2
nd
International Conference on Educational Assessment and Policy (ICEAP 2019)
ISBN: 978-602-259-182-5 © 2019 164
ONLINE ASSESSMENT DESIGNS IN MOOCS:
A META-ANALYSIS
Malissa Maria Mahmud
Centre for English Language Studies, Sunway University
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Susila Madasamy
Centre for English Language Studies, Sunway University
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Yazilmiwati Yaacob
General Studies Department, Sunway University
Selangor, Malaysia
Othman Ismail
Academy of Language Studies, University of Technology MARA
Selangor, Malaysia
Chandra Reka Ramachandiran
School of Computing, Asia Pacific University
chandra.reka@apu.edu.my
ABSTRACT
The impetus to advocate alternative modes of education through online platforms has begotten the media’s
attention and to date, major research universities have instituted online content for worldwide consumption.
Originally conceptualized as a means for escalating the reach and accessibility of learning materials, Massive
Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have been seen as the forefront of the 21
st
century education. However, the
development of MOOCs has stagnant over the recent years. This is especially the case for variability of
assessments styles in MOOCs, vital in regulating the quality of education. Thus, this paper examines the
natures of emerging assessment styles in MOOCs and their respective outcomes. Eight samples were derived
based on their relevance and established priori to probe on the assessments’ designs in which the magnitude
of effect size (ES) for the selected samples were tabulated according to the Cohen’s d formula and
benchmark (1988; 1992). The outcomes were organized according to four categories of variables:
Performance, Attitude, Interaction and Satisfaction. Additional qualitative data was also recorded. Findings
juxtapose that the majority of outcomes were within the Performance variable, measured with significant
number of small effect sizes. Medium and large effect sizes were also yielded from multiple outcomes;
however, the generated negative effect sizes were also noticeably present. Overall, the effect sizes suggest an
all-encompassing positive repercussions of quality assessment employed within the MOOCs context.
Nonetheless, this paper acknowledges the limitations and possible confounds within the current landscape of
MOOCs assessment styles; thus, further researches are indispensable to grasp the complete functionality.
KEYWORDS
MOOCs, Assessment, Cohen’s d, Effect Size, Educational Technology.
1. INTRODUCTION
The contention of technological integration in the context of teaching and learning has indisputably
gained immense and legitimate considerations in the past decade. The advances in technological
interventions and Web 2.0 have impelled HEIs in Malaysia to experiment with novel pedagogical