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In this study we investigated the effectiveness of on-line feedback in Human Biology on test-retest continuous assessment scores or final examination performance. The student group were students undertaking Human Biology: Curtin University and the University of Western Australia. Students had told us that they wanted feedback which was personalised, explanatory, positive, authoritive, pertinent and digestible. On-line feedback for multiple choice test questions was written by experienced tutors and focussed on explaining the reasoning behind both correct and incorrect answers in a positive manner. Students at Curtin undertook an on-line test, received explanatory written feedback immediately after undertaking it and could retake the test within 1-2 weeks to obtain a result towards their final marks. At UWA students could use non-assessed review tests to help them prepare for their final examination. One module provided feedback whereas other test modules did not. We compared the performance on the feedback-enriched modules with the remainder on continuous assessment test-retest results for Curtin students and the examination results for the UWA students. Results show that for Curtin students, feedback improved the re-test score on that test significantly (p= 0.004) over tests without feedback even though feedback could only be used in the test situation and no record was made. Those UWA students who used a review test with feedback improved their final exam result for that section more than for the no feedback tests (p<0.001. Using the review test with feedback at any point before the exam improved student scores (p=0.026),although using the test within a day of the final examination had the greater effect on performance. The presentation will show the structure of the feedback, expand on its efficacy and report on student response to this use of e-learning.

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Sue Fyfe is the Head of School of Public Health at Curtin University of Technology. She teaches in the area of neuroanatomy and has a long time interest in and passion for teaching and learning. She pioneered the use of WebCT and on-line learning in distance Human Biology at Curtin with the development of a fully distance and mostly on-line Life Sciences degree. She is an epidemiologist whose research into Rett syndrome has also focussed on using the internet to collect data from clinicians and families.

Dr Melanie Ziman has received and managed a number of internal university grants for the development of on-line learning and teaching projects, including instruments for the publication of student projects and dissemination of the information to the general community. Her work has been presented at and published through HERDSA conferences. She gained her PhD in 1985 through the University of Cape Town and her Postgraduate Certificate of Education, Tertiary Teaching from Edith Cowan University in 2003-2004.