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Xerte – Multiple (formative)

Published on: 20/09/2023 · Last updated on: 02/09/2024

Assessment Type: Examination or Coursework

Below are the TEL recommended workflows, for three formative assessment scenarios, using Xerte. We would recommend using Xerte only for formative assessment activities, unless you would like students to use Xerte to create a project output.  Please contact the TEL team if you would like to discuss this option. The guidance provided is for typical use of Xerte.

Visit the Xerte guidance for instructions.

Scenario 1 – Learning resources for independent learning development

Xerte can be used to create small, self-contained learning resources that can contain multimedia and provide interactive activities.  These learning resources can be accessed repeatedly by students and can provide built-in feedback to aid learning.  In this scenario student interaction is not stored or tracked, so each time the student accesses the resource they start from the beginning again.  It is possible for students to take away the results of their efforts each time, and they can report them to tutors if required.

Beginner

  1. Build a learning resource (or object)

    Use the Xerte toolkit template to create a resource.  This should aim to cover one topic only.  This would typically involve creating pages that offer some exposition, followed by some interactive activities that give the student an opportunity to practice or test themselves.

    Add feedback to all interactive activities included in your resource.  This ensures that students can learn from repeated use of the resource and answers (whether correct or not) are not ambigous.

  2. Add Tracking optional property to learning object

    Although the Xerte object will not store student interactions, it does log them whilst viewing is in progress.  This allows the learning object to report ‘results’ to the students, via a ‘Results’ page (which can be optionally added).  By adding tracking to the object this can affect the way certain interactive activities work, so that students can’t guess their way to answers.

  3. Add a Results page to the end of the content

    This is optional but provides an overview of learner responses and feedback that the student can download.

  4. Add a Stop Tracking page after the Results page

    If tracking has been enabled this is optional, to add at the end of your resource.  It can signify to students that they have reached the end of the resource.  If in the following step, you are making the resource available via Moodle, you can edit the ‘stop tracking’ page instructions to suit the environment (e.g. ‘you can return to your Moodle home page’, instead of ‘close the window’).

  5. Make the resource available to students

    This involves changing ‘access’ to your resource.  Access can be via a fully public URL, or a URL accessible via Password (Bath credentials) or a URL accessible from a specific site (e.g. Moodle).  Changing access will generate a URL as well as some HTML embed code.  These can be added to Moodle to give students access.

    Once added to Moodle it is possible to track the number of ‘views’ in Moodle logs.  However, this will only tell you if the resource has been accessed, and not if the activities have been completed.

Visit the Xerte guidance for instructions.

Scenario 2 – Learning resources that can report a score to Moodle using LTI

Learning objects created in Xerte can be used as formative assessment for independent learning.  The student progresses through the material taking on board the in-built feedback that you have provided.  However, you may prefer to have the students’ efforts reported back to you via a score.  This can be done by adding your Xerte resource as an LTI object (or External Tool) to Moodle.  This will report a score to the Moodle gradebook.  

Note that if students attempt the resource multiple times the score reported will reflect their last attempt only.

Intermediate

  1. Build a learning resource (or object)

    Use the Xerte toolkit template to create a resource.  This should aim to cover one topic only.  This would typically involve creating pages that offer some exposition, followed by an interactive activity that gives the student an opportunity to practice or test themselves.

    Add feedback to all interactive activities included in your resource.  This ensures that students can learn from repeated use of the resource and answers (whether correct or not) are not ambigous.

  2. Add Tracking optional property to learning object

    Although the Xerte object will not store student interactions, it does log them whilst viewing is in progress.  This allows the learning object to report ‘results’ to the students, where a ‘Results’ page is added.  By adding tracking to the object this can affect the way certain interactive activities work, so that students can’t guess their way to answers.

  3. Add a Results page to the end of the content

    This is optional but provides an overview of learner responses and feedback that the student can download.

  4. Add a Stop Tracking page after the Results page

    If tracking has been enabled this is required at the end of your resource. You can edit the ‘stop tracking’ page instructions to suit the environment (e.g. ‘You can return to your Moodle home page’, instead of ‘close the window’).

  5. Make the resource available to students

    To add your resource to Moodle via LTI you need to enable a setting in project properties of your Xerte resource.  This will provide you with a suitable link which can be added to your Moodle course via the External Tool activity.

Visit the Xerte guidance for instructions.

Scenario 3 – Learning resources that can report score and analytics to Moodle using SCORM

Learning objects created in Xerte can be used as formative assessment for independent learning.  The student progresses through the material taking on board the in-built feedback that you have provided.  However, you may prefer to have the students’ efforts reported back to you in Moodle so you can analyse strengths and weaknesses and evaluate learning taking place.  This can be done by adding your Xerte resource as a SCORM object to Moodle.  This will report a score to the Moodle gradebook but will also report some interactions to you as part of the SCORM functionality.  Note there can be some anomalies in SCORM reporting and the interface can be difficult to decipher.

Advanced

  1. Create a Moodle Assignment for Mahara submission

    Use the Xerte toolkit template to create a resource.  This should aim to cover one topic only.  This would typically involve creating pages that offer some exposition, followed by an interactive activity that gives the student an opportunity to practice or test themselves.

    Add feedback to all interactive activities included in your resource.  This ensures that students can learn from repeated use of the resource and answers (whether correct or not) are not ambigous.

  2. Add Tracking optional property to learning object

    Although the Xerte object will not store student interactions, it does log them whilst viewing is in progress.  This allows the learning object to report ‘results’ to the students, where a ‘Results’ page is added.  By adding tracking to the object this can affect the way certain interactive activities work, so that students can’t guess their way to answers.

  3. Add a Results page to the end of the content

    This is optional but provides an overview of learner responses and feedback that the student can download.  However, please be aware that this report can sometimes contradict the SCORM report produced in Moodle, depending on how the student attempts the resource (i.e. if they skip pages or activities or close the resource without completing it).

  4. Add a Stop Tracking page after the Results page

    If tracking has been enabled, this is required at the end of your resource.

  5. Make the resource available to students

    Once the resource is completed, you can export it in SCORM format.  This will download a zip folder of files that can then be uploaded to Moodle, using the SCORM activity feature.  It’s important to note that if you make changes to your resource then you will need to re-export and re-upload to Moodle.  This contrasts with the other scenarios where the resource can be updated, and students would instantly see those change.

Visit the Xerte guidance for instructions.

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