M09i1 - Choosing the right assessment platform for assignments - a comparison

Please note:

• We have guidance setting out the principles for giving feedback, and how the different technologies can help enact those.

• Turnitin is saying that PeerMark is no longer under active development, so for peer marking we focus on the Moodle Workshop activity.

• We have a very detailed comparison between Moodle Assignment and Turnitin Assignment.

• If you spot anything that needs updating or editing please contact the Digital Assessment Team (assessment-advisory@ucl.ac.uk).

Red

No, or inconvenient

Yellow

Provisionally, with workarounds

Blue

Yes, technically supported

Submission options

Moodle 

Turnitin Assignment (in Moodle)

Wiseflow

Reflect 

MYPortfolio

Crowdmark (Departmentally managed)

Cadmus (POC with select Departments)

File uploads: PDF, Word, Images.

Yes - both Assignment and Quiz activities

Yes

Yes. FLOWassign allows for PDF only,  FLOWhandin for different formats (see below)

Yes but they need to be linked to or embedded into Blog posts. 

Yes 

Yes. Supports PDF (25MB limit), png or jpeg (12MB limit). Total file limit is unlikely to be reached for assessments (approx 500+ pages of material, both images and PDFs) 

No - responses are entered directly in the platform

Interactive online questions (MCQs etc)

Yes (Quiz activity)

No

Yes (FLOWmulti assignment)

No

No

Yes. There is limited functionality compared to Moodle or Wiseflow in terms of marking options and types of questions.  

Yes (Multi-format assessment)

Upload multiple files

Yes - both Assignment and Quiz activities

Yes - need to create a Section for each File

Yes, up to 5GB of content. FLOWassign only supports PDF (max size 200MB)  for main upload, can accept any other file types as appendix material. FLOWhandin will accept any file type(s) for main submission.

Yes but they need to be linked to or embedded into Blog posts. 

Yes but they need to be linked to or embedded into Portfolio Pages or collections

Yes. Can upload multiple files (PDF - 25MB max,  Image - 12MB max).  If answers are typed in directly into text box, student can upload supplementary files in different formats (20MB limit). 

No

Collaborative activity (on platform)

Yes there are a range of collaborative activities available on Moodle e.g. Wiki, Forums, Glossary, Database, Board.

Not group work but can do peer marking

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

Multi-media files (video/audio) upload

Yes in Moodle Assignment up to 20GB.  Upload takes place using Lecturecast Echo 360 plug in.  Assignment submissions are not recommended to be hosted on Media Central).

No

Yes (FLOWhandin only). Could upload multimedia files to FLOWassign as appendix material. Mp4 files can be viewed in platform.

No but can be embedded

No but can be embedded

Yes. Need to set up an online assessment with text answer questions, they can attach and upload files (20MB limit per file).Attachments generate a link for marker access. Cannot watch videos in platform, need to download.

No

Direct input of responses into text boxes.

Yes (Quiz, Glossary, Wiki, Forums)

No

Yes (FLOWmulti only)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Groupwork

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes can have group submissions. Multiple people can upload and add to submission.

No - a development to support group work is in progress

Ability to type mathematical /chemical formulas directly into platform. 

Yes

No

LaTeX possible in Maths/ Chemistry question types in FLOWmulti

Yes

Yes, math editor with LaTeX support is available however this is not user friendly

Yes. Can also type in latex (doesn’t have latex editor so have to type code but most maths people will know how to do this)

Yes

Anonymised

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes for those with 'Grader' role.

Yes

Marking and feedback

Moodle 

Turnitin Assignment (in Moodle)

Wiseflow

Reflect 

MYPortfolio

Crowdmark (Departmentally managed)

Cadmus (POC with select Departments)

Marking within system

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Comments can be written directly into Portfolio and grades suggested but there is no place to directly enter grades. Grades should be recorded in Moodle.

Yes

Yes, via Turnitin feedback studio

Double marking within system

Double blind marking pilot currently underway

No

Yes (for FLOWassign/ FLOWhandin)

No

No

Yes

Yes

Messaging between markers

No

No

No

No

No

Partially - can use tags 

Partially - can use tags 

Blind marking

Double blind marking pilot currently underway

No

Yes 

No

No

Yes. Default on system is blind marking.  Can change settings to make visible, dependent on roles. 

No

Written feedback to students within system

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes, can include latex, formulas, hyperlinks and images. 

Yes

Audio feedback to students

Yes

Yes

Yes, in-platform via rubric or record separately and attach via a comment

No

Could record and then attach file to comment but can't record directly into platform. 

Could record and then post link but can't record directly into platform. 

Yes

Turnitin integration

Yes for Assignments and Quiz

Yes

Yes for pdf uploads (FLOWassign/ FLOWlock).

No

No

No

Yes

Peer review and comments? 

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

Comment library/ easy reuse of feedback

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Ability to use rubrics within system

Yes - can be built in system. (Assignments only)

Yes - can be built in system.

Yes - can be built in system.

No

No

No. Can create a comment library and attach points to comments. 

Yes - via Turnitin feedback studio

Inline annotation

Yes for Assignments

Yes

Yes - inline annotations now also supported in FLOWmulti where the new marking tool is in use

No

No

Yes

Yes

Access for externals

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes - download results and there is a link to each indivdual exam. They then only see primary evaluation. Or can add them to the system. 

Yes

Ability to type mathematical /chemical formulas directly into platform (for feedback)

Yes

No

No LaTeX support in comments or annotations. Could use Maths/ Chemistry essay questions built into a custom rubric but this would be very situational

No

Yes, math editor with LaTeX support is available however this is not user friendly

Yes. Including latex format for Maths and Chemistry

No

Ability to write in answers by hand 

No

No

Yes - if using pen tablet. Sensitivity depends on kind of tablet you have.  Can be slow.

No

No

Yes on tablet.  Sensitivity depends on kind of tablet you have.  Can be slow. 

No

Delineating first or second marker

No

No

No

No

No

Yes. Primary evaluation is what gets downloaded and what the student sees. Can delineate who wrote which feedback

No

Download/export submissions

Yes

Yes

Yes. Can also export score per question and overall grade as a .csv file for FLOWmulti submissions

No

Yes

Yes. Can export grades per question and the overall grade. Or download pdf files with folder for each student.

Yes

Marking and feedback

Moodle 

Turnitin Assignment (in Moodle)

Wiseflow

Reflect 

MYPortfolio

Crowdmark (Departmentally managed)

Cadmus (POC with select Departments)

Administration

Moodle 

Turnitin Assignment (in Moodle)

Wiseflow

Reflect 

MYPortfolio

Crowdmark (Departmentally managed)

Cadmus (POC with select Departments)

Integrated with SITS?

No

No

Yes 

No

No

No

No

Download/export grades

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Reporting

No

No

Yes (limited)

No  

No

Yes. Results page gives you grade distribution etc.  Can also identify student participation/completion (not viewed, viewed, started, etc).

Yes. Able to access stats on student engagement and progress through assessment. Flags low engagement students as "at risk" Can add custom tags to a report. Offers analytics on "integrity assurance".

Start and end dates enabled (submission, marking period etc)

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Can amend/ extend deadlines (e.g. for ECs or SORA student).

Yes

No, can only amend post date for feedback.

Yes, for the entire cohort or for individuals. Can also extend marking deadline for specific student submissions.

No

No

Yes

Yes

Administrator can have role that enables them to assign/change roles of others and their own (i.e. view as participant, marker etc)

Yes

Yes

Yes (Manager role can assign markers, reviewers and author roles)

No

No

Yes.  'Instructor' role can assign and change roles of others. Instructor can see everything in module.  Could be admin or academic. Can use preview function to see what students will see as well as individual student page

No