Student and casual marker evaluation of paper versus online submission and marking of assignments

In semester one 2013 the school of Psychology was investigating the functionality of the new MyLO software, D2L. One of the potential advantages of the system was online submission and marking of undergraduate assignments. The successful implementation of any system requires more than just the reliable operation of the software, it also has to be easy to understand and use. This is especially the case when the purpose of the system is to act as a vehicle for education and many of the potential users will have little previous experience with it. KHA111 Psychology A and KHA113 Psychology C are first year units that are run concurrently in the first semester. They are both part of the Psychology major and as such share a large cohort of students who do both at the same time. This presented an opportunity to have novice students submit Psychology assignments in the traditional paper form in one unit and electronically in the other. An additional strength in the design of this piece of research was that both units used a rubric to assess and provide standardised feedback on assignments. A survey was conducted to record students’ reaction to the ease of submission; accessibility and comprehensibility of feedback, and use of support material. Their overall preference and reasons for that preference were also collected. A small number of casual markers were also using both systems for the first time. These individuals were asked similar questions about the ease of use of the two systems and their preference for one or the other. There was support from both students and markers for the electronic system. There were also some themes which emerged regarding both student and marker perceptions of the limitations of current software, which may assist in future development. This information allows the School to confidently move forward in developing its procedures and guidelines for implementing a technology that also presents advantages from an organisational point of view.