Moodle quizzes as a tool for assessment, revision and self-directed learning

In most degree programmes, Academic Writing, Research and Study skills is an important first year module to prepare the student for the years of study and research ahead. Similarly, in most Music degree programmes, Musicianship training and in particular, Aural Training, is of fundamental importance.

Increasingly, lecturers and students are making use of online resources to support their teaching and learning in both of these very different subject areas.

However, while learning management systems such as Moodle are now in widespread use for delivering content and assignment briefs and allowing completed assignments to be submitted, not so much use is made of other features within Moodle, such as quizzes, for assessment, revision and self-directed learning.

There are 17 different question types available within Moodle. This presentation primarily focuses on the use of two of these question types as a means of assessment, revision and self-directed learning in Study Skills and Musicianship. A demonstration is given of the use of the 'drag and drop markers' question type to identify errors of spelling and punctuation inserted into an academic text. This is followed by a demonstration of the use of the 'matching' question type to match audio files of music intervals (created using open source music notation software) to actual interval names.

The presentation argues that, with the greater use of online resources to support teaching and learning in general, more consideration should be given to the creative use of online quizzes as a tool for assessment, revision and self-directed learning.