Dealing with online alternative assessments

Over the past 12 months many of us if not all of us will have had to deal with online assessments in some form. This new form of assessment has its positives, but it also has some drawbacks. However different these assessments may feel with plenty of practice and reading you can make these assessments work for you.

The first issue with alternative assessments concerns the best place to start the assessment. Starting at the very fundamental is a great idea. For instance, start by reading the question and get into your head what you want the overarching theme of your writing or answer to be. If you can picture in your head where you want your essay to go then you can order your work accordingly. Having a flow and an order to your preparations means that you have a clear method, and this will show in your assessment making it easier to read and understand. We all have issues keeping our plan in our heads straight so the more time you can spend on this at the beginning of your assessment the more you will benefit when you sit down to write it. It’s a good idea to write all ideas you have, and many people find it helps to write them in the order that you would place them in your essay.

Another issue that I know myself and others have faced with online assessments concerns motivation and being able to get in the headspace to learn and write at home. It’s helpful to create a study space that you can associate with study time. Having a small space around you that you use for study allows your brain to switch into concentration mode making it less likely that you will procrastinate. This gives you the ability to focus and spend more valuable time on the assessment which can only make the quality of your work better.

Remember taking breaks even when you have an assessment deadline is paramount to a healthy mind and your ability to work efficiently. Being able to stop recharge and go again is something that many people struggle with I included. However, knowing your limits and boundaries even in a short term assessment can be the difference between you getting your target grade and falling short. Rest is just as important as study and sometimes we can struggle to find the right balance.

Online assessments create challenges that can seem daunting at first glance.  For instance, accessing physical books and articles has been difficult and for some almost impossible during the last 12 months. This has meant that learning to use online resources has been paramount to assessment success. Most universities have offered essay and assessment workshops to help you hone your skills before your assessment and they allow you to work on areas that you don’t feel confident in. Signing up for these types of events will not just help you in your short term assessments but can also be translated into future job applications. Having a very high literacy and problem-solving level is essential for many fields of work and this is a great way to brush up through university services as these skills can be the ones that get you your future Job.

Having someone at home or via group chats or zoom etc is another way you can make online assessments work in your favour. Being able to talk your ideas through with others can show you a clear path to an answer and it can help you pick up on any errors that need correcting. Hearing your ideas out loud can help you picture in your head how you want your essay or exam answer to flow and what works and what doesn’t which will make the piece more readable, relatable, and better overall.

Being able to adapt to the challenges of online assessments can be challenging however it is not impossible. Using these tips, I hope your upcoming assessments and essays can be completed successfully and that you can get the grades that you want and deserve. Whatever the outcome of your assessment’s you should be proud of your efforts over the last year. This has been the most unusual, difficult, and pressured year in modern teaching history and therefore everyone deserves a pat on the back for their efforts.

We hope you find this blog useful and that it can be used in future assessments. If you have any tips or pointers that have helped you with online assessments, we would love to hear from you.

We have been The Almost Lawyers until our next blog, we thank you for your continued support.