Assessing Student Learning: Moving Beyond Objective Tests

1. Assessing Student Learning: Moving Beyond Objective Tests Susan Polich& Zachary Goodell

2. AKAYou Know What You Taught, But What Did They Learn?

3. Activity #1Write down a metaphor that captures what you believe to be the ideal role ofassessment in education.

4. Learning Objectives • You will be able to distinguish between individual student evaluation and classroom assessment. • You will be able to identify the characteristics of effective classroom assessment • You will be able to design your own Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) • You will begin to integrate formative assessment into your course design

5. Individual student evaluation and classroom assessment are pretty much the same thing—the difference being scale. • Strongly agree • Agree • Disagree • Strongly disagree

6. I often conduct simple, non-graded, in-class activities to get feedback on how students are learning. • Strongly agree • Agree • Disagree • Strongly disagree

7. I assess students’ prior knowledge of a topic / concept before I teach so I can gauge their understanding and plan better for instruction. • Strongly agree • Agree • Disagree • Strongly disagree

8. I often provide rubrics to my students to help them self-assess and self-adjust as they are developing their assignments. • Strongly agree • Agree • Disagree • Strongly disagree

9. Which one of the following is the biggest obstacle that prevents you from using more CATs in your course(s)? • I don’t know what they are! • My class size is too big • Too much content to cover in class • Not enough time to prepare and grade • Some combination of all of the above • Other

10. Debrief Now compare how you actually use assessment in your courses with your metaphor… • If there is incongruence, you have three choices: • You can ignore it • You can change your metaphor to fit your practice • You can change your practice to fit your metaphor

11. Evaluation vs. Assessment • We use the general term assessment to refer to all those activities undertaken by teachers—and by their students in assessing themselves—that provide information (data) to be used as feedback to modify future teaching and learning activities • Evaluation is used to audit a student’s (or professor’s) past or present performance.

12. Feedback Informal Continuous Process Divergent Assessment Audit Formal Final Product Convergent Evaluation Formative vs. Summative

13. Characteristics of CATs • Formative • Learner-Centered • Teacher-Directed • Mutually Beneficial • Context Specific • Ongoing (future-oriented) • Grounded in Good Teaching Practices

14. Seven Principles for GoodPracticein Undergraduate EducationGamson and Chickering, 1987 • Good practice encourages contacts between students / faculty • Good practice encourages cooperation among students • Good practice encourages active learning • Good practice gives prompt feedback • Good practice emphasizes time on task • Good practice communicates high expectations • Good practice respects diverse talents and ways of learning

15. CATs Serve a Number of Instructional Goals • Survey learner attitudes, values, self-awareness • Assess understanding of course related knowledge and skills • Assess learner reactions to instruction, instructional techniques, learning activities • Promote peer to peer instruction (active learning) • Promote class discussions • Promote student participation and engagement • Classroom management

16. CATs Can Also Serve as Evidence of Faculty Development • Data can be used for Teaching Portfolios • Data can be used for promotion and tenure • Data can be used for the SoTL • Data can be used for institutional change • Data can be used to improve teaching and learning

17. The Nature and Role of Authentic Performances • Require quality product / performance and justification • Require “real-world” use / application of knowledge and skills • Requirements are explicit, not mysterious • Requirements are comprehensive and integrative, not isolated and disconnected • Requirements are iterative, not one shot

18. The Nature and Role of Feedback • Quality vs. Quantity • Descriptive vs. Normative • Direct vs. Indirect • Immediate vs. Delayed Application • Performance-centered vs. performer-centered

19. “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” • ~John Dewey

20. Course Design LearningObjectives CourseGoals LearningActivities Assessment:Formative &Summative

21. Learning OutcomesWhat’s wrong with these… By the end of this course, students should ___ • Learn how to take a blood pressure. • Appreciate Shakespeare. • Understand different types of maps. • Know about the use of IT in business. • Have more confidence using quadratic equations.

22. Learning OutcomesRevise andcreate a CAT that will assess the following outcomes By the end of this course, students should ___ • Learn how to take a blood pressure. • Appreciate Shakespeare. • Understand different types of maps. • Know about the use of IT in business. • Have more confidence using quadratic equations.