Introduction
Why Do Assessment?
Learner-Centered Assessment
Assessment Methods
Rubrics
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Assessment Resources page.
UWSP
Assessment Plan
Introduction
The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning by making
appropriate curricular and instructional changes. The secondary purpose of
assessment is to provide the UW System with summaries of: assessment methods
and instruments used; student participation in assessment; results of
assessment; the use of assessment to improve curriculum and delivery; and
other information as required by UW System and the Board of Regents.
Assessment is not just the measurement of learning; it is in itself an integral part of learning. Assessment is the first step in a continual learning cycle which includes measurement, feedback, reflection, and change. The purpose of assessment is not merely to gather information; the purpose of assessment is to foster improvement. Frye, R. (2006) Assessment, Accountability, and Student Learning Outcomes. Retrieved from http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~dialogue/issue2.html December 29, 2008
Assessment requires making expectations and standards for quality explicit and public; systematically gathering evidence on how well performance matches those expectations and standards; analyzing and interpreting the evidence; and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve performance. Angleo, T. A. (1995). AAHE Bulletin, p 11.
According to Douglas Eder, Undergraduate Assessment & Program Review at Southern Illinois University, faculty members do assessment in order to:
demonstrate that we actually do what we say we do
provide accountability
produce quality students
“We professors know implicitly in our souls the value of what we do. The public does not, and it won’t tolerate institutions that cannot demonstrate they produce a quality product … That’s why we “do” assessment.” Retrieved February 5, from http://www.niu.edu/assessment/Toolkit/tk1.pdf
Learner-centered Assessment (Huba & Freed, 2000)
There are four fundamental elements of learner-centered assessment, as demonstrated by the following diagram.
The process begins with the intended learning outcomes
Learning outcomes:
Inform students about the intentions of faculty
Are student focused rather than professor – focused
Focus on the learning resulting from an
activity rather than on the activity itself
Design or select data gathering measures to assess whether or not the intended learning outcomes have been achieved. Assessment measures should include both authentic and objective assessments.
Next, teaching strategies are identified
Ensure that students have experiences both in and outside their courses that help them achieve the intended learning outcomes.
Finally assessment strategies are used to evaluate whether or not learning has occurred and the course is revised where needed.
Use assessment results to improve learning
through a review and revision process
Learner-Centered Assessment Supports Quality Undergraduate Education (Huba & Freed, 2000)
Learner-centered assessment:
Promotes high expectations
Respects diverse talents and learning styles
Enhances the early years of study
Promotes coherence in learning
Fosters ongoing practice of learned skills and integrates education and experience
Actively involves students in learning and promotes time on task
Provides prompt feedback
Increases student faculty contact
Huba, M. & Freed, J (2000).Learner-centered assessment on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to learning. Needham Heights: Allyn and Bacon
Essay
Report
Journal
Performance task
Book review (or article) for a particular journal
Comment on an article's theoretical perspective
Problem scenario/Performance task
Group Work
Work-based problem
Case study
Demonstration
Role Play
Make a video (write script and produce/make a video)
Produce a poster
Lab report
Prepare an illustrated manual on using equipment for a particular audience
Observation of real or simulated professional practice
Journal
Portfolio
Learning Contract
Group work
Annotated bibliography
Project
Research paper
Applied task
Applied problem
Written examination
Oral examination
Essay
Report
Short answer questions: True/False/ Multiple Choice Questions (paper-based or computer-aided-assessment)
Portfolio
Performance
Presentations
Projects
Written presentation (essay, report, reflective paper etc.)
Oral presentation
Group work
Discussion/debate/role play
Observation of real or simulated professional practice
For detailed examples of a
wide variety of practical easy-to-use
classroom assessment techniques
such as one-minute papers
see Classroom Assessment
Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers by Thomas A. Angelo and
K. Patricia Cross. The UWSP library has copies of this book.
A rubric according to Merriam-Webster, is an established rule, tradition, or custom. When applied to assessment of student work, rubrics, according to Huba & Freed (2000), explain to the students the criteria that will be used to judge their work.
Huba & Freed (2000) identify the following six reasons for using rubrics. Rubrics:
Focus instruction - intentionality
Guide Feedback - Descriptively
Characterize desired results - objectively
Operationalize performance standards - purposefully
Develop self-assessment competence - constantly
Involve students - thoughtfully
Rubric Resources:
Opened Rubrics is a website with a variety of rubrics linked to AAC&U learning outcomes http://openedpractices.org/resource
iRubric is a comprehensive rubric development, assessment, and collaboration tool. Designed from the ground up, iRubric supports a variety of usage in an easy-to-use package. Best of all, iRubric is free to individual faculty and students http://www.rcampus.com/indexrubric.cfm