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ASSESSMENT BASICS. Welcome…. The attendee will understand assessment basics with a focus on creating learning activities and identifying assessment expectations. Apply the definition of formative assessment to a specific program
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Welcome… The attendee will understand assessment basics with a focus on creating learning activities and identifying assessment expectations. • Apply the definition of formative assessment to a specific program • Apply the definition of summative assessment to a specific program • Design formative learning activities and experiences that are linked to course outcomes to measure student learning and progress (assessment FOR learning) • Design summative learning activities and experiences that are linked to course outcomes to measure student learning and progress (assessment OF learning) • Create Direct and Indirect data-collection methods utilized in each program used to assess student competency • Identify the assessment expectation(s)/benchmark(s) as a result of the assessment process in each program area
Did you know that… “Students can learn better when their college experiences are not collections of isolated courses and activities but are purposefully designed as coherent, integrated learning experiences in which courses and out-of-class experiences build on and reinforce one another.”Suskie, 2004 www.CartoonStock.com
Assessment of Student Learning Higher Learning Commission defines assessment of student learning: Assessment of student learning is a participatory, interactive process that: • provides data/information you need on your students’ learning • engages you and others in analyzing and using this data/information to confirm and improve teaching and learning
Assessment of Student Learning • produces evidence that students are learning the outcomes you intended • guides you in making educational and institutional improvements • evaluates whether changes made improve/impact student learning and documents the learning and your efforts http://www.uni.edu/assessment/definitionofassessment.shtml
Drivers of Assessment • Learning-centered paradigm • Requirements for accreditation • Discipline/program accreditation • Accountability • Support for faculty and students to improve their performance
Assessment Cycle Assessment cycle is an on-going process of: • establishing clear, measurable expected outcomes of student learning or service. (established learning goals/expected learning outcomes) • ensuring that students or service users have sufficient opportunities to achieve those outcomes. (provide learning opportunities/curriculum map)
Assessment Cycle As well as… • analyzing and selecting assessment methods used to monitor the alignment of the curriculum with the student learning outcomes. (assessment methods used: Direct and Indirect)
Assessment Cycle And… • systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well student learning or service matches our expectations. (assess student learning/expectations/benchmarks) • using the resulting information to understand and improve student learning or service. (use the results/improvement plan)
Assessment Cycle Adapted from: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/assessment
Linking Assessments to Curriculum In linking assessment to curriculum, assessment demonstrates what students know and are able to do, thus, this becomes the ACHIEVED curriculum—what the assessment data says that students know and are able to do.
Quantitative Assessments Use structured, predetermined response options that can be summarized into meaningful numbers and analyzed statistically: • GPA • Grades • Exam scores • Standardized test scores • Standardized teaching scores
Qualitative Assessments Use flexible, naturalistic methods and are usually analyzed by looking for recurring patterns and themes: • Ethnographic studies • Exit interviews • Participant observations • Writing samples • Open-ended questions on surveys and interviews
Formative Assessment Informal product or performance designed to provide student with instant feedback for self-monitoring of strengths and weaknesses of personal learning expectations. “Assessment FOR learning”
Summative Assessment Formal product or performance designed to inform student and others about personal achievement regarding learning expectations. “Assessment OF learning”
Formative vs Summative FORMATIVE SUMMATIVE • Improve teaching and learning (or service and satisfaction) • Used while learning is taking place • Focus on feedback and adjustment • Document learning or service and satisfaction • Occurs at the end of a course or service period • Focus on sum or total with little feedback
Assessments in 2004 PERFORMANCE TRADITIONAL • Students asked to demonstrate skills • Authentic assessments – ‘real-life’ tasks • Field experiences • Studio assignments • Projects • Research papers • ‘Blue Book’ essay questions • Oral examinations • Controlled and timed exam setting • Objective tests
Assessments in 2009 CONTEMPORARY TRADITIONAL • Carefully aligned with goals, the most important information students must learn • Focused on thinking and performance skills • Developed from research and best practices on teaching and assessment • Often planned and implemented without considering learning goals • Often focused on memorizing knowledge – low on Bloom’s Taxonomy • Frequently poor quality tests without consideration of mastery of subject
Assessment at the Program Level • Embedded course assignments • Capstone experiences • Field experiences • Portfolios • Certification tests • Common Student Learning Outcome Rubric
Direct & Indirect Evidence of Student Learning Data-collection methods for assessment purposes typically fall into two categories: direct and indirect. Direct evidence of student learning comes in the form of a student product or performance that can be evaluated. Indirect evidence is the perception, opinion, or attitude of students (or others). Both are important. But, indirect evidence by itself is insufficient. Direct evidence is required. Ideally, a program collects both types.
Types of Evidence DIRECT INDIRECT • Tangible, visible, self-explanatory, compelling and acceptable • Scores/pass rates on licensure/certification exams • Portfolios of student work • Capstone experiences • Less convincing indicators • Grades • Student self-ratings • Student/Alumni satisfaction with learning • Honors, awards, scholarships
Guidelines for Selecting Assessment Methods • The evidence you collect depends on the questions you want to answer… • Does the program meet or exceed certain standards? • How does the program compare to others? • Does the program do what is sets out to do? • How can the program experience be improved? Using these assessment questions to guide method selection can help your data collection priorities. Adapted from Volkwein, J., Program evaluation and assessment: What’s the question? (1996).
Guidelines for Selecting Assessment Methods • Use multiple methods to assess each learning outcome • Include both direct and indirect measures • Include qualitative and quantitative measures • Choose assessment methods that allow you to asses the strengths and weaknesses of the program…finding out what is working well is only one goal of program assessment Adapted from Umass Amherst, OAPA Handbook, Program-Based Review and Assessment
Questions? Comments? Thank you for Attending!
Reminder Evaluation Measures (with Guest Speaker Dr. Henry Oh) Wednesday, April 20 4 – 6 pm Thursday, April 21 8 – 10 am and 12 – 2 pm
