A design science research methodology for developing a computer-aided assessment approach using method marking concept

Assessment has been defined as an authentic method that plays an important role in evaluating students’ learning attitude in acquiring lifelong knowledge. Traditional methods of assessment including the Computer-Aided Assessment (CAA) for mathematics show limited ability to assess students’ full work unless multi-step questions are sub-divided into sub questions. This issue persisted significant drawback especially within the notion of method marking approach. To address this issue, the aim of the study is to develop a methodological framework that will create an information and communications technology (ICT) artefact prototype. The prototype (termed as method marking assessment (MMA) artefact) implements a method-marking assessment concept to assess through multi-step questions. Extensive literature reviews have revealed that there are features in common between complex-problem solution characteristics and multi-steps questions assessment using ICT; therefore complex problems paradigm is used in the study for developing the MMA prototype.