Assessment Considerations, Strategies, and Resources
Role of Assessment
The role of assessment is to support teaching and learning. The assessment cycle includes:
- Identifying/reviewing intended learning outcomes. Learning outcomes answer the questions: What will students know? What will students be able to do? What will students value?
- Using the learning outcomes to guide the course design and implementation of learning activities to achieve the intended outcomes.
- Integrating assessments to determine level of learning outcomes achievement. The assessment data may be .
- Using the findings from assessments to continually improve teaching and learning, and to ensure outcomes achievement.
Planning for Flexible Learning Environments
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant shift to teaching, learning and assessing in the online environment. Additionally, in some cases, instructors will be accommodating both face-to-face and online students. This document aims to promote dialogue and set the stage for ongoing support for faculty.
Nearly all assessment methods in use will require some changes in mechanics to accommodate remote learners. For example, homework assignments will need to be “handed in” electronically. Beyond these mechanics, many assessment methods require few if any changes. However, some assessment methods, like synchronous and/or timed exams, may require significant changes, so faculty are advised to consider alternate assessment methods.
Choosing your assessment method entails considering the pros and cons of each assessment option while taking into account what would work well in different modalities and what key factors might impact your choice.
Considerations:
- Workload for faculty for transition
- On-campus vs off-campus assessment criteria (e.g. differences, similarities)
- Asynchronous/synchronous options and impact on assessment
- Effective use of new technology (all software solutions must be approved/vetted by IT)
- Accommodations
- Technology issues
- Time limitations (technology + environment)
- Technology for proctoring
- (as well as student perceptions of academic honesty)
- Resources needed for implementation (TAs, equipment, time, etc.)
- Class size
Using Bloom’s Taxonomy in Assessment Design
provides a list of action verbs that are organized by the complexity of the cognition. Consider using Bloom’s Taxonomy in designing and reviewing your assessments. ()
Note that higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy equate with higher level thinking and learning.
Build assessments to include various levels of complexity to ensure students can be assessed at multiple levels of cognition.
Using Rubrics to Support Holistic Grading
A rubric or a set of criteria is used to support a more holistic assessment of achievement. In building a rubric, instructors should think about what they might “look-for” in student work that would indicate student learning outcome achievement. The corresponding levels of achievement for each of these indicators (or “look-fors”) would then be combined with qualifiers that would assist in determining the corresponding grade.
For example, if the instructor is looking for student ability to engage in critical thinking or, more specifically, student ability in “selecting and using information to investigate a point of view or conclusion”, descriptive language would be associated with the indicator or “look-for” to designate the various levels of “satisfactory” achievement.
“Look-for" | Excellent | Good |
Selecting and using information to investigate a point of view or conclusion | Information is taken from source(s) with enough interpretation/evaluation to develop a comprehensive analysis or synthesis. Viewpoints of experts are questioned thoroughly. | Information is taken from source(s) with enough interpretation/evaluation to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis. Viewpoints of experts are subject to questioning. |
Fair | Limited | |
Information is taken from source(s) with some interpretation/evaluation, but not enough to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis. Viewpoints of experts are taken as mostly fact, with little questioning. | Information is taken from source(s) without any interpretation/evaluation. Viewpoints of experts are taken without questioning. |
Additional Suggestions
In addition to the content outlined here, we also recommend:
- Prioritizing manageable changes to increase successes in teaching, learning, and assessment.
- Joining professional learning communities (small group, discussion boards, mentors, etc.).
Assessment Resources
- (Note: includes sample mapping and rubric templates)
- (Note: many of the assessment strategies included above can be found in this guide)
- Plymouth State Open Learning Teaching Collaborative ()
- Frequent Low Stakes Assessment (FLS)
- Assessment Resources – FLS, STEM and Large Classes
- Alternatives to Exams for Remote Instruction
- MERLOT Journal of Online Teaching and Learning “” by Lorna R. Kearns (2012)
- Developing Online Assessment of Student Learning in a Hurry (Vanderbilt University Blog)
Book/Chapter Resources
- (Conrad & Openo, 2018)
- (Lang, 2nd ed., 2021)