Improving classroom teaching in higher education environment using web-based formative assessment

In order to improve student-centered approach to assessment and learning a web application named Pitalica has been developed. The application allows the teacher to question students during the seminar and to detect through their answers the level of their former knowledge and the level of understanding and ability to follow the seminar topics. The development of application is also the attempt to motivate the students to participate during and to prepare before seminars. The paper will discuss this project of formative assessment using computers and the Internet and the possibility to improve the teaching process. The web application Pitalica has been used during Physics course among first year medical students. A survey questioning self perceived interaction with the teacher, motivation, self assessment of general competencies acquired, satisfaction, ICT literacy and some general guidance for the improvement of the web application itself was conducted on a sample of 122 respondents in 2008 and on the sample of 153 respondents in 2009. The simple descriptive statistics has been applied and afterwards the Principle Component Analysis. Teachers involved were interviewed in order to collect their impressions. The results showed general positive students' and teachers' attitude towards the use of the web application Pitalica.