HOT Assessment Practices P. Gibson Ralph Department of Theatre & Music Studies

Credit Where Credit Is Due Plenary Speaker 2014 STLHE Conference “Why you can pass tests and still fail in the real world Eric Mazur – Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Harvard University – Area Dean of Applied Physics Thesis - Assessment fails to focus on the skills that are relevant in life in the 21st century.

Flash Cards – Rote Memory 35% Retained after 1 week

21% retained after two weeks 18% retained after three weeks 17% retained after two months

Purpose of Assessment Rate students Rate professor and course Motivate students to keep up with work Provide feedback on learning to students Provide feedback to instructor Provide instructional accountability Improve teaching and learning

Bloom’s Revised 21 st Century Taxonomy Low Order Thinking High Order Thinking HOT

Problem Solving Most problems are low order thinking skills – Given - a problem – Procedure for solving known – Outcome is unknown A computer can do this

Authentic Assessment/Testing Real world tasks – 21 st Century approach – Computers & robots handle manufacturing The outcome is know The process or solution to the problem is unknown – Humans solve problems

So what’s the problem?

Grading is incompatible with REAL problem solving

Creating Authentic Assessment Any assessment question whose solution is available on Google is not Authentic Problem with known outcome & unknown solution The HOT process – Creating/ Evaluating/ Analyzing Make assumptions Develop a Model – Applying the model

Mazur Example

How Long a Wait? Assumptions – People shop for approximately two hours – Assume people leave at regularly spaced intervals Model – Wait time = shopping time/number of spaces Application of the model – If average shopping time is 2 hours – Number of spaces is 20 – Wait time = 120minutes/20spaces

Second Impediment YOU DIDN’T COVER THIS IN CLASS!!!!

Avoid the LOT Temptation Asked to remove assumptions and provide data Asked to provide formula Remembering

Ralph What If’s Dramatic literature – If Racine had written Hamlet how would it be different. Scenic Design – Equipped with Sabatini’s Pratica di fabricar scene e machine ne' teatri and $400 produce an effect to revel Banquo’s ghost in Hamlet.

Grading Options External review Peer and self assessment Calibrated Peer Review –

Possible Assessment Approaches Imitate real life – Open book – Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique Focus on feedback not ranking Focus on skills not content

Future – Perhaps Reexamine The Course

Backward Design Begin with Desired Outcomes Determine what is Acceptable Evidence Select the Instructional Approach Understanding by Design: Grant P. Wiggins, Jay McTighe 2005