Selecting Methods to Assess Student Learning: A Course and Program Perspective

1. Selecting Methods to Assess Student Learning: A Course and Program Perspective

2. Assessment Intersections: Course & Program Program Assessment = Program Outcomes -tests -quizzes -exams Course Assessment -work product -assignments -papers -performances -projects

3. Selected Assessment Methods From The Art & Science of Assessing General Education Outcomes by Andrea Leskes and Barbara D. Wright. • Portfolios • Capstone Experiences • Actual Performances • Embedded Assessments • Classroom Assessment Techniques • Local Tests • Commercial Tests • Course Management Programs

4. Pro Adaptable & longitudinal Self-reflective Process & product Authentic work products Student engagement Con Labor-intensive review Complex process Cumbersome Rating reliability issues Portfolios(including e-Portfolios)

5. Pro Demonstrate cumulative learning General & disciplinary learning Relevant & motivating Department interaction External input Con Scheduling Additional course load Disciplinary differences Clear criteria needed Capstone Experiences

6. CAPSTONE IN BUSINESS COURSE: STRATEGIC MGMNT Students complete a consulting project to develop and present an actual Strategic Plan for a company outside the university. from syllabus: “The course draws on and integrates concepts from…marketing, finance, human resources, organizational behavior, operations management and MIS in the analysis and resolution of complex business situations.”

7. Assessment of Student Work (Strategic Management Course): Peer Evaluation of Team Project Project Analysis and Assessment by the Instructor Project Analysis and Assessment by the Client

8. Aggregating Learning in Business Courses Students will have “a written exam in every core business course, and professors will report the aggregate ABA testing results and a list of those in the ABA program. “…all faculty will be required to provide at least one exam in every course…that will test student proficiency relative to core business learning outcomes, MCO.” (Robin Sobotta and Rick Gibson)

9. Pro Strong face validity Student activity Demonstrates achievement Can promote self-assessment Highly adaptable Con Labor-intensive Time factor Clear criteria needed Student anxiety Student Performances

10. Pro Typical quality of effort Efficient Flexible Face validity Local autonomy & collaboration Con Coordination & negotiation May be labor-intensive to score Need to define the assessment criteria Embedded Assessments

11. Pro Immediate feedback from students Formative (for improvement) Engages students Communicates desire for improvement Con Dependent on student cooperation & perceptions Generalization to program level is difficult Classroom Assessment Techniques(CATS)

12. Pro Relates to local learning conditions or classroom culture Integrative format Promotes student effort Con Can emphasize short-term learning Usually lacks norms Reliability & validity issues Threatening to some Local Tests

13. Pro Widely accepted Low resource requirements Prep students for certification testing Longitudinal and comparative data Con May not align w/local outcomes Factual recall often the emphasis Omits higher-level thought processes Commercial Tests

14. Pro Adaptable Efficient & centralized Routine electronic capture Vast data set Feedback to students (tests, grades) Con Writing & tech skills challenges Aggregation of data is difficult May promote surface vs. deep learning Indirect evidence & largely untested Course Management Programs (Blackboard)

15. CTLE’s Consulting/Training Services Include… Helping Faculty with the following: • selecting & designing appropriate assessment methods • creating rubrics • selecting and using CATs • developing criterion-referenced test items • designing and stating learning outcomes (all domains) • course management techniques • assisting w/embedding and aggregating assessments

16. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? What questions do you have?