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Progress testing anytime and anywhere – Does a mobile-learning approach enhance the utility of a large-scale formative assessment tool?

Abstract Background The widespread use of mobile devices among students favors the use of mobile learning scenarios at universities. In this study, we explore whether a time- and location-independent variant of a formative progress test has an impact on the students’ acceptance, its validity and reliability and if there is a difference in response processes between the two exam conditions. Methods Students were randomly assigned to two groups of which one took the test free of local or temporal fixations, while the other group took the test at the local testing center under usual examination conditions. Beside the generated test data, such as test score, time-on-test, and semester status, students also evaluated the settings. Results While there was no significant effect on the test score between the two groups, students in the mobile group spent more time on the test and were more likely to use the help of books or online resources. The results of the evaluation show that the acceptability among students is increased by a mobile version of the formative progress test. Conclusions The results suggest that the acceptance and motivation to participate in formative tests is enhanced by lifting local and temporal restrictions. The mobile version nonetheless does not have an impact on the students’ performance.