Here we set out a comparison of main technologies for assignments at UCL.
Please note:
|
Key:
| Red | No, or inconvenient. |
| Orange | Provisionally, with workarounds. |
| Green | Yes - technically supported. |
| Your need | Moodle Assignment | Turnitin Assignment. | MyPortfolio | Moodle Workshop (Peer marking) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your need | Moodle Assignment | Turnitin | MyPortfolio | |
| Type of submission | ||||
| Different media. | Yes, any type. | Word processed & image files. | Yes, with embeds and attachments | Yes, any type. |
| Multiple files. | Yes, up to 20 or any number zipped. | Yes, multipart submissions with different deadlines. | Yes. | Yes, up to 20 or any number zipped. |
| Upload limit | 160Mb per upload. | 40Mb per upload. | Default of 500Mb per user (and additionally 500Mb per group - embeds are a good way to include rich media. | 160Mb per upload. |
| Arrange and present different materials. | May not be the best platform. However, students can upload a zipped up website or other files, or submit a link to where these are hosted outside Moodle. | No. | Yes. | May not be the best platform. However, students can upload a zipped up website or other files, or submit a link to where these are hosted outside Moodle. |
| Collaborative work | ||||
| Group submission. | Yes. | No. | Yes. | No. |
| Records of individual contributions. | No. | No. | No. | No. |
| Peer assessment of group work process i.e. other group members, not the product. | No. | No. | No. | No. |
| Peer / self marking | ||||
| Peer / self marking - feedback only. | Use Moodle Workshop. | Use Turnitin Peermark (but note it's no longer under active development - consider Moodle Workshop as an alternative). | Either in comments on pages or using Moodle Workshop. | Yes |
| Peer / self marking - including numeric grade. | Use Moodle Workshop. | No grade but use Turnitin Peermark to give feedback only (but note Peermark is no longer under active development - consider Moodle Workshop as an alternative). | If in combination with Moodle Workshop - by submitting and marking a link to the wiki. | Yes. |
| Peer / self marking with structured marksheet. | Use Moodle Workshop. | Use Turnitin Peermark (but note it's no longer under active development - consider Moodle Workshop as an alternative). | If in combination with Moodle Workshop - by submitting and marking a link to the published material. | Yes. |
| Marking and feedback | Moodle Assignment | Turnitin | MyPortfolio | Moodle Workshop |
| Staff can choose grading scale | Yes. Including devising new scales. | No. | No. But grading would usually take place in a separate Moodle Assignment where there is more freedom. | Yes From an existing list. |
| Feedback appears in MyFeedback report. | Yes. | Via a link to the original. | No - or not unless feedback is given via a Moodle Assignment or Gradebook item. | Yes. |
| Similarity detection (possible plagiarism cases, poor academic writing, &c) | No. However, it is possible to allow students to use Turnitin in advance, or to ask them to run the typographic parts of their work through Turnitin as well. | A check, not comprehensive so best used in the context of supporting students' academic writing development. | No. However, it is possible to allow students to use Turnitin in advance, or to ask them to run the typographic parts of their work through Turnitin as well. | No. However, it is possible to allow students to use Turnitin in advance, or to ask them to run the typographic parts of their work through Turnitin as well. |
| Markers can be notified (e.g. by email) of submissions. | Yes. | No - though these are only really needed if either there's no deadline, or you are expecting submissions after the deadline. | No - though these are only really needed if either there's no deadline, or you are expecting submissions after the deadline. | Yes. There is also a comprehensive dashboard showing who has completed which phase of the activity. |
| Inline comments. | Yes - direct annotation on PDF submissions; otherwise download document for annotation and upload as feedback file. | Yes - direct annotation with bubble comments or typing. | Not technically, but comments can be enabled below each page, so if the pages are sufficiently granular, the comments can be too. | May not be the best platform. Possible if the submission is in a format which enables comments e.g. word processed or PDF format. |
| Offline digital marking | Yes. | Only on iPad. | Possible but probably not practical | Possible but not really enabled. Peer markers are usually expected to complete a form which acts as a framework for marking. |
| Print to paper for marking | Yes. | Yes. | Possible but probably not practical | Depends on whether submission is directly into Moodle or uploaded as e.g. word processed file. |
| Bulk upload / sync Marks, feedback. | Yes - bulk upload of feedback files and marks. | Sync only on iPad - with caveats. | If in combination with Moodle Assignment then possible to use offline marksheet. | No. |
| Rubric Criteria plotted against levels of achievement. | Yes. | Yes. | If in combination with Moodle Assignment. | Yes. Through design of the questions peer markers answer. |
| Structured marksheet (rubric) Criteria with space for comments. | Yes. Highly configurable, with space to comment on each criterion. Can optionally be used to generate marks. | Yes. But lacks space to comment on each criterion. More straightforward (than Moodle) to generate feedback only. | If in combination with Moodle Assignment. | Yes. Through design of the questions peer markers answer. |
| Administration | Moodle Assignment | Turnitin | MyPortfolio | Moodle Workshop |
| Export use of comments and rubric for analysis | No. | Yes. CSV format. | No. | No. |
| Grant extension (i.e. without being marked late or incurring penalties) | Yes - extensions fully configurable at tutor's discretion. | No. It's possible to Allow Submissions After the Due Date but not without being marked as late. The Turnitin/Moodle integration doesn't allow for extensions in Moodle Gradebook. | Not really - students can be allowed to submit after the deadline but tutor must keep records elsewhere. | Not really - students can be allowed to submit after the deadline but tutor must keep records elsewhere. |
| Automate penalties | Yes. | No. | No | Yes |
| Marking policy | Moodle Assignment | Turnitin | MyPortfolio | Moodle Workshop |
| Open second marking | Yes, there is a Workflow to help with the stages. However, markers need to manually initial any comments. No way to hide second marker's comments from students, unless they're deleted. | Yes but markers need to manually initial any comments. No way to hide second marker's comments from students unless they're deleted. | Provisionally - marking happens outside MyPortfolio eg in Moodle Assignment. | |
| Blind second marking | Yes if the second marker downloads marksheet for offline marking. | If workarounds are used e.g. markers record marks and feedback outside Turnitin. | Provisionally - marking happens outside MyPortfolio eg in Moodle Assignment. | |
| Anonymous marking | Yes, including after student receives first marker feedback, provided the anonymised submissions are downloaded beforehand. | Only before students receive first marker feedback. | No. | Yes. Configurable for either or both submitters and markers |
| External examining | Yes but to maintain anonymity (if used), externals should be given the downloaded still-anonymous submissions and downloaded marks. | Yes but to maintain anonymity (if used), externals should be given the downloaded still-anonymous submissions and downloaded marks. | Yes. |
