1. Continuing with our Domain Model

First, a quick recap:

Problem Statement

ODU offers a number of courses via the internet. A common requirement among these courses is for a system of online assessment. An assessment is any form of graded question-and-answer activity. Examples include exams, quizzes, exercises, and self-assessments. In preparation for automating such a system, our group has undertaken a study of assessment techniques in traditional classrooms.

An assessment can contain a number of questions. Questions come in many forms, including true/false, single-choice from among multiple alternatives, multiple choices, fill-in-the-blank, and essay. There may be other forms as well.

Students take assessments that are administered by instructors. The students’ responses to each question are collected by the instructor, who grades them by comparison to a rubric for each question. The instructor may also elect to provide feedback (written comments), particularly about incorrect responses.

A total score for the assessment is computed by the instructor. If this is a self-assessment, the score is for informational purposes only. For other kinds of assessments, the instructor records the score in his/her grade book.

Information is returned to the student about their performance. At a minimum, the student would learn of their score and any instructor-provided feedback. Depending upon the instructor, students may also receive the questions, a copy of their own responses, and the instructor’s correct answer.

2. What Isn’t Captured in Our CRC Cards?

Let’s look for things that we learned but that the CRC cards don’t really capture.

2.1 Different Kinds of Assessment

ODU offers a number of courses via the internet. A common requirement among these courses is for a system of online assessment. An assessment is any form of graded question-and-answer activity. Examples include exams, quizzes, exercises, and self-assessments. In preparation for automating such a system, our group has undertaken a study of assessment techniques in traditional classrooms.

Suggests a generalization relationship.

2.2 Different Kinds of Question

An assessment can contain a number of questions. Questions come in many forms, including true/false, single-choice from among multiple alternatives, multiple choices, fill-in-the-blank, and essay. There may be other forms as well.

Suggests another generalization relationship.

2.3 Documents Involved in Grading

Students take assessments that are administered by instructors. The students’ responses to each question are collected by the instructor, who grades them by comparison to a rubric for each question. The instructor may also elect to provide feedback (written comments), particularly about incorrect responses.

One thing not well captured in our CRC cards is the relation among the documents and the items that make up each document.

Documents Involved in Grading (2)

Or, we could even say a little more explicitly how student responses are related to assessments.

This diagram, on the other hand, captures the essential parallelism in the document structures.