ASSESSMENT METHODS – Chapter 10 –

Assessment Collection of information about student learning and performance Feedback: provides information about students' progress in course and further learning needs Grades: used at designated times in course to confirm outcomes of learning and determine students' grades

Assessment (cont) Principles Identify the outcomes, objectives, or competencies to be assessed Select appropriate assessment methods Meet students’ needs Use multiple assessment methods Recognize the limitations of assessment when making decisions about students

Evaluation Process of making judgments about student learning and performance Value judgment about the quality of learning and performance Types of evaluation: formative and summative Formative evaluation occurs throughout the instructional process and provides feedback to students Summative evaluation "summarizes" what students have learned

Grading Grade is a symbol (A through F, Pass-Fail) that represents a student's achievement in a course Different grading systems, e.g., letters (A, B, C, D, F), percentages, pass-fail, others Grade is based on data collected through various assessment methods in the course Test scores and scores from other types of assessments can be interpreted using norm- or criterion-referenced standards Norm-referenced interpretation: compare each student's score to those of a norm group Criterion-referenced interpretation: compare test and other scores to preset criteria

Outcomes for Assessment Outcomes are cognitive processes and practice behaviors students should demonstrate at program completion Characteristics that students should display at a particular point in time Competencies are behaviors needed to develop those characteristics Some teachers refer to outcomes as objectives Also referred to as learning targets What student should achieve at the end of the instruction

Assessment Methods Tests Papers and other types of written assignments Set of items to which students respond in written or sometimes oral format Papers and other types of written assignments Formal papers Reflective journals Short papers Concept maps Writing-to-learn activities Other written assignments

Assessment Methods (cont) Assessment of papers Need to have specific criteria for assessment Share with students prior to beginning the paper Develop a rubric for evaluating paper Rubric is a scoring guide Specifies criteria to be assessed and points allotted to each criterion Principles for assessing papers and other written assignments

Assessment Methods (cont) Integrative cases, unfolding cases, and case studies Multimedia for assessment Short segments of digital recording, a video from YouTube, and other media clips can also be used for assessment Portfolio Two types: best work and growth Electronic portfolios can be updated, stored, and shared more easily

Assessment Methods (cont) Discussions and conferences Group projects Simulations Standardized patients Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) Principles for setting up an OSCE for formative or summative evaluation Self-evaluation