Course Assessment

What is assessment?

Assessment is the systematic, continuous process of gathering, reviewing, and using data on student learning and other outcomes for the purpose of making improvements. Student learning outcomes assessment is an ongoing four‐step process of “establishing clear, measurable, expected outcomes of student learning; ensuring that students have sufficient opportunities to achieve those outcomes; systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well student learning matches our expectations; and, using the resulting information to understand and improve student learning” (Suskie, 2009, p. 4).

Why do we assess?

Assessment is the cornerstone of a continuous improvement process. The primary reason for doing assessment is improvement. However, assessment can also:

Help a program/unit identify its strengths
Provide evidence of institution, program, or unit effectiveness and student learning
Encourage collaboration among individuals within units or program faculty
Create a unit or program vision
Provide data to support resource requests

Types of Assessments

Formative Assessments

Formative assessments are designed to monitor student learning and provide ongoing feedback to improve instruction and learning.

Examples:

Quizzes

Example: Short online quizzes on specific topics covered in recent lectures.
Best Practices: Frequent, low-stakes quizzes to gauge understanding and provide immediate feedback.
In-class Activities

Example: Group discussions, think-pair-share activities, or problem-solving tasks.
Best Practices: Interactive and collaborative activities to engage students and check for understanding.
Homework Assignments

Example: Weekly problem sets or reading responses.
Best Practices: Align homework with learning outcomes and provide timely feedback.
Exit Tickets

Example: Brief reflections or questions students answer at the end of a class.
Best Practices: Use exit tickets to assess what students have learned and identify areas of confusion.

Summative Assessments

Summative assessments evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional period by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.

Examples:

Exams

Example: Midterm and final exams consisting of multiple-choice, short answer, and essay questions.
Best Practices: Ensure exams are comprehensive and cover all key learning outcomes.
Final Projects

Example: Research papers, presentations, or creative projects.
Best Practices: Provide clear guidelines and rubrics to evaluate project components and overall quality.
Portfolios

Example: A collection of student work demonstrating learning progress and achievement over time.
Best Practices: Encourage reflective entries and include diverse work samples.

Perfomance-Based Assessments

Performance-based assessments assess students' ability to apply skills and knowledge to real world or practical tasks.

Examples:

Presentations

Example: Individual or group presentations on a specific topic or project.
Best Practices: Use rubrics to assess presentation skills, content knowledge, and visual aids.
Lab Experiments
Example: Science labs where students conduct experiments and report their findings.
Best Practices: Evaluate both the process and the final report, focusing on scientific methods and analysis.
Simulation/Role-Playing
Example: Business simulations, medical scenarios, or historical role-playing exercises.
Best Practices: Provide clear scenarios and assess based on participation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

Peer and Self-Assessments

Peer and Self-Assessments encourage students to evaluate their own and their peers' work to develop critical thinking and self-reflection skills.

Examples:

Peer Review:
Example: Students review and provide feedback on each other's essays or projects.
Best Practices: Train students in constructive feedback and use structured peer review forms.
Self-Assessment:
Example: Students assess their own performance on an assignment using a rubric.
Best Practices: Encourage honest reflection and set clear criteria for self-assessment.

Authentic Assessments

Authentic assessments assess students' ability to apply what they have learned to real-world contexts and problems.

Examples:

Case Studies:
Example: Analysis of real-life cases in business, law, medicine, or social sciences.
Best Practices: Use complex, real-world scenarios and require detailed analysis and solutions.
Field Work:
Example: Research projects, internships, or community service activities.
Best Practices: Connect field work to course objectives and assess based on student reflections and supervisor feedback.

Technology-Based Assessments

Technology-enhanced assessments utilize digital tools and platforms to create and administer assessments.

Examples:

Online Quizzes and Exams:
Example: Use Learning Management Systems (LMS) to create and grade quizzes and exams.
Best Practices: Ensure questions are varied and cover different levels of Bloom’s taxonomy.
E-Portfolios:
Example: Digital portfolios showcasing student work and achievements.
Best Practices: Include multimedia elements and require regular updates and reflections.
Interactive Simulations:
Example: Virtual labs, simulations, or games.
Best Practices: Use simulations to assess problem-solving and application of concepts in a controlled environment.