What is Good Assessment? Liberal Education Core Example Department of Physics & Astronomy Kim Pierson

Course Description Phys 211 College Physics (algebra based) - pre-meds, kinesiology, wide array of other majors 2 or 3 Lecture sections per semester 8 or 9 Lab sections per semester

Assignments & Artifacts Collected Reasons for Using Lab Exercise to provide artifacts for assessment. Lecture instructors were tasked with performing the assessment and they change every semester. Wanted assessment results to be meaningful from year-to-year. We had already revised a lab to perform a K1 assessment. Labs don’t change and can be revised to provide assessment data. Could collect all the data from one weekly exercise.

K1 Outcome Assessed Describe and evaluate models of the natural and physical world through collection and scientific analysis of data, and through the use of mathematical and computational methods. Student describes models of the natural and physical world, recognizing strengths, weaknesses and limits. Student uses methods appropriate for a particular model to analyze data. Student evaluates whether the analyzed data supports the model. Student collects data. Student designs procedures to collect data appropriate for evaluation of the model. Not Met Met Exceeded 53 99 5 8 133 16 45 70 42 6 67 84 6 101 50

Results, Conclusion & Discoveries What we learned from the process. Not all instructors had a common understanding of elements and benchmarks. Need to discuss how benchmarks will be judged before lab is assessed. Must discuss this process with students from start of course. Changes made to course as a result of the assessment process. Formed a lab revision group and began process of revising all the labs with well-defined goals and experiences that dovetail with the “philosophy” of the K1 outcome and elements. Same lab revision process has now started for Phys 100.

Biggest Takeaway / Advice to Colleagues For multiple section courses need to form an assessment group, otherwise the results probably will not inform long-term sustainable course enhancements that increase student engagement and understanding. Involve the students in the process at the start of the semester as this increases student engagement—results more likely to be valid. Element E increases student engagement in lab as they are not just doing “cookbook” lab exercises – they get to use their creativity to help themselves and lab partners learn and think critically.