HOW TO IGNITE STUDENT LEARNING WITH CREATIVE ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES IN ONLINE EDUCATION

The technological innovations created paradigm shifts in online education. In the near future, many routine-oriented jobs will be filled with artificial intelligence. Educators have a daunting task to prepare their students for jobs that not yet been created. The digital generation requires from educators to reconsider preconceived notions about assessment and introduce authentic performance-based assessment in the online environment. In contrast with the traditional educational assessment methods focusing on standardized tests, memorization and recall of information, alternative assessment fosters the development of creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills by using authentic real world tasks to support exploration, discovery, and problem-based learning for students with diverse learning styles. There are a multitude of alternative assessment strategies to help students develop the intrinsic motivation that will allow them to become lifelong learners. Blogs, journals, wikis, and digital portfolios are excellent tools for self-reflection and personal growth. The process of engaging online learners in the production of podcasts and video projects can motivate students to acquire in-depth knowledge of the subject they study. Involving students in peer review promotes collaborative learning, creative expression, reflection, and higher-order thinking skills. Educational games, simulations, and virtual environments change the way educators teach and assess their students. Traditional tests do not offer struggling students immediate feedback on their exact level of achievement. Adaptive assessment adjusts the difficulty of questions based on a student's response and customizes assessment for each student by providing a more accurate measurement of their skills, knowledge, abilities, attitudes, personality traits and educational achievements backed by automated psychometrics. The artificial-intelligence based assessment tools highlight the strengths and weaknesses of student knowledge, provide them with comprehensive reports, and offer students immersive learning environments for improving their knowledge to a desirable level. Rewarding student proficiency with digital badges engages students in learning and provides credentials for acquiring new skills. Fostering student intrinsic motivation and innovation by using creative assessment strategies prepares students for the fast-changing, culturally diverse, and the interconnected modern world.