formats allows a range of different assessment scenarios, from simple paper based assessments to advanced Learning Management System (LMS) based assessments.

The PDF format allows the user to present the test in three distinct sections – questions, images and answers. The “Question section” is displayed with the questions and their possible answers and includes an area to select the correct answer. The “Image section” contains images associated to the questions. The last section, named “Answer section”, contains the questions presented in the test and also its key, with a suggestion of the time needed to complete them.

The PPTX format may be used in the classroom to present the learning objects in two ways: questions with possible answers or questions with the correct answers. The HTML format, which is based on Hot Potatoes™, allows any user, by means of an automatic timer, to answer the questions in a Web interface, which shows the final result at the end of the assessment.
The SCORM output format can be used with any LMS which is compatible with SCORM 1.2. The SCORM package allows the LMS to collect a variety of information during the assessment, such as lesson_status, score.min, score.max, session_time, objectives and other SCORM data.

The most interesting questions can be shared via social networks, by e-mail or added as browser favorites, with a “addtoany” application. Being a community based framework, its success depends on the contribution of teachers and instructors from around the world. The project is still a beta version, but it has already 871 questions on its database, which is a good indicator about its success.

Keywords:

Assessment, Learning Objects, Quizzes, SCORM.