Computer-based learning environments continue to grow in complexity as technology for education keeps improving. One of their functions is behind-the-scenes assessment -- determining how well the student is doing and identifying any learning difficulties the student is facing. A key issue is how to make parts of that assessment activity visible to the student. Good feedback can enhance the efficiency of learning. However, full and immediate disclosure of assessment activity is not always consistent with pedagogy. This project is developing and studying a variety of policies and methods to make learning environment more transparent. Full transparency is not achieved simply by revealing all the system's assessment data; the data and processes must be presented in understandable forms. The primary target student population for the project's experiments consists of University of Washington freshmen and sophomores who enroll in a course entitled "Pixels, Numbers and Programs." The research seeks a clearer understanding of the potential costs and benefits of revealing different kinds and amounts of assessment information to students as they work in computer-based learning environments. Most online learning environments that perform educational assessment have been rigid, not only in enforcing a linear interaction style (e.g., sequence of questions posed by the system, with little opportunity for student initiative), but also in terms of assumptions about student disposition to trust the software and engage willingly in the session. Transparency has the potential to engender trust by a wider set of students and thus broaden the range of students who can benefit from online learning environments. The project works toward an improved understanding of openness of assessment in computerbased learning environments. This, in turn, can assist designers of future systems in dealing with this increasingly important issue.
