Assessment and Feedback Intro to College Teaching 2 November 14, 2007 Esther Leibovich (Ecology & Evolution) & Lara Pudwell (Mathematics)

What is Assessment? the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, and the like the process of determining how well course goals have been achieved important both for students and for the instructor

Assessment topics Grades Non-graded assessment Giving Feedback Purpose Grading philosophies Grading non-written assignments Non-graded assessment Giving Feedback Detecting Cheating Grading Variations Self-assessment Peer-Assessment Contract grading Grading Penalties Extra Credit Curving

What do we use grades for? To motivate students To reward effort To help students successfully identify good work To punish students for lack of effort To rank students for higher-level courses or grad school To inform the teacher about what students have and have not learned Most importantly, we use grades to communicate the extent of student learning (how well they have achieved the course objectives)

Grading Philosophies How do your grading policies motivate your students? “whip technique” pushes students to learn based on a fear of receiving a poor grade (grade-centric) “carrot technique” encourages students to earn the reward of a good grade (learning-centered) Are grades “given” or “earned”?

Frequency of assessment Assess student learning as frequently as possible! The more grades you have, the more reliable the overall final grade will be. If you start early, you show your students that you are serious and expect them to keep up all along. Start early to measure comprehension, then later test recall and interpretation. Early and frequent assessments also allow you to monitor whether you are teaching effectively. Early and frequent assessments allow you to better adjust your teaching and your students’ study strategies.

Other assessment considerations What goals are being assessed? Reasonable limits of time required. Flexibility? Frequency? Using Rubrics

Writing Rubrics and Keys Forces instructor to consider what goals are being tested Can give students a sense of justice about their grades May include partial credit

Non-written assignments Examples of non-written assignments include but are not limited to: Debates Presentations (individual and group) Leading discussions Oral exams Conversations and class discussions While designing oral assignments, it is important to consider how you intend to grade them.

Grading non-written assignments As with written assignments, be clear with your students about what you expect. Let them know what your grading criteria will be, and include a rubric if possible. Decide what criteria you will use to assign grades, such as: clarity, content, organization, delivery, etc. On the class sakai website, we have included a list of websites that have sample rubrics and more guidelines for grading these types of assignments.

Class Participation Should class attendance and participation play a role in final grade determination? Why might a teacher want to include attendance and participation in a grading scheme? What problems might arise as a result? How else to motivate students without using grades?

Sample rubric for grading non-written assignments

Ideas for non-graded assessment Attendance quizzes Have students present problems/mini discussions in class Participation in web forums (e.g. Sakai) Maintain an interactive classroom Minute papers, quizzes

Giving Feedback Grading as a dialogue… Positive comments do more than stroke fragile egos. Tell them what you liked and why. Negative comments should be accompanied by suggestions for improvement.

Feedback can… Give suggestions for improvement Explain mistakes Focus on level of critical analysis Focus on argument Focus on overall impressions Tell what has been done badly Focus on subject matter Correct mistakes Tell the grade Focus on use of supporting evidence The Teaching Professor, June/July 2002, p. 3

5 characteristics of unhelpful feedback Uses technical language Difficult to read Not enough info to be helpful Too impersonal Too general or vague The Teaching Professor, June/July 2002, p. 3

10 Characteristics of Effective Feedback Solicited Attentive, Caring, and Respectful Collaborative Well-timed Clear and direct Specific Directed at behavior the person can change Focused on a limited range of behavior at a time Rounded or balanced Provides direction for improvement The Teaching Professor, December 2003, p. 5

Teaching Through Comments (Adapted from Filene Appendix 8.1) Identify strengths. How can strengths be used to repair weaknesses? Identify the biggest problems. Try to phrase questions so they cannot just be answered with “yes” or “no” Avoid identifying problems without suggesting ways to repair them. When something is good, explain why. Avoid doing the students’ work for them. Let them make the corrections. Minimize comments in the margins. Try to put most writing into a succinct well-thought-out comment at the end. Be kind. Assume the students have tried their best. Keep notes for yourself about the students’ performance (strengths and weaknesses) or keep a copy of your comments so you can track progress over time.

Detecting/Responding to Cheating Make standards clear ahead of time. Google suspicious work. Build an airtight case. Don’t let students get away with it. Consult the Rutgers Policy on Academic Integrity at (http://ctaar.rutgers.edu/integrity/policy.html) The Teaching Professor, August/September 2004, p. 3

Self-Assessment and Peer-Assessment Pros Students discover their own mistakes Reinforces student learning Immediate feedback May reduce student-teacher conflict and student anxiety Cons Possibility of cheating Grade inflation College Teaching, Vol 55, No. 2 (Spring 2007), p. 72-76

Contract Grading Alternate form of grading with the goal of putting learning more in students’ hands Students and professors agree on an individualized “contract” at the start of the semester concerning grades, weighting of grades, etc. Grades may depend on effort rather than comprehension. Pushes students to evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses May require more effort from instructor

Grading Penalties Be clear and consistent about grading policies. Include them in your course syllabus. Many teachers also explain policies for delinquency, such as penalties for late work, missing exams, and poor attendance. Many teachers feel that laying out penalties for every foreseeable infraction ahead of time gives students control over their own behavior because they are aware of the consequences. Others feel that this shows a fear of “losing control” of one’s students.

Extra Credit Considerations: Grade insurance Is this going to help your students present you with evidence that they have achieved course objectives? Does the assignment encourage grade-centered or learning-centered study? Is this assignment being offered to all students? Grade insurance

To Curve or not to Curve? Curving grades involves comparing students to each other. There are many different ways to curve grades. Grading without a curve bases grades on a predetermined set of standards. When you set standards, be sure to be clear and communicate to your students what they are!

Your assignment Review your course syllabus: Next class: November 28: Are your grading policies clearly stated? How do you plan to grade different types of assignments and activities you have included? Consider what values your grading policies convey to students. Next class: November 28: Bring in polished copy of syllabus, and any other assignments, lectures, etc. you have prepared. This will be handed in. Be prepared to describe your class and spend 5 minutes telling about your favorite course innovations. Post your course syllabus to Sakai.